Controlled cleavage process using patterning

• US 6,290,804 B1
• Filed: 02/20/1998
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• 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 W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lorin, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US09/026,793
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 216/58, 156/250, 156/344, 438/515, 438/455
• US Class Current: 438/455
• 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 form a pattern at a selected depth (20) underneath the surface. The particles have a concentration sufficiently high to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth. An energy source 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 into a substrate to a selected depth underneath said surface, said particles being at a concentration at said selected depth to define a film of 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 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, thereby producing said film of substrate material.

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

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

4. The process of claim 3 wherein said energetic particles have sufficient kinetic energy to penetrate through said surface to said selected depth underneath said surface.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. The process of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing additional energy to said substrate to increase 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.

9. 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.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein said damage causes stress to said substrate material.

11. The process of claim 9 wherein said damage reduces an ability of said substrate material to withstand stress without a possibility of a cleaving of said substrate material.

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

13. 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.

14. The process of claim 1 further comprising a step of increasing an energy level of said substrate while substantially preventing a possibility of cleaving said substrate.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein said step of introducing said energy level is at a global substrate temperature that is below a temperature of said introducing step.

16. The process of claim 1 further comprising a step of increasing a stress of said substrate while substantially preventing a possibility of cleaving said substrate at said selected depth.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein said step of introducing said stress is maintained at a global substrate temperature that is below a temperature of said introducing step.

18. The process of claim 14 wherein said step of increasing said energy is performed while substantially preventing a possibility of inducing a cleaving action between said film of material and said substrate.

19. The process of claim 14 wherein said step of increasing said energy increases stress between said portion of said film material and said substrate at said selected depth while substantially preventing a possibility of inducing a cleaving action between said film of material and said substrate.

20. The process of claim 14 wherein said energy is provided by an energy source selected from the group consisting of a thermal source, a thermal sink, a mechanical source, a chemical source, and an electrical source.

21. The process of claim 20 wherein said chemical source provides particles, fluids, gases, or liquids.

22. The process of claim 20 wherein said chemical source includes a chemical reaction.

23. The process of claim 20 wherein said chemical source is selected from the group consisting of a flood source, a time-varying source, a spatially varying source and a continuous source.

24. The process of claim 20 wherein said mechanical source is selected from the group consisting of a rotational source, a translational source, a compressional source, an expansional source, and an ultrasonic source.

25. The process of claim 20 wherein said mechanical source is selected from the group consisting of a flood source, a time-varying source, a spatially varying source and continuous source.

26. The process of claim 20 wherein the electrical source is selected from the group consisting of an applied voltage source and an applied electromagnetic field source.

27. The process of claim 20 wherein said electrical source is selected from the group consisting of a flood source, a time-varying source, a spatially varying source, and a continuous source.

28. The process of claim 20 wherein said thermal source or thermal sink transfers heat to or from the substrate by radiation, convection, or conduction.

29. The process of claim 28 wherein said thermal source is selected from the group consisting of a photon beam, a fluid jet, a liquid jet, a gas jet, an electro/magnetic field, an electron beam, a thermo-electric heating, an oven, and a furnace.

30. The process of claim 28 wherein said thermal sink is selected from the group consisting of a fluid jet, a liquid jet, a gas jet, a cryogenic fluid, a super-cooled liquid, a thermoelectric cooling means, and an electromagnetic field.

31. The process of claim 20 wherein said thermal source or sink is selected from the group consisting of a flood source, a time-varying source, a spatially varying source, and a continuous source.

32. The process of claim 1 wherein said energy is provided by a source selected from the group consisting of a thermal source, a thermal sink, a mechanical source, a chemical source, and an electrical source.

33. The process of claim 32 wherein said chemical source provides particles.

34. The process of claim 32 wherein said chemical source includes a chemical reaction.

35. The process of claim 32 wherein said chemical source is selected from the group consisting of a flood source, a time-varying source, a spatially varying source, and a continuous source.

36. The process of claim 32 wherein said mechanical source is selected from the group consisting of a rotational source, a translational source, a compressional source, an expansional source, and an ultrasonic source.

37. The process of claim 32 wherein said mechanical source is selected from the group consisting of a flood source, a time-varying source, a spatially varying source, and a continuous source.

38. The process of claim 32 wherein said electrical source is selected from the group consisting of an applied voltage and an applied electro-magnetic means.

39. The process of claim 32 wherein said electrical source is selected from the group consisting of a flood source, a time-varying source, a spatially varying source, and a continuous source.

40. The process of claim 32 wherein said thermal source transfers heat to the substrate by radiation, convection, or conduction.

41. The process of claim 40 wherein said thermal source is selected from the group consisting of a photon beam, a liquid jet, a gas jet, an electron beam, a thermoelectric heating, an oven, and a furnace.

42. The process of claim 40 wherein said thermal sink is selected from the group consisting of a liquid jet, a gas jet, a cryogenic fluid, a super-cooled liquid, a thermoelectric cooling means, and a super-cooled gas.

43. The process of claim 32 wherein said thermal source is selected from the group consisting of a flood source, a time-varying source, a spatially varying source, and a continuous source.

44. The process of claim 1 wherein said substrate is maintained at a temperature ranging between −

200°

C. and 450°

C. during said introducing step.

45. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of providing said energy is maintained at a temperature below 400°

C.

46. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of providing said energy is maintained at a temperature below 350°

C.

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

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

49. 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.

50. The process of claim 49 wherein said joining step is provided by applying an electrostatic pressure between said substrate and said target substrate.

51. The process of claim 49 wherein said joining step is provided by using an adhesive substance between said target substrate and said substrate.

52. The process of claim 49 wherein said joining step is provided by an activated surface between said target substrate and said substrate.

53. The process of claim 49 wherein said joining step is provided by an interatomic bond between said target substrate and said substrate.

54. The process of claim 49 wherein said joining step is provided by a spin-on-glass between said target substrate and said substrate.

55. The process of claim 49 wherein said joining step is provided by a polyimide between said target substrate and said substrate.

56. 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.

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

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

59. 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.

60. The process of claim 59 wherein said dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of an oxide material, a nitride material, and an oxide/nitride material.

61. The process of claim 1 wherein said substrate includes an overlying layer of conductive material.

62. The process of claim 61 wherein said conductive material is selected from the group consisting of a metal, a plurality of metal layers, aluminum, tungsten, titanium, titanium nitride, polycide, polysilicon, copper, indium tin oxide, silicide, platinum, gold, silver, and amorphous silicon.

63. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of introducing provides a substantially uniform distribution of particles along a plane of said material region at said selected depth.

64. The process of claim 63 wherein said substantially uniform distribution is a uniformity of less than about 5%.

65. The process of claim 1 wherein said patterned distribution of particles is in a pattern selected from the group consisting of a checkerboard pattern, an annular ring pattern, a concentric circle pattern, an annular pattern, a webbed pattern (e.g., dart board, spider web), and spiral pattern defined on said top surface of said substrate.

66. The process of claim 1 wherein said particles comprise hydrogen gas.

67. The process of claim 1 wherein said particles comprise hydrogen compounds.