Silicon-on-insulator structures and methods

A method for forming a semiconductor-on-insulator structure, comprising:

• forming an epitaxial insulator over a substrate;
• and
• forming an epitaxial semiconductor over the epitaxial insulator, wherein forming the epitaxial insulator comprises:
• depositing an amorphous insulating layer;
• converting the amorphous insulating layer to a single-crystal material by solid phase epitaxy, and oxidizing the substrate during the solid phase epitaxy.

A method for forming a semiconductor-on-insulator structure, comprising:

• forming an epitaxial insulator over a substrate, wherein the epitaxial insulator comprises greater than two elements;
• and
• forming an epitaxial semiconductor over the epitaxial insulator, wherein forming the epitaxial insulator comprises:
• depositing an amorphous insulating layer;
• and
• converting the amorphous insulating layer to a single-crystal material by solid phase epitaxy.

A process for forming an integrated circuit, comprising:

• depositing an amorphous insulating layer over a semiconductor substrate, wherein depositing the amorphous insulator comprises forming a compound having greater than or equal to three elements;
• converting the amorphous insulating layer into a highly crystalline material;
• and
• heteroepitaxially depositing a semiconductor structure over the amorphous insulating layer after converting.

A method for forming a semiconductor-on-insulator structure, comprising:

• forming an epitaxial insulator over a substrate;
• and
• forming an epitaxial semiconductor over the epitaxial insulator, wherein forming the epitaxial insulator comprises:
• depositing an amorphous insulating layer, wherein depositing the amorphous insulator comprises depositing a ternary oxide by an atomic layer deposition process;
• and
• converting the amorphous insulating layer to a single-crystal material by solid phase epitaxy.

A process for forming an integrated circuit, comprising:

• depositing an amorphous insulating layer over a semiconductor substrate, wherein depositing the amorphous insulator comprises maintaining the semiconductor substrate substantially free of a native oxide;
• converting the amorphous insulating layer into a highly crystalline material;
• and
• heteroepitaxially depositing a semiconductor structure over the amorphous insulating layer after converting.