Method and device for controlled cleaving process

• US 6,291,313 B1
• Filed: 05/18/1999
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Olik
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, ANH D
• Application Number:
  US09/313,959
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 438/455, 438/458, 438/459, 438/526, 438/465
• US Class Current: 438/458
• 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 21/26593 at a temperature lower than room temperature
• 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

Abstract

A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of forming a stressed region in a selected manner at a selected depth (20) underneath the surface. 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 substrates, said process comprising:

forming a stressed region at a selected depth underneath a surface of a substrate, said stressed region at said selected depth to define a substrate material to be removed above said selected depth; 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 stressed region is derived from a layer formed from chemical vapor deposition.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said stressed region is derived from layer formed by physical vapor deposition.

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

5. The process of claim 1 wherein said 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.

6. The process of claim 1 further comprising 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.

7. The process of claim 1 further comprising 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.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein said forming step comprises forming a stressed layer overlying a donor substrate and forming the material layer to be removed overlying the stressed layer.

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

10. 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.

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

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

13. 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.

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

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

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

17. A process for forming a multilayered substrate, said process comprising.

providing a multilayered substrate, said substrate comprising a substrate portion having a stressed region at a selected depth to define a substrate material to be removed above said selected depth;

and

providing 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.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein said fluid is selected from a static source or a fluid jet source.

19. The process of claim 17 wherein said fluid jet is directed to said selected depth to initiate said controlled cleaving action.

20. The process of claim 17 wherein said fluid jet is derived from a compressed gas.

21. A process for forming a film of material from substrates, said process comprising:

providing a bulk substrate comprising an upper surface;

forming a first compressive layer overlying the upper surface;

forming a tensile layer overlying the first compressive layer;

forming a second compressive layer overlying the tensile layer;

forming a material layer overlying the second compressive layer; and

providing energy to a selected region of the tensile layer to initiate a controlled cleaving action at the tensile layer, whereupon the cleaving action is made using a propagating cleave front to free the material layer from the bulk substrate.

22. The process of claim 21 wherein the tensile layer comprises a silicon-germanium-carbon alloy.

23. The process of claim 21 wherein the first compressive layer comprises a silicon-germanium alloy.

24. The process of claim 21 wherein the energy is provided by a fluid directed to the selected region.

25. The process of claim 22 wherein the second compressive layer comprises a silicon germanium alloy.

26. A process for forming a film of material from substrates, said process comprising:

providing a bulk substrate comprising an upper surface;

forming a cleaving layer overlying the upper surface;

forming a material layer overlying the cleaving layer; and

providing energy to a selected region of the cleaving layer to initiate a controlled cleaving action at the cleaving layer, whereupon the cleaving action is made using a propagating cleave front to free the material layer from the bulk substrate.

27. The process of claim 26 wherein the energy is provided using a pressurized fluid at the selected region.