Semiconductor substrate manufacturing method

• US 6,251,754 B1
• Filed: 05/08/1998
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Matsui, Masaki, Ohshima, Hisayoshi, Yamauchi, Shoichi, Onoda, Kunihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, GRANVILL D
• Application Number:
  US09/074,384
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 438/506, 438/11, 438/24, 438/406, 438/458
• US Class Current: 438/506
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76254 with separation/delamination along an ion implanted layer, e.g. Smart-cut, Unibond

Abstract

The invention provides a number of semiconductor substrate manufacturing methods with which, in manufacturing a semiconductor substrate having a semiconductor layer in an insulated state on a supporting substrate, it is possible to obtain a thick semiconductor layer with a simple process and cheaply while reducing impurity contamination of the semiconductor layer to a minimum. One of these methods includes a defective layer forming step of carrying out ion implantation to a predetermined depth from the surface of a base substrate to partition off a monocrystalline thin film layer at the surface of the base substrate by a defective layer formed by implanted ions, a semiconductor film forming step of forming a monocrystalline semiconductor film of a predetermined thickness on the monocrystalline thin film layer, a laminating step of laminating the base substrate by the surface of the monocrystalline semiconductor film to the supporting substrate, and a detaching step of detaching the base substrate laminated to the supporting substrate at the defective layer.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate comprising a semiconductor layer suitable for device formation and a supporting substrate on which the semiconductor layer is supported and which is insulated from the semiconductor layer, said method comprising:

implanting ions into a monocrystalline base substrate at a depth from a surface of the monocrystalline base substrate so that a portion of the monocrystalline base substrate having the ions implanted therein forms a defective layer and another portion of the monocrystalline base substrate between the surface of the monocrystalline base substrate and the defective layer defines a monocrystalline thin film layer, the defective layer partitioning the monocrystalline thin film layer from a remaining portion of the monocrystalline base substrate positioned on an opposite side of the defective layer from the monocrystalline thin film layer;

forming a monocrystalline semiconductor film having a thickness on the monocrystalline thin film layer at the surface of the monocrystalline base substrate;

laminating a supporting substrate to the surface of the monocrystalline base substrate at monocrystalline semiconductor film so that the monocrystalline semiconductor film is interposed between the supporting substrate and the remaining portion of the monocrystalline base substrate; and

detaching the remaining portion of the monocrystalline base substrate from the supporting substrate at the defective layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said implanting of ions into the monocrystalline base substrate is carried out with an oxide film formed on the surface of the monocrystalline base substrate, and wherein said method further comprises thereafter removing the oxide film.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming of the monocrystalline semiconductor film is carried out at a sufficiently low temperature that there is no desorption of the ions implanted in the monocrystalline base substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming of the monocrystalline semiconductor film is carried out at a sufficiently low temperature that diffusion of impurities from the monocrystalline thin film layer into the monocrystalline semiconductor film is suppressed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming of the monocrystalline semiconductor film comprises growing the monocrystalline semiconductor film epitaxially so that crystals of the monocrystalline semiconductor film are aligned with a crystal axis of the monocrystalline thin film layer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said epitaxially growing of the monocrystalline semiconductor film is performed with a molecular beam epitaxy apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the supporting substrate has an oxide film which, subsequent to said laminating, is interposed between the supporting substrate and the monocrystalline base substrate, and further wherein said detaching of the remaining portion of the monocrystalline base substrate from the supporting substrate at the defective layer exposes a surface of the monocrystalline thin film layer as a surface of the semiconductor layer.

8. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate comprising a semiconductor layer suitable for device formation and a supporting substrate on which the semiconductor layer is supported and which is insulated from the semiconductor layer, said method comprising:

implanting ions into a monocrystalline base substrate at a depth from a surface of the monocrystalline base substrate so that a portion of the monocrystalline base substrate having the ions implanted therein forms a defective layer and another portion of the monocrystalline base substrate between the surface of the monocrystalline base substrate and the defective layer defines a monocrystalline thin film layer, the defective layer partitioning the monocrystalline thin film layer from a remaining portion of the monocrystalline base substrate positioned on an opposite side of the defective layer from the monocrystalline thin film layer;

