Stretchable semiconductor elements and stretchable electrical circuits

• US 7,557,367 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Khang, Dahl-Young, Menard, Etienne, Rogers, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOJCIECHOWICZ, EDWARD JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/145,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 257/9, 257/40, 257/619, 439/67
• US Class Current: 257/9
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0185 Printing, e.g. microcontact printing
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02521 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02603 Nanowires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02628 using solutions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/308 using masks H01L21/3063, H01L21/3065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/322 to modify their internal properties, e.g. to produce internal imperfections
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• 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 2221/68381 Details of chemical or physical process used for separating the auxiliary support from a device or wafer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/03 Manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0332 Screen printing, i.e. using a stencil
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0345 Physical vapour deposition [PVD], e.g. evaporation, or sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/03614 by chemical means only
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0362 Photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05073 Single internal layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05082 Two-layer arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05124 Aluminium [Al] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05144 Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05155 Nickel [Ni] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05166 : Titanium [Ti] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05552 : in top view
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05553 : being rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 : being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05555 : being circular or elliptic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05644 : Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05666 : Titanium [Ti] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/08225 : the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2919 : with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 : the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80 : Methods for connecting semiconductor or other solid state bodies using means for bonding being attached to, or being formed on, the surface to be connected
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80006 : being a temporary or sacrificial substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80121 : Active alignment, i.e. by apparatus steering, e.g. optical alignment using marks or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80862 : Heat curing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80895 : between electrically conductive surfaces, e.g. copper-copper direct bonding, surface activated bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83 : using a layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83005 : being a temporary or sacrificial substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83121 : Active alignment, i.e. by apparatus steering, e.g. optical alignment using marks or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83192 : wherein the layer connectors are disposed only on another item or body to be connected to the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83193 : wherein the layer connectors are disposed on both the semiconductor or solid-state body and another item or body to be connected to the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8385 : using a polymer adhesive, e.g. an adhesive based on silicone, epoxy, polyimide, polyester
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83862 : Heat curing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/9202 : Forming additional connectors after the connecting process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/94 : at wafer-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a wafer comprising a plurality of undiced individual devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/95 : at chip-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a plurality of singulated devices, i.e. on diced chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/97 : the devices being connected to a common substrate, e.g. interposer, said common substrate being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/02 : Containers; Seals H01L23/12, H01L23/34, H01L23/48, H01L23/552, H01L23/66 take precedence; for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/03 : Manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/05 : of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/08 : of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/29 : of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 : of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/80 : Methods for connecting semiconductor or other solid state bodies using means for bonding being attached to, or being formed on, the surface to be connected
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/83 : using a layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/94 : at wafer-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a wafer comprising a plurality of undiced individual devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/97 : the devices being connected to a common substrate, e.g. interposer, said common substrate being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 : the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1285 : using control of the annealing or irradiation parameters, e.g. using different scanning direction or intensity for different transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1292 : using liquid deposition, e.g. printing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/04 : characterised by their crystalline structure, e.g. polycrystalline, cubic or particular orientation of crystalline planes characterised by physical imperfections H01L29/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/06 : characterised by their shape; characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions ; characterised by the concentration or distribution of impurities within semiconductor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0665 : the shape of the body defining a nanostructure nanotechnology per se B82B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0673 : oriented parallel to a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0676 : oriented perpendicular or at an angle to a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/068 : comprising a junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/12 : characterised by the materials of which they are formed
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/76 : Unipolar devices , e.g. field effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78603 : characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78681 : having a semiconductor body comprising AIIIBV or AIIBVI or AIVBVI semiconductor materials, or Se or Te
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78696 : characterised by the structure of the channel, e.g. multichannel, transverse or longitudinal shape, length or width, doping structure, or the overlap or alignment between the channel and the gate, the source or the drain, or the contacting structure of the channel H01L29/78612 takes precedence; transistors having a drain offset region or a lightly doped drain [LDD] H01L29/78621
• 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 2924/00012 : Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01032 : Germanium [Ge]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0665 : Epoxy resin
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 : Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12032 : Schottky diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12036 : PN diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 : LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12043 : Photo diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12044 : OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 : Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 : Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1306 : Field-effect transistor [FET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13063 : Metal-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MESFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 : MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15159 : Side view
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15162 : Top view
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15788 : Glasses, e.g. amorphous oxides, nitrides or fluorides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1579 : with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0392 : including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate textured substrates H01L31/02366
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03926 : comprising a flexible substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1804 : comprising only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1864 : Annealing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1896 : for thin-film semiconductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 : comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 : Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 : containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 : Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/707 : having different types of nanoscale structures or devices on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/724 : Devices having flexible or movable element

