# US 7,410,887 B2 · Controlled process and resulting device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 7,410,887 B2
- Document ID: US7410887B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/627,920
- Filed: 2007-01-26
- Published: 2007-05-31
- Granted: 2008-08-12
- Earliest claimed: 1997-05-12
- Assignees: Silicon Genesis Corporation
- Inventors: Francois J. Henley; Nathan W. Cheung
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7410887B2

## CPC

- H10P 10/128: {by direct semiconductor to semiconductor bonding}
- B81C 1/0038: {Processes for creating layers of materials not provided for in groups B81C1/00357 - B81C1/00373}
- H10P 30/204: {into Group IV semiconductors}
- H10P 30/208: {of electrically inactive species}
- H10P 30/225: {of a molecular ion, e.g. decaborane}
- H10P 32/1204: {from a plasma phase}
- H10P 52/00: Grinding, lapping or polishing of wafers, substrates or parts of devices
- H10P 54/52: {by cleaving}
- H10P 90/1906: {Preparing SOI wafers}
- H10P 90/1914: {using bonding}
- H10P 90/1916: {with separation or delamination along an ion implanted layer, e.g. Smart-cut}
- H10P 95/112: {leaving a reusable substrate, e.g. epitaxial lift off}
- H10W 10/181: {Semiconductor-on-insulator [SOI] isolation regions, e.g. buried oxide regions of SOI wafers}
- B81C 2201/0191: Transfer of a layer from a carrier wafer to a device wafer
- B81C 2201/0192: by cleaving the carrier wafer
- Y10S 117/915: Separating from substrate
- Y10S 156/93: Semiconductive product delaminating, e.g. delaminating emiconductive wafer from underlayer
- Y10S 438/974: Substrate surface preparation
- Y10S 438/977: Thinning or removal of substrate
- Y10T 156/11: Methods of delaminating, per se; i.e. , separating at bonding face
- Y10T 156/1158: Electromagnetic radiation applied to work for delamination [e.g., microwave, uv, ir, etc.]
- Y10T 156/19: Delaminating means
- Y10T 428/21: Circular sheet or circular blank
- Y10T 428/24893: including particulate material
- Y10T 428/249956: Void-containing component is inorganic
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01)
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth. An energy source is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for forming a film of material from a semiconductor substrate using a thermal pulse or pulses, said process comprising:
introducing 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 laser to a selected region of the semiconductor substrate to form a thermal gradient causing supplemental 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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the laser is a laser pulse or scan.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the laser is a photon beam.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the laser is provided by flood, time varying, spatially varying, or continuous.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the laser comprises a laser pulse to form an impinging beam, the impinging beam heats the selected region of the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the controlled cleaving action forms a single cleave front.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the controlled cleaving action forms multiple cleave fronts.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the thermal gradient heats the selected region.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the thermal gradient cools the selected region.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the particles are derived from a source selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas, helium gas, water vapor, methane, hydrogen compounds, and light atomic mass particles.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the particles are selected from the group consisting of neutral molecules, neutral atoms, charged molecules, charged atoms, and electrons.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the particles are energetic.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The process of claim 12 wherein the energetic particles have sufficient kinetic energy to penetrate through the surface to the selected depth underneath the surface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 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.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the introducing forms damage selected from the group consisting of atomic bond damage, bond substitution, weakening, and breaking bonds of the semiconductor substrate at the selected depth.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The process of claim 15 wherein the damage creates stress in the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The process of claim 15 wherein the damage reduces an ability of the semiconductor substrate material to withstand stress without a possibility of a cleaving of the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the introducing causes stress of the semiconductor material at the selected depth by a presence of the particles at the selected depth.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the introducing is a step(s) of beam line ion implantation.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the introducing is a step(s) of plasma immersion ion implantation.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 further comprising a step of joining the surface of the substrate to a surface of a target substrate to form a stacked assembly.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor substrate is made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, group III/V material, plastic, ceramic material, monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, and multi-layered substrate.

### Claim 23

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.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the thermal source is a laser pulse or scan.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the thermal source is a photon beam.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the thermal source is provided by flood, time varying, spatially varying, or continuous.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the thermal source comprises a laser pulse to form an impinging beam, the impinging beam heats the selected region of the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 28 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the controlled cleaving action forms a single cleave front.

### Claim 29 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the controlled cleaving action forms multiple cleave fronts.

### Claim 30 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the thermal gradient heats the selected region.

### Claim 31 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the thermal gradient cools the selected region.

### Claim 32 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the particles are derived from a source selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas, helium gas, water vapor, methane, hydrogen compounds, and light atomic mass particles.

### Claim 33 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the particles are selected from the group consisting of neutral molecules, neutral atoms, charged molecules, charged atoms, and electrons.

### Claim 34 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the particles are energetic.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The process of claim 34 wherein the energetic particles have sufficient kinetic energy to penetrate through the surface to the selected depth underneath the surface.

### Claim 36 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the introducing forms damage selected from the group consisting of atomic bond damage, bond substitution, weakening, and breaking bonds of the semiconductor substrate at the selected depth.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The process of claim 36 wherein the damage creates stress in the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 38 (depends on 36)

The process of claim 36 wherein the damage reduces an ability of the semiconductor substrate to withstand stress without a possibility of a cleaving of the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 39 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the introducing causes stress of the semiconductor material at the selected depth by a presence of the particles at the selected depth.

### Claim 40 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the introducing is a step of beam line ion implantation.

### Claim 41 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the introducing is a step of plasma immersion ion implantation.

### Claim 42 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 further comprising a step of joining the surface of the semiconductor substrate to a surface of a target substrate to form a stacked assembly.

### Claim 43 (depends on 23)

The process of claim 23 wherein the semiconductor substrate is made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, group III/V material, plastic, ceramic material, monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, and multi-layered substrate.

### Claim 44

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.