Bonded semiconductor structure with SiGeC layer as etch stop
AssigneeSilanna Semiconductor U.S.A., Inc.
InventorStephen A. Fanelli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor structure is formed with a first wafer (e.g. a handle wafer) and a second wafer (e.g. a bulk silicon wafer) bonded together. The second wafer includes an active layer, which in some embodiments is formed before the two wafers are bonded together. A substrate is removed from the second wafer on an opposite side of the active layer from the first wafer using a SiGeC layer as an etch stop. In some embodiments, the SiGeC layer is then removed; but in some other embodiments, it remains as a strain-inducing layer.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming a first wafer having a first bonding material;
- forming a second wafer having a substrate, a SiGeC layer, an active layer and a second bonding material, the active layer being between the SiGeC layer and the second bonding material;
- bonding the second wafer to the first wafer at the first and second bonding materials;
- and
- removing the substrate using the SiGeC layer as an etch stop.
A semiconductor structure comprising:
- a first wafer;
- a first bonding material at a surface of the first wafer;
- a second wafer bonded to the first wafer;
- an active layer within the second wafer;
- and
- a second bonding material at a surface of the second wafer and being bonded to the first bonding material;
- wherein a substrate has been removed from the second wafer on an opposite side of the active layer from the first wafer using a SiGeC layer as an etch stop.
A semiconductor structure comprising:
- a handle wafer;
- a first bonding material within the handle wafer;
- a bulk silicon wafer bonded to the handle wafer;
- an active layer within the bulk silicon wafer;
- a second bonding material within the bulk silicon wafer and being bonded to the first bonding material;
- and
- a SiGeC layer within the bulk silicon wafer on an opposite side of the active layer from the handle wafer;
- wherein a substrate has been removed from the bulk silicon wafer using the SiGeC layer as an etch stop;
- and
- wherein the handle wafer provides structural strength for the semiconductor structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.