Abstract

The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.

Claims

1. A stretchable semiconductor element comprising:

a prestrained elastic substrate having a supporting surface; and

a printable single crystalline semiconductor structure provided in a curved conformation having a curved surface with at least one concave region and at least one convex region, wherein said curved surface is continuously bonded to said supporting surface of said prestrained elastic substrate, said semiconductor structure comprising a bent structure under strain resulting from application of a force arising from the bonding between said curved surface of said semiconductor structure and said supporting surface of the prestrained elastic substrate.

2. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said single crystalline inorganic semiconductor structure has a curved external surface opposite said curved surface bonded to said supporting surface of said prestrained elastic substrate.

3. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said curved surface has a plurality of convex regions.

4. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said curved surface has a plurality of concave regions.

5. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said curved surface has a contour profile characterized by a periodic wave.

6. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said curved surface has a contour profile characterized by an aperiodic wave.

7. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure comprises a bent ribbon having a contour profile characterized by a periodic wave extending the length of said ribbon.

8. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 7 wherein said bent ribbon has a width selected over the range of about 5 microns to about 50 microns and a thickness selected over the range of about 50 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.

9. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said prestrained elastic substrate comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane).

10. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said prestrained elastic substrate has a thickness equal to about 1 millimeter.

11. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure is an inorganic semiconductor material.

12. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure comprises single crystalline silicon.

13. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein the concentration of heavy metal impurities in said semiconductor structure is less than 1 part per billion atoms.

18. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a material selected from the group consisting of:

Si, Ge, diamond, SiC, SiGe, AlSb, AlAs, AIn, AlP, BN, GaSb, GaAs, GaN, GaP, InSb, InAs, InN, InP, Al_xGa<sub>1−

x</sub>As, CsSe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, ZnO, ZnSe, ZnS, HgS, PbS, ZnTe, CuCl, PbS, PbTe, SnS, PbI2, MoS₂, GaSe, CuG, Cu₂O, AlGaAs, AlInAs, AlInP, GaAsP, GaInAs, GaInP, AlGaAsSb, AlGaInP, and GaInAsP.

19. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is doped with a p-type dopant material or is doped with a n-type dopant material.

20. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a high purity semiconductor having oxygen impurities less than about 5 to 25 parts per million atoms.

21. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a high purity semiconductor having carbon impurities less than about 1 to 5 parts per million atoms.

22. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a high purity semiconductor having heavy metal impurities less than or equal to about 1 part per million atoms.

23. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a high purity semiconductor having heavy metal impurities less than or equal to about 100 parts per billion atoms.

24. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a high purity semiconductor having heavy metal impurities less than or equal to about 1 part per billion atoms.

25. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 further comprising a one or more device components operationally connected to said single crystalline semiconductor structure, said one or more device components selected from the group consisting of a dielectric layer, an electrode and an additional semiconductor structure.

38. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said strain is larger than 0.5%.

39. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said strain is larger than 1%.

40. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said strain is larger than 3%.

41. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said strain is less than 30%.

42. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said strain is less than 10%.

43. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said strain is less than 1%.

