Controlled cleavage process using pressurized fluid

• US 5,994,207 A
• Filed: 02/19/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silicon Genesis
• Original Assignee: Silicon Genesis
• Inventors: Henley, Francois J., Cheung, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowers, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson, Craig
• Application Number:
  US09/026,027
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 438/515, 438/455, 148/DIG. 12
• US Class Current: 438/515
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/0038 Processes for creating layers of materials not provided for in groups B81C1/00357 - B81C1/00373
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0191 Transfer of a layer from a carrier wafer to a device wafer
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0192 by cleaving the carrier wafer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/187 by direct bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2007 Bonding of semiconductor wafers to insulating substrates or to semiconducting substrates using an intermediate insulating layer H01L21/2011 takes precedence; bonding of semiconductor wafers to semiconductor wafers for junction formation H01L21/187
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2236 from or into a plasma phase
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/26506 in group IV semiconductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2658 of a molecular ion, e.g. decaborane
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/304 Mechanical treatment, e.g. grinding, polishing, cutting H01L21/30625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/7624 using semiconductor on insulator [SOI] technology H01L21/76297 takes precedence; manufacture of integrated circuits on insulating substrates H01L21/84; silicon on sapphire [SOS] technology H01L21/86
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76254 with separation/delamination along an ion implanted layer, e.g. Smart-cut, Unibond
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/7813 leaving a reusable substrate, e.g. epitaxial lift off
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 117/915 Separating from substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 156/93 Semiconductive product delaminating, e.g. delaminating emiconductive wafer from underlayer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/974 Substrate surface preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/977 Thinning or removal of substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/11 Methods of delaminating, per se; i.e. , separating at bonding face
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1158 Electromagnetic radiation applied to work for delamination [e.g., microwave, uv, ir, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/19 Delaminating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/21 Circular sheet or circular blank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24893 : including particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249956 : Void-containing component is inorganic

Abstract

A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) in a selected manner through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth and the particles for a pattern at the selected depth. An energy source such as pressurized fluid is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Claims

1. A process for forming a film of material from a substrate, said process comprising steps of:

introducing particles in a selected manner through a surface of a substrate to a selected depth underneath said surface, said particles being at a concentration at said selected depth to define a substrate material to be removed above said selected depth, said selected manner providing a patterned distribution of particles at said selected depth to enhance said controlled cleaving action; and

providing energy using a fluid to a selected region of said substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action at said selected depth in said substrate, whereupon said cleaving action is made using a propagating cleave front to free a portion of said material to be removed from said substrate.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said particles are derived from a source selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas, helium gas, water vapor, methane, hydrogen compounds, and other light atomic mass particles.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said particles are selected from the group consisting of neutral molecules, charged molecules, atoms, and electrons.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said particles are energetic.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein said energetic particles have sufficient kinetic energy to penetrate through said surface to said selected depth underneath said surface.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of providing energy sustains said controlled cleaving action to remove said material from said substrate to provide a film of material.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of providing energy increases a controlled stress in said material and sustains said controlled cleaving action to remove said material from said substrate to provide a film of material.

8. The process of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing additional energy to said substrate to sustain said controlled cleaving action to remove said material from said substrate to provide a film of material.

9. The process of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing additional energy to said substrate to increases a controlled stress in said material and sustains said controlled cleaving action to remove said material from said substrate to provide a film of material.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein said introducing step forms damage selected from the group consisting of atomic bond damage, bond substitution, weakening, and breaking bonds of said substrate at said selected depth.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein said damage causes stress to said substrate material.

12. The process of claim 10 wherein said damage reduces an ability of said substrate material to withstand stress without a possibility of a cleaving of said substrate material.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein said propagating cleave front is selected from a single cleave front or multiple cleave fronts.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein said introducing step causes stress of said material region at said selected depth by a presence of said particles at said selected depth.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of introducing is a step(s) of beam line ion implantation.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of introducing is a step(s) of plasma immersion ion implantation.

17. The process of claim 1 further comprising a step of joining said surface of said substrate to a surface of a target substrate to form a stacked assembly.

18. The process of claim 1 wherein said substrate is made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, diamond, quartz, glass, sapphire, silicon carbide, dielectric, group III/V material, plastic, ceramic material, and multi-layered substrate.

19. The process of claim 1 wherein said surface is planar.

20. The process of claim 1 wherein said surface is curved.

21. The process of claim 1 wherein said substrate is a silicon substrate comprising an overlying layer of dielectric material, said selected depth being underneath said dielectric material.

22. The process of claim 1 wherein said fluid is selected from a static source or a fluid jet source.

23. The process of claim 1 wherein said fluid is directed to said selected depth to initiate said controlled cleaving action.

24. The process of claim 1 wherein said fluid is derived from a compressed gas.