Controlled cleavage thin film separation process using a reusable substrate
First Claim
1. A process for forming films of material from a substrate, said process comprising steps of:
- introducing first particles through a surface of the substrate to a first selected depth underneath said surface, said first particles being a first concentration at said first selected depth to define a first layer of substrate material to be removed above said first selected depth and to define a first remaining portion of substrate material below said first selected depth;
freeing said first layer of substrate material from the substrate to form a cleaved surface on said substrate by applying energy to a selected region of said substrate thereby cleaving said first laver from said substrate in a controlled fashion;
introducing second particles through said cleaved surface of said substrate to a second selected depth underneath said cleaved surface, said second particles being at a second concentration at said second selected depth to define a second layer of substrate material to be removed above said second selected depth and to define a second remaining portion of substrate material below said second selected depth; and
freeing said second layer of substrate material from the substrate.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for forming films of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) 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 donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth. Energy is provided to a selected region of the substrate to cleave a thin film of material from the donor substrate. Particles are introduced again into the donor substrate underneath a fresh surface of the donor substrate. A second thin film of material is then cleaved from the donor substrate.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A process for forming films of material from a substrate, said process comprising steps of:
-
introducing first particles through a surface of the substrate to a first selected depth underneath said surface, said first particles being a first concentration at said first selected depth to define a first layer of substrate material to be removed above said first selected depth and to define a first remaining portion of substrate material below said first selected depth; freeing said first layer of substrate material from the substrate to form a cleaved surface on said substrate by applying energy to a selected region of said substrate thereby cleaving said first laver from said substrate in a controlled fashion; introducing second particles through said cleaved surface of said substrate to a second selected depth underneath said cleaved surface, said second particles being at a second concentration at said second selected depth to define a second layer of substrate material to be removed above said second selected depth and to define a second remaining portion of substrate material below said second selected depth; and freeing said second layer of substrate material from the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A process for forming films of material from a single-crystal silicon substrate, said process comprising steps of:
-
introducing first hydrogen ions through a surface of the substrate to a first selected depth underneath said surface, said first hydrogen ions being at a first concentration at said first selected depth to define a first layer of substrate material to be removed above said first selected depth and to define a first remaining portion of substrate material below said first selected depth; freeing said first layer of substrate material from the substrate to form a cleaved surface on said substrate by applying energy to a selected region of said substrate thereby cleaving said first layer from said substrate in a controlled fashion; preparing the cleaved surface; introducing hydrogen ions through said planarized layer to a second selected depth underneath said cleaved surface, said second hydrogen ions being at a second concentration at said second selected depth to define a second layer of substrate material to be removed above said second selected depth and to define a second remaining portion of substrate material below said second selected depth; and freeing said second layer of substrate material from the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
Specification