14. A stretchable electrical circuit comprising:

a prestrained elastic substrate having a supporting surface; and

an electrical device comprising a plurality of integrated device components;

said

electrical device provided in a curved conformation having a curved surface with at least one concave region and at least one convex region, wherein said curved surface is continuously bonded to said supporting surface of said prestrained elastic substrate, said plurality of integrated device components comprising a bent structure under strain resulting from application of a force arising from the bonding between said curved surface of said electrical device and said supporting surface of the prestrained elastic substrate, wherein said plurality of integrated device components includes a single crystalline semiconductor structure provided in said bent structure.

15. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said integrated device components are selected from the group consisting of:

a semiconductor element;

a dielectric element;

an electrode;

a conductor element; and

a doped semiconductor element.

16. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said curved surface has a contour profile characterized by a periodic wave.

17. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said curved surface has a contour profile characterized by an aperiodic wave.

26. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said bent structure under strain comprises a thin film transistor.

27. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said bent structure under strain comprises a printable thin film transistor.

28. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said bent structure under strain comprises an array of thin film transistors.

29. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor structure of the electrical device is an inorganic semiconductor material.

30. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a material selected from the group consisting of:

Si, Ge, diamond, SiC, SiGe, AlSb, AlAs, AIn, AlP, BN, GaSb, GaAs, GaN, GaP, InSb, InAs, InN, InP, Al_xGa<sub>1−

x</sub>As, CsSe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, ZnO, ZnSe, ZnS, HgS, PbS, ZnTe, CuCl, PbS, PbTe, SnS, PbI₂, MoS₂, GaSe, CuG, Cu₂O, AlGaAs, AlInAs, AlInP, GaAsP, GaInAs, GaInP, AlGaAsSb, AlGaInP, and GaInAsP.

31. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is doped with a p-type dopant material or is doped with a n-type dopant material.

32. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a high purity semiconductor having oxygen impurities less than about 25 parts per million atoms.

33. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a high purity semiconductor having carbon impurities less than about 5 parts per million atoms.

34. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a high purity semiconductor having heavy metal impurities less than or equal to about 100 parts per billion atoms.

35. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said single crystalline semiconductor is a high purity semiconductor having heavy metal impurities less than or equal to about 1 part per billion atoms.

36. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said electrical device has a net thickness less than about 10 microns.

37. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said electrical device is selected from the group consisting of a transistor, a diode, a light emitting diodes, a laser, an organic light emitting diode, a microelectromechanical system and a nanoelectromechanical system.

44. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said plurality of integrated device components includes a dielectric layer provided in said bent structure.

45. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said plurality of integrated device components includes a conducting layer provided in said bent structure.

46. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said plurality of integrated device components includes an additional semiconductor layer provided in said bent structure.

47. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said plurality of integrated device components includes an electrode or electrical contact provided in said bent structure.

48. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said strain is larger than 0.5%.

49. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said strain is larger than 1%.

50. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said strain is larger than 3%.

51. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said strain is less than 30%.

52. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said strain is less than 10%.

53. The stretchable electrical circuit of claim 14 wherein said strain is less than 1%.

54. A stretchable electronic device comprising:

a prestrained elastic substrate having a supporting surface; and

a thin film transistor comprising a plurality of integrated device components including a single crystalline semiconductor structure, an electrode and a dielectric layer;

said thin film transistor provided in a curved conformation having a curved surface with at least one concave region and at least one convex region, wherein said curved surface is continuously bonded to said supporting surface of said prestrained elastic substrate, said thin film transistor comprising a bent structure under strain resulting from application of a force arising from the bonding between said curved surface of said thin film transistor and said supporting surface of the elastic substrate.

55. The stretchable electronic device of claim 54 wherein said curved surface has a contour profile characterized by a periodic wave.

56. The stretchable electrical device of claim 54 wherein said strain is larger than 0.5%.

57. The stretchable electrical device of claim 54 wherein said strain is larger than 1%.

58. The stretchable electrical device of claim 54 wherein said strain is larger than 3%.

59. The stretchable electrical device of claim 54 wherein said strain is less than 30%.

60. The stretchable electrical device of claim 54 wherein said strain is less than 10%.

61. The stretchable electrical device of claim 54 wherein said strain is less than 1%.