Structure and method for separation and transfer of semiconductor thin films onto dissimilar substrate materials

• US 6,562,648 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Epistar Corporation (Ennostar, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wong, William S., Kneissl, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarabian, Amir
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUERRERO, MARIA F
• Application Number:
  US09/648,187
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 438/22, 438/33, 438/46, 438/455, 438/458, 438/459, 438/460, 438/464, 438/478, 438/479, 438/483, 438/788, 438/795, 438/796, 438/977, 257/94, 257/98, 216/62, 216/65
• US Class Current: 438/46
• 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 2221/6835 used as a support during build up manufacturing of active devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68363 used in a transfer process involving transfer directly from an origin substrate to a target substrate without use of an intermediate handle substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83894 Direct bonding, i.e. joining surfaces by means of intermolecular attracting interactions at their interfaces, e.g. covalent bonds, van der Waals forces
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01327 Intermediate phases, i.e. intermetallics compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0213 Sapphire, quartz or diamond based substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0215 Bonding to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0217 Removal of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/977 Thinning or removal of substrate

Abstract

A method for placing nitride laser diode arrays on a thermally and electrically conducting substrate is described. The method uses an excimer laser to detach the nitride laser diode from the sapphire growth substrate after an intermediate substrate has been attached to the side opposite the sapphire substrate. A secondary layer is subsequently deposited to act as a transfer support structure and bonding interface. The membrane is released from the intermediate substrate and a thermally conducting substrate is subsequently bonded to the side where the sapphire substrate was removed. Similarly, the secondary layer may be used as the new host substrate given an appropriate thickness is deposited prior to removal of the intermediate substrate.

Claims

1. A method for making a nitride laser diode structure comprising:

providing a semiconductor membrane having an optically transparent substrate attached on a first side of said semiconductor membrane;

attaching a support substrate to a second side of said semiconductor membrane;

removing said optically transparent substrate from said first side of said semiconductor membrane;

placing an elastically-compliant support layer on said first side of said semiconductor membrane;

releasing said semiconductor membrane from said support substrate; and

placing said elastically-compliant support layer on a substrate having a high thermal conductivity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said optically transparent substrate is comprised of sapphire.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of attaching said support substrate to said second side of said semiconductor membrane includes using wax to attach said support substrate to said second side.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor membrane is comprised of In, Ga, Al and N.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said thermally conducting substrate includes a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, copper, gold and diamond.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said nitride laser diode structure is an array of nitride laser diodes.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of attaching said thermally conducting substrate to said first side of said semiconductor membrane includes putting a solder layer on said thermally conducting substrate.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing said optically transparent substrate includes exposing said optically transparent substrate to laser light.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein said solder layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of In, PbSn, and AuSn.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of removing said optically transparent substrate includes polishing of said optically transparent substrate prior to exposure to laser light.