Method and device for controlled cleaving process

• US 6,790,747 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2002
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silicon Genesis
• Original Assignee: Silicon Genesis
• Inventors: Cheung, Nathan W., Henley, Francois J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zaineke, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SARKAR, ASOK K
• Application Number:
  US10/268,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20030113983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 438/455, 438/458, 438/459, 438/465, 438/510, 438/515, 438/526, 438/690, 438/800
• US Class Current: 438/458
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/0038 Processes for creating layers of materials not provided for in groups B81C1/00357 - B81C1/00373
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0191 Transfer of a layer from a carrier wafer to a device wafer
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0192 by cleaving the carrier wafer
• 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 21/76254 with separation/delamination along an ion implanted layer, e.g. Smart-cut, Unibond

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 substrates, said process comprising:

providing a substrate having a stressed region along a first plane associated with the substrate and an implanted region along a second plane associated with a depth within the substrate, the substrate having a surface region;

bonding the surface region of the substrate to a handle substrate;

using a controlled cleaving action to initiate a cleave along the depth of the substrate; and

propagating a cleave front to free a portion of said substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the stressed region comprises either a tensile characteristic or a compressive characteristic.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the stressed region comprises silicon alloy.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the stressed region comprises silicon germanium.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the stressed region comprises silicon germanium carbon.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the stressed region comprises epitaxial silicon.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the stressed region comprises undoped epitaxial silicon.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the stressed region is multilayered.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the implanted region comprises hydrogen particles.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the implanted region comprises helium particles.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the implanted region comprises boron.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding is provided by an adhesive layer.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding is provided by a plastic material.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding is provided by a polyimide based material.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding is provided by a silicon dioxide layer.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding is provided by a spin on glass layer.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding is provided by a siloxane material.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding is provided by a silicate material.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding is provided by a plasma cleaning process.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the plasma cleaning process is provided to activate the surface region of the substrate.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a silicon material.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein in the substrate comprises a gallium material.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a gallium arsenide.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a gallium nitride.