Free-standing thickness of single crystal material and method having carrier lifetimes

A method of fabricating a thickness of silicon material having a total thickness variation of less than about 5% (change in thickness/thickness), the method comprising:

• providing a silicon ingot material having a surface region;
• introducing a plurality of particles having an energy of about 1-5 MeV through the surface region to a depth to define a cleave region and a thickness of detachable material between the cleave region and the surface region;
• processing the silicon ingot material to free the thickness of detachable material at a vicinity of the cleave region;
• causing formation of a free-standing thickness of material characterized by a carrier lifetime of about 10 microseconds and less, a first thickness substantially equal to that of the thickness of detachable material;
• treating the free-standing thickness of material using at least an etching process;
• performing a thermal/passivation process on the free-standing thickness of material to recover the carrier lifetime to greater than about 200 microseconds;
• and
• wherein the free-standing thickness of material has a strength about 1 GPa and greater in fracture stress.