Bonded semiconductor structure with SiGeC/SiGeBC layer as etch stop

• US 9,269,608 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm Switch Corp. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fanelli, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, PHUC T
• Application Number:
  US14/673,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20150270161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 438/455, 438/598, 438/599, 257/347, 257/E21.122
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76256 using silicon etch back techniques, e.g. BESOI, ELTRAN
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7849 the means being provided under the channel

Abstract

A semiconductor structure is formed with a first wafer (e.g. a handle wafer) and a second wafer (e.g. a bulk silicon wafer) bonded together. The second wafer includes an active layer, which in some embodiments is formed before the two wafers are bonded together. A substrate is removed from the second wafer on an opposite side of the active layer from the first wafer using a SiGeC or SiGeBC layer as an etch stop. In some embodiments, the SiGeC or SiGeBC layer is formed by epitaxial growth, ion implantation or a combination of epitaxial growth and ion implantation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a first wafer having a first bonding material;

forming a second wafer having a substrate, a SiGeBC layer, an active layer and a second bonding material, the active layer being between the SiGeBC layer and the second bonding material;

bonding the second wafer to the first wafer at the first and second bonding materials; and

removing the substrate using the SiGeBC layer as an etch stop.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the forming of the second wafer includes forming the SiGeBC layer by epitaxial growth.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the forming of the second wafer includes forming the SiGeBC layer by ion implantation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the forming of the second wafer includes forming the SiGeBC layer by a combination of epitaxial growth and ion implantation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the SiGeBC layer induces a strain in at least a portion of the active layer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing the SiGeBC layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the forming of the second wafer includes forming the SiGeBC layer and the active layer prior to the bonding of the second wafer to the first wafer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second wafer is a bulk silicon wafer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the active layer includes a gate and a channel; and

the bonding of the second wafer to the first wafer causes the gate to be between the channel and the first wafer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the forming of the first wafer includes forming a trap rich layer therein.

11. A method comprising:

forming a first wafer having a first bonding material;

forming a second wafer having a substrate, an etch stop layer, an active layer and a second bonding material, the active layer being between the etch stop layer and the second bonding material, the etch stop layer comprising silicon, germanium, and carbon;

bonding the second wafer to the first wafer at the first and second bonding materials; and

removing the substrate using the etch stop layer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forming the etch stop layer by epitaxial growth of the silicon, germanium, and carbon.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forming the etch stop layer by ion implantation of the silicon, germanium, and carbon.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forming the etch stop layer by a combination of epitaxial growth and ion implantation of the silicon, germanium, and carbon.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

removing the etch stop layer.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forming the etch stop layer and the active layer within the second wafer prior to bonding the first wafer to the second wafer.

17. A semiconductor structure comprising:

a first wafer;

a first bonding material at a surface of the first wafer;

a second wafer bonded to the first wafer;

an active layer within the second wafer; and

a second bonding material at a surface of the second wafer and being bonded to the first bonding material;

wherein a substrate has been removed from the second wafer on an opposite side of the active layer from the first wafer using a SiGeBC layer as an etch stop.

18. The semiconductor structure of claim 17, further comprising:

the SiGeBC layer as also a strain-inducing layer.

19. The semiconductor structure of claim 17, wherein:

the second wafer is a bulk silicon wafer prior to formation of the active layer and the SiGeBC layer therein.

20. The semiconductor structure of claim 17, wherein:

the active layer includes a gate and a channel, the gate being between the channel and the first wafer.