Process for the production of a structure having a thin semiconductor film on a substrate

• US 5,863,830 A
• Filed: 09/18/1995
• Issued: 01/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Poumeyrol, Thierry, Bruel, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Geist, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARSA, JAFAR F
• Application Number:
  US08/529,927
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 438/478, 438/479, 438/480
• US Class Current: 438/478
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76251 using bonding techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76254 with separation/delamination along an ion implanted layer, e.g. Smart-cut, Unibond

Abstract

A process for the production of a structure having a thin semiconductor film (2) adhering to a target substrate (24). The process which is applicable to the production of electronic components comprises the steps of

a) producing a first structure having a thin semiconductor film (2) on a first substrate, and

b) transferring of the thin film (2) from the first substrate to the target substrate.

Claims

1. A process for the production of a structure having a semiconductor thin film (4) adhering to a target substrate (24), comprising the following steps:

a) producing a first structure having a thin semiconductor film on a first substrate (2) to form a thin film-first substrate assembly, the thin film having a first free face (10) called the front face and a second face (8) called the rear face bonded to the first substrate by a first bonding energy E₀, and

b) transferring the thin film (4) from the first substrate (2) to the target substrate (24), said transfer involving both a tearing of the thin film (4) from the first substrate (2) by application to the thin film-first substrate assembly tearing away forces able to overcome the first bonding energy and adhesive contacting of the thin film (4) with the target substrate (24), said transferring being accomplished by

b₁) the adhesive contacting of a manipulator (12) with the first face (10) of the thin film (4), the adhesive contact being established with a second bonding energy E₁ exceeding the first bonding energy,

b₂) separating of the thin film (4) and the first substrate (2) by tearing away the thin film (4) level with the second face (8) and the first substrate, and

b₃) adhesive contacting of the second face of the thin film (4) with the target substrate (24) with a third bonding energy E₂ and separating of the thin film (4) from the manipulator (12).

2. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the third bonding energy E₂ exceeds the second bonding energy E₁.

3. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the first substrate (2) has an expansion coefficient substantially identical to the expansion coefficient of the thin film.

4. The process according to any one of the claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the tearing away forces comprise a tensile and/or shear force.

5. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the thin film on the first substrate is obtained by:

an implantation of ions of rare gas or hydrogen in a supplementary substrate through its surface so as to generate a layer of gaseous microbubbles extending substantially in accordance with a plane defining in the supplementary substrate a surface thin film,

the adhesive contacting of the thin film and the first substrate with the first bonding energy, and

a heat treatment, which by a crystalline rearrangement effect and by a pressure effect in the gaseous microbubbles brings about a cleaving separating the film from the remainder of the supplementary substrate.

6. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that during step b₃), the separation of the thin film (4) and the manipulator takes place after the adhesive contacting of the film (4) with the target substrate (24).

7. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that during step b₃), the separation of the thin film (4) and the manipulator takes place prior to the adhesive contacting of the film (4) and the target substrate (24).

8. The process according to claim 7, characterized in that during step b₃), the manipulator and thin film are immersed in a chemical bath to dissolve the manipulator, the film being collected on the target substrate.

9. The process according to claim 7, characterized in that during step b₃), the thin film (4) is adhesively contacted with the target substrate (24) by its first or second face.

10. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that during step b₁), the adhesive contacting between the manipulator (12) and the thin film (4) is brought about by electrostatic forces and during step b₃), the separation of the film (4) and the manipulator (12) is obtained by eliminating said electrostatic forces.

11. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive contact is obtained by a heat and/or pressure and/or chemical preparation treatment of the surfaces to be contacted.

12. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive contact between the thin film and the manipulator is brought about with an adhesive.

13. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the target substrate has a contacting surface above the surface of one of the first and second faces of the thin film.

14. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the thin film (4) is a monocrystalline, semiconductor material film.