Apparatus and method for controlled cleaving
First Claim
1. ) A method for forming a thin film of material from a bonded substrate using a controlled cleaving process comprising:
- applying a tensile force along both sides of a portion of an edge of said bonded substrate;
initiating a cleave within said bonded substrate by applying an additional force along said portion of said edge of said substrate assembly;
propagating said cleave by controlling said tensile force along said edge of said bonded substrate, wherein propagating said cleave frees a layer of said bonded substrate to be removed; and
separating said layer from said bonded substrate by applying said tensile force, wherein after said propagating, said layer of said bonded substrate to be removed does not touch said bonded substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for controlled cleaving is presented. Embodiments of the present invention include an apparatus for cleaving a substrate comprising a bottom shell coupled to a hinge mechanism, a top shell coupled to the hinge mechanism, a plurality of o-rings or suction cups coupled to the top and bottom shells for providing a suction force sufficient to exert a tensile force to the top and bottom of a substrate, a compliant member for sealing a portion of a grove edge of a substrate and for maintaining a pressure inside a volume formed between the groove edge and the groove edge of the substrate, a gas port for supplying gas to the volume, and a height adjustment mechanism coupled to the top shell and the bottom shell for separating the top shell from the bottom shell. One embodiment of the invention eliminates the use of gas system and is replaced by a blade edge to initiate propagation and applied tensile force of suction cups to apply tensile forces prior to initiation, control cleave process and maintain layer separation during and after cleaving.
80 Citations
32 Claims
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1. ) A method for forming a thin film of material from a bonded substrate using a controlled cleaving process comprising:
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applying a tensile force along both sides of a portion of an edge of said bonded substrate;
initiating a cleave within said bonded substrate by applying an additional force along said portion of said edge of said substrate assembly;
propagating said cleave by controlling said tensile force along said edge of said bonded substrate, wherein propagating said cleave frees a layer of said bonded substrate to be removed; and
separating said layer from said bonded substrate by applying said tensile force, wherein after said propagating, said layer of said bonded substrate to be removed does not touch said bonded substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. ) A method of cleaving a bonded substrate comprising:
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placing said bonded substrate on a first portion of a substrate cleaving shell;
placing said bonded substrate on a second portion of said substrate cleaving shell;
applying a tensile force along both sides of a portion of an edge of said bonded substrate;
initiating a cleave within said bonded substrate by applying an additional force along said portion of said edge of said bonded substrate;
propagating said cleave by controlling said tensile force along said edge of said bonded substrate, wherein propagating said cleave frees a portion of said bonded substrate to be removed; and
separating said portion of said bonded substrate to be removed from said substrate by maintaining said tensile force such that after said propagating, said portion of said bonded substrate to be removed does not touch said bonded substrate. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. ) An apparatus for controlled cleaving of a bonded substrate comprising:
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a bottom shell coupled to a hinge mechanism;
a top shell coupled to said hinge mechanism;
a plurality of o-rings or suction cups coupled to said top and bottom shells for providing a suction force sufficient to exert a tensile force to a top and a bottom of said bonded substrate;
an initiating means for applying an additional force along a portion of an edge of said bonded substrate and for initiating a cleave in said bonded substrate; and
a height adjustment mechanism coupled to said top shell and said bottom shell for propagating said cleave by separating said top shell from said bottom shell. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. ) A method for controlling cleaving of a thin film of material from a bonded substrate comprising a planar surface comprising:
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apply a tensile force on both side of said bonded substrate;
initiating a cleave in said bonded substrate by striking along a portion of an edge of said bonded substrate substantially parallel to said planar surface;
propagating said cleave by controlling acceleration and velocity of said cleave across said planar surface, wherein propagating said cleave frees a portion of said bonded substrate to be removed, and separating said substrate into layers by maintaining said tensile force, wherein after said bonded substrate is cleaved, any portion of said cleaved layer does not touch said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. ) An apparatus for controlling cleaving of layers from a bonded substrate comprising:
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a bottom shell coupled to a hinge mechanism;
a top shell coupled to said hinge mechanism;
a plurality of compliant members coupled to said top and bottom shells for providing a suction force sufficient to exert a tensile force to a top and a bottom surface of a bonded substrate; and
an electrically controlled motor coupled to said hinge mechanism for controlling position, velocity and acceleration of a cleave front across said bonded substrate and for providing said tensile force wherein any portion of the separated layer does not touch said bonded substrate after said cleaving. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification