Method of separating thin-film device, method of transferring thin-film device, thin-film device, active matrix substrate, and liquid crystal display device

• US 6,700,631 B1
• Filed: 10/22/1999
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Inoue, Satoshi, Shimoda, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): DUDEK, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US09/403,319
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 349/45, 349/123
• US Class Current: 349/45
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13613 the semiconductor element being formed on a first substrate and thereafter transferred to the final cell substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76254 with separation/delamination along an ion implanted layer, e.g. Smart-cut, Unibond
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68318 Auxiliary support including means facilitating the separation of a device or wafer from the auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/6835 used as a support during build up manufacturing of active devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68359 used as a support during manufacture of interconnect decals or build up layers
• 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 2221/68368 used in a transfer process involving at least two transfer steps, i.e. including an intermediate handle substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1214 comprising a plurality of TFTs formed on a non-semiconducting substrate, e.g. driving circuits for AMLCDs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1266 the substrate on which the devices are formed not being the final device substrate, e.g. using a temporary substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66757 Lateral single gate single channel transistors with non-inverted structure, i.e. the channel layer is formed before the gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3511 Warping

Abstract

A separation layer (120) is provided on a substrate (100), and a thin film device (140) such as TFT is formed thereon. Separation accelerating ions such as hydrogen ions are implanted into the separation layer (120) in the course of the process for forming the thin film device (140). After the formation of the thin film device (140), the thin film device (140) is preferably joined to a transfer material (180) through an adhesive layer (160), and irradiated with laser light from the substrate side. This causes separation in the separation layer (120) by using also the action of the separation accelerating ions. The thin film device (140) is separated from the substrate (100). This permits transfer of a desired thin film device to any substrate.

Claims

1. A device for transferring thin film device to a transfer material, comprising:

a substrate;

a separation layer formed on the substrate, ions being implanted in the separation layer;

a thin film device, the separation layer positioned between the thin film device and the substrate; and

an intermediate layer disposed between the thin film device and the separation layer, the intermediate layer having an opening; and

an electrode connected with the thin film device, and formed at the opening such that the electrode is exposed when it is transferred.

2. The device according to claim 1, the separation layer including a material selected from a group consisting of an amorphous silicon, an oxide ceramic, a dielectric material, a semiconductor, a ceramic, a ferroelectric material, a nitride ceramic, an aluminum nitride, a titanium ceramic, and an organic polymer material.

3. The device according to claim 1, the thickness of the separation layer being between 1 nm and 20 μ

m.

4. The device according to claim 1, the separation layer containing hydrogen.

5. The device according to claim 1, the thickness of the intermediate layer being between 10 nm and 5 μ

m.

6. The device according to claim 1, the intermediate layer including a silicon oxide.

7. A device for transferring thin film device to a transfer material, comprising:

a substrate;

a separation layer formed on the substrate, ions being implanted in the separation layer, the ions including at least hydrogen ions, nitrogen ions, silicon ions or a combination thereof; and

a thin film device, the separation layer positioned between the thin film device and the substrate;

an intermediate layer disposed between the thin film device and the separation layer, the intermediate layer having an opening; and

an electrode connected with the thin film device, and formed at the opening such that the electrode is exposed when it is transferred.

8. A device for transferring thin film transistor to a transfer material, comprising:

a substrate;

a separation layer formed on the substrate, ions being implanted in the separation layer;

a thin film transistor, the separation layer positioned between the thin film transistor and the substrate; and

an intermediate layer disposed between the thin film transistor and the separation layer;

a thin film transitor, the separation layer positioned betweem the thin film transistor and the substrate;

an intermediate layer disposed between the thin film transistor and the separation layer, the intermediate layer having an opening; and

an electrode connected with the thin film transistor, and formed at the opening such that the electrode is exposed when it is transferred.

9. The device according to claim 8, the thin film transistor including a polycrystalline silicon layer, and the separation layer including an amorphous silicon.

11. The device according to claim 8, the intermediate layer including a silicon oxide.

12. The device according to claim 8, ions being implanted in the thin film transistor, the ions implanted in the separation layer having a lower mass than the ions implanted in the transistor.

10. A device for transferring thin film transistor to a transfer material, comprising:

a substrate;

a separation layer formed on the substrate, hydrogen ions being implanted in the separation layer; and

a thin film transistor, the separation layer positioned between the thin film transistor and the substrate;

an intermediate layer disposed between the thin film transistor and the separation layer, the intermediate layer having an opening; and

an electrode connected with the thin film transistor, and formed at the opening such that the electrode is exposed when it is transferred.