Controlled process and resulting device

A process for forming a film of material from a semiconductor substrate using a thermal pulse or pulses, said process comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate;
• introducing a plurality of particles through a surface of a semiconductor substrate to a selected depth underneath said surface, the particles being at a concentration at the selected depth to define a material to be removed above the selected depth;
• and
• applying a thermal source using electro-magnetic radiation to a selected region of the semiconductor substrate to form a thermal gradient causing stress to initiate a controlled cleaving action at the selected depth in the semiconductor substrate to free a portion of a semiconductor material to be removed from the semiconductor substrate, the process further comprising providing energy to sustain the controlled cleaving action to remove the semiconductor material from the semiconductor substrate to provide a film of material.

A process for forming a film of material from a semiconductor substrate using a thermal pulse or pulses, said process comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate;
• introducing a plurality of particles through a surface of a semiconductor substrate to a selected depth underneath said surface, the particles being at a concentration at the selected depth to define a material to be removed above the selected depth;
• and
• applying a thermal source using electro-magnetic radiation, thereby providing energy to a selected region of the semiconductor substrate to form a thermal gradient causing stress to initiate a controlled cleaving action at the selected depth in the semiconductor substrate to free a portion of a semiconductor material to be removed from the semiconductor substrate, wherein the providing energy increases a controlled stress in the semiconductor material and sustains the controlled cleaving action to remove the semiconductor material from the semiconductor substrate to provide a film of material.