Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
Method of making an article comprising a layer of SiO₂ buried within a Si body, the method comprising a) providing a single crystal Si body having a major surface and a crystal orientation; b) implanting oxygen ions into the Si body through the major surface such that a buried oxygen-rich layer is formed in the Si body, with a Si overlayer thereon; c) heat treating the oxygen-implanted Si body such that the buried SiO₂ layer is formed from the oxygen-rich layer; d) completing making the article; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT e) the oxygen implant is a subcritical oxygen implant; and the method further comprises f) carrying out, subsequent to b), a randomizing implant and a heat treatment such that the resulting Si overlayer is a device-grade overlayer having a relatively low defect density near the SiO₂/overlayer interface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
Method of making an article comprising a layer of SiO₂ buried within a Si body, the method comprising a) providing a single crystal Si body having a major surface and a crystal orientation; b) implanting oxygen ions into the Si body through the major surface such that a buried oxygen-rich layer is formed in the Si body, with a Si overlayer thereon; c) heat treating the oxygen-implanted Si body such that the buried SiO₂ layer is formed from the oxygen-rich layer; d) completing making the article; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT e) the oxygen implant is a subcritical oxygen implant; and the method further comprises f) carrying out, subsequent to b), a randomizing implant and a heat treatment such that the resulting Si overlayer is a device-grade overlayer having a relatively low defect density near the SiO₂/overlayer interface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the randomizing implant comprises implantation of Si ions, and wherein the Si body is maintained at a nominal temperature less than about 100°C during the randomizing implant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
Method of claim 2, wherein from about 2x10¹⁴ to about 1x10¹⁵ Si/cm² are implanted during the randomizing implant, and wherein the Si ions have an energy in the range from about 0.1 MeV to about 2 MeV.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the Si body is maintained at a nominal temperature less than about 350°C during the subcritical oxygen implant, and wherein the randomizing implant is carried out subsequent to step c), with the Si body being maintained at a nominal temperature less than about 100°C during the randomizing implant.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
Method of claim 4, wherein step c) comprises annealing the Si body at a temperature greater than about 1200°C and wherein the heat treatment of step f) comprises annealing the Si body at a temperature in the range from about 500 to about 700°C subsequent to the randomizing implant.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method of claim 5, wherein step c) further comprises annealing the Si body at a temperature in the range from about 500 to 700°C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the Si body is maintained at a nominal temperature of at least about 350°C during the substoichiometric oxygen implant, and wherein a first randomizing implant is carried out prior to step c), with the Si body being maintained at a nominal temperature less than about 100°C during the first randomizing implant.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
Method of claim 7, wherein step c) comprises annealing the Si body at a temperature greater than about 1200°C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
Method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises a second randomizing implant, carried out subsequent to step c), the second randomizing implant being followed by an anneal of the Si body at a temperature in the range from about 500 to about 700°C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method of claim 8, wherein step c) further comprises annealing the Si body at a temperature in the range from about 500 to about 700°C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
Method of claim 1, wherein step c) comprises contacting the Si body with an atmosphere adapted for causing the slow growth of a relatively thin SiO₂ layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method of claim 11, wherein the atmosphere comprises inert gas as a major component and oxygen as a minor component.