Structured wafer for device processing
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsMurat Okandan, Gregory N. Nielson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A structured wafer that includes through passages is used for device processing. Each of the through passages extends from or along one surface of the structured wafer and forms a pattern on a top surface area of the structured wafer. The top surface of the structured wafer is bonded to a device layer via a release layer. Devices are processed on the device layer, and are released from the structured wafer using etchant. The through passages within the structured wafer allow the etchant to access the release layer to thereby remove the release layer.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- bonding a top surface of a structured wafer to a release layer and a device layer, the structured wafer comprising a plurality of through passages that each extend from or along one surface of the structured wafer to the top surface of the structured wafer, wherein the plurality of through passages do not define side edges of the structured wafer that extend from the top surface to the one surface of the structured wafer;
- processing the device layer to produce a plurality of devices;
- and
- removing the release layer using an etchant that accesses the release layer via the plurality of through passages to thereby separate the devices from the structured wafer.
A method comprising:
- etching a through hole that extends through a width of a structured wafer, from a top surface of the structured wafer to a bottom surface of the structured wafer, wherein the through hole does not define a side edge of the structured wafer;
- bonding the top surface of the structured wafer to a release layer of a donor wafer, wherein the donor wafer further comprises a device layer;
- forming a device from the device layer of the donor wafer while the donor wafer is bonded to the structured wafer;
- and
- etching the release layer of the donor wafer, at least in part through the through hole in the structured wafer, to release the device from the structured wafer.
A method comprising:
- etching a through hole that extends through a width of a structured wafer, from a top surface of the structured wafer to a bottom surface of the structured wafer, wherein the through hole does not define a side edge of the structured wafer;
- bonding the top surface of the structured wafer to a device layer coated with a passivation layer and release layer using plasma surface activation;
- forming a device from the device layer while the device layer is bonded to the structured wafer;
- and
- etching the release layer away to release the device from the structured wafer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.