laminating a supporting substrate to the monocrystalline base substrate at the monocrystalline thin film layer so that the monocrystalline thin film layer is interposed between the supporting substrate and the remaining portion of the monocrystalline base substrate;

detaching the remaining portion of the monocrystalline base substrate from the supporting substrate at the defective layer so that the monocrystalline thin film layer remains on the supporting substrate; and

forming a monocrystalline semiconductor film having a thickness on the monocrystalline thin film layer remaining on the supporting substrate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said implanting of ions into the monocrystalline base substrate is carried out with an oxide film formed on the surface of the monocrystalline base substrate, and wherein said method further comprises thereafter removing the oxide film.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said forming of the monocrystalline semiconductor film is carried out at a sufficiently low temperature that diffusion of impurities from the monocrystalline thin film layer into the monocrystalline semiconductor film is suppressed.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said forming of the monocrystalline semiconductor film comprises growing the monocrystalline semiconductor film epitaxially so that crystals of the monocrystalline semiconductor film are aligned with a crystal axis of the monocrystalline thin film layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said epitaxially growing of the monocrystalline semiconductor film is performed with a molecular beam epitaxy apparatus.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the supporting substrate comprises an insulating film, and further wherein said laminating comprises laminating the monocrystalline semiconductor film to the insulating film of the supporting substrate.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the supporting substrate has an oxide film which, subsequent to said laminating, is interposed between the supporting substrate and the monocrystalline base substrate, and further wherein a surface of the monocrystalline semiconductor film on the supporting substrate serves as a surface of the semiconductor layer.

15. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate comprising a semiconductor layer suitable for device formation and a supporting substrate on which the semiconductor layer is supported and which is insulated from the semiconductor layer, said method comprising:

implanting ions into a base substrate at a depth from a surface of the base substrate so that a portion of the base substrate having the ions implanted therein forms an ion-implanted layer and another portion of the base substrate between the surface of the base substrate and the ion-implanted layer defines a thin film semiconductor layer, the thin film semiconductor layer having a facing surface which faces the ion-implanted layer, the ion-implanted layer being interposed between the thin film semiconductor layer and a remaining portion of the base substrate positioned on an opposite side of the ion-implanted layer from the thin film semiconductor layer;

forming a monocrystalline semiconductor film on the surface of the base substrate at a temperature sufficiently low to prevent the ions implanted into the base substrate during said implanting of ions from being desorbed from the base substrate into the monocrystalline semiconductor film;

laminating the base substrate to a supporting substrate to interpose the monocrystalline semiconductor film between the base substrate and the supporting substrate;

detaching the remaining portion of the base substrate from the supporting substrate at a defective layer part defined by the ion-implanted layer so that the monocrystalline semiconductor film and the thin film semiconductor layer remain on the supporting substrate, said detaching comprising heat treating the base substrate and the supporting substrate; and

polishing the facing surface of the thin film semiconductor layer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said polishing of the facing surface further comprises removing a part of the thin film semiconductor layer damaged by the ions.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said polishing of the facing surface further comprises polishing through the thin film semiconductor layer until the monocrystalline semiconductor film is exposed.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said implanting of ions into the base substrate is carried out with an oxide film formed on the surface of the base substrate, and wherein said method further comprises thereafter removing the oxide film.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said forming of the monocrystalline semiconductor film comprises growing the monocrystalline semiconductor film epitaxially.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said epitaxially growing of the monocrystalline semiconductor film is performed with a molecular beam epitaxy apparatus.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said epitaxially growing of the monocrystalline semiconductor film is performed with a chemical vapor deposition apparatus.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the supporting substrate comprises an oxide film formed thereon.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising polishing a face of the remaining portion of the base substrate from which the thin film semiconductor layer has been detached and recycling the remaining portion of the base substrate.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the supporting substrate has an oxide film which, subsequent to said laminating, is interposed between the supporting substrate and the base substrate, and further wherein said detaching of the remaining portion of the base substrate from the supporting substrate at the defective layer part and said polishing of the facing surface of the thin film semiconductor layer exposes a surface of the monocrystalline semiconductor film as a surface of the semiconductor layer.

25. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate comprising a semiconductor layer suitable for device formation and a supporting substrate on which the semiconductor layer is supported and which is insulated from the semiconductor layer, said method comprising:

forming a hydrogen rich layer on a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate;

forming a noncrystalline growth layer on the hydrogen rich layer so that the hydrogen rich layer is interposed between the noncrystalline growth layer and the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate, the noncrystalline growth layer and the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate having a same element;

laminating a supporting substrate to the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate at a surface of the noncrystalline growth layer;

heat treating the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate laminated to the supporting substrate at a first treatment temperature to monocrystallize the noncrystalline growth layer and form a thin film semiconductor layer; and

heat treating the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate laminated to the supporting substrate at a second treatment temperature and detaching the thin film semiconductor layer from the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate at the hydrogen rich layer.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising, prior to said forming of the noncrystalline growth layer, forming a segregation layer on the hydrogen rich layer.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the segregation layer is an amorphous silicon carbide film.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the segregation layer is a silicon oxide film consisting of one atom layer.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising, after said detaching of the thin film semiconductor layer from the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate, heat treating the supporting substrate having the thin film semiconductor layer thereon at a third treatment temperature to enhance crystallinity of the thin film semiconductor layer.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the hydrogen rich layer is a hydrogenated amorphous silicon film.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said forming of the hydrogen rich layer comprises forming the hydrogenated amorphous silicon film by plasma CVD.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the noncrystalline growth layer is an amorphous silicon film.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said forming of the noncrystalline growth layer comprises forming the amorphous silicon film by plasma CVD.

34. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate comprising a semiconductor layer suitable for device formation and a supporting substrate on which the semiconductor layer is supported and which is insulated from the semiconductor layer, said method comprising:

implanting ions into a base substrate at a depth from a surface of the base substrate so that a portion of the base substrate having the ions implanted therein forms an ion-implanted layer and another portion of the base substrate between the surface of the base substrate and the ion-implanted layer defines a thin film semiconductor layer, the ion-implanted layer partitioning the thin film semiconductor layer from a remaining portion of the base substrate positioned on an opposite side of the ion-implanted layer from the thin film semiconductor layer, the thin film semiconductor layer having a facing surface which faces the ion-implanted layer;

forming a semiconductor noncrystalline film on the surface of the base substrate at the thin film semiconductor layer;

laminating the base substrate to a supporting substrate to interpose the semiconductor noncrystalline film between the thin film semiconductor layer on the base substrate and the supporting substrate; and

heating treating the base substrate laminated to the supporting substrate and detaching the remaining portion of the base substrate from the supporting substrate at the ion-implanting layer so that the thin film semiconductor layer and the noncrystalline film remain on the supporting substrate.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising heat treating the semiconductor noncrystalline film to crystallize the semiconductor noncrystalline film by using the thin film semiconductor layer as a nucleus for crystallization, said heat treating of the semiconductor noncrystalline film occurring simultaneous with or subsequent to said heat treating of the base substrate and the supporting substrate.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the supporting substrate has an oxide film which, subsequent to said laminating, is interposed between the supporting substrate and the base substrate, and further wherein the semiconductor noncrystalline film is crystallized to form a surface of the semiconductor layer.

37. The method of claim 34, said forming of the semiconductor noncrystalline film comprises forming the semiconductor noncrystalline film by plasma CVD.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising polishing the facing surface of the thin film semiconductor layer.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the ion-implanted layer has a thickness sufficient for the ion-implanted layer to serve as a nucleus for inducing solid phase growth of the semiconductor noncrystalline film.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein the base substrate is a monocrystalline silicon substrate, and further wherein the semiconductor noncrystalline film is an amorphous silicon film.

41. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate comprising a semiconductor layer suitable for device formation and a supporting substrate on which the semiconductor layer is supported and which is insulated from the semiconductor layer, said method comprising:

implanting ions into a base substrate at a depth from a surface of the base substrate so that a portion of the base substrate having the ions implanted therein forms an ion-implanted layer and another portion of the base substrate between the surface of the base substrate and the ion-implanted layer defines a thin film semiconductor layer, the ion-implanted layer partitioning the thin film semiconductor layer from a remaining portion of the base substrate positioned on an opposite side of the ion-implanted layer from the thin film semiconductor layer, the thin film semiconductor layer having a facing surface which faces the ion-implanted layer;

forming a semiconductor noncrystalline film on a supporting substrate in such a manner that the semiconductor noncrystalline film is insulated;

laminating the semiconductor noncrystalline film with the supporting substrate to the thin film semiconductor layer of the base substrate; and

heating treating the base substrate and the supporting substrate and detaching the remaining portion of the base substrate from the supporting substrate at the ion-implanting layer so that the thin film semiconductor layer and the noncrystalline film remain on the supporting substrate.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising heat treating the semiconductor noncrystalline film to crystallize the semiconductor noncrystalline film by using the thin film semiconductor layer as a nucleus for crystallization, said heat treating of the semiconductor noncrystalline film occur simultaneous with or subsequent to said heat treating of the base substrate and the supporting substrate.

43. The method of claim 41, said forming of the semiconductor noncrystalline film comprises forming the semiconductor noncrystalline film by plasma CVD.

44. The method of claim 41, further comprising polishing the facing surface of the thin film semiconductor layer.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein the ion-implanted layer has a thickness sufficient for the ion-implanted layer to serve as a nucleus for inducing solid phase growth of the semiconductor noncrystalline film.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein the base substrate is a monocrystalline silicon substrate, and further wherein the semiconductor noncrystalline film is an amorphous silicon film.

47. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate comprising a semiconductor layer suitable for device formation and a supporting substrate on which the semiconductor layer is supported and which is insulated from the semiconductor layer, said method comprising:

implanting ions into a base substrate at a depth from a surface of the base substrate so that a portion of the base substrate having the ions implanted therein forms an ion-implanted layer and another portion of the base substrate between the surface of the base substrate and the ion-implanted layer defines a thin film semiconductor layer, the ion-implanted layer partitioning the thin film semiconductor layer from a remaining portion of the base substrate positioned on an opposite side of the ion-implanted layer from the thin film semiconductor layer, the thin film semiconductor layer having a facing surface which faces the ion-implanted layer;

laminating the surface of the base substrate at which the ion-implanted layer is formed to a supporting substrate;

heating treating the base substrate and the supporting substrate and detaching the remaining portion of the base substrate from the supporting substrate at the ion-implanting layer so that the thin film semiconductor layer remains on the supporting substrate;

forming a semiconductor noncrystalline film on the thin film semiconductor layer disposed on the supporting substrate; and

crystallizing the semiconductor noncrystalline film by using the thin film semiconductor layer as a nucleus to cause solid phase growth.

48. The method of claim 47, said forming of the semiconductor noncrystalline film comprises forming the semiconductor noncrystalline film by plasma CVD.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising polishing the facing surface of the thin film semiconductor layer.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the ion-implanted layer has a thickness sufficient for the ion-implanted layer to serve as a nucleus for inducing solid phase growth of the semiconductor noncrystalline film.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the base substrate is a monocrystalline silicon substrate, and further wherein the semiconductor noncrystalline film is an amorphous silicon film.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein the supporting substrate has an oxide film which, subsequent to said laminating, is interposed between the supporting substrate and the base substrate, and further wherein the semiconductor noncrystalline film is crystallized to form a surface of the semiconductor layer.

53. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

preparing a base substrate having a defective layer at a depth from a surface of the base substrate;

forming a noncrystalline semiconductor layer on at least one member selected from the group consisting of the surface of the base substrate and a surface of the supporting substrate;

bonding the base substrate and the supporting substrate together with the noncrystalline semiconductor layer interposed between the base and supporting substrates;

detaching the supporting substrate from the base substrate at the defective layer and retaining the noncrystalline semiconductor layer on the supporting substrate; and

crystallizing the noncrystalline semiconductor layer subsequent to said bonding of the base substrate and the supporting substrate.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the semiconductor layer is formed as a monocrystalline semiconductor layer.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein said crystallizing of the noncrystalline semiconductor layer is performed after said detaching of the supporting substrate from the base substrate.