Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
Method of making an article comprising a layer of SiO 2 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 SiO 2 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 SiO 2 /overlayer interface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
Method of making an article comprising a layer of SiO 2 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 SiO 2 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 SiO 2 /overlayer interface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 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
55 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 5
Dependent Claim
58 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 6
Dependent Claim
28 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 SiO 2 layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
Method of claim 2, wherein from about 2×10 14 to about 1×10 15 Si/cm 2 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 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
Method of claim 3, 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 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method of claim 4, wherein step (c) comprises annealing the Si body at a temperature greater than about 1200° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method of claim 7, wherein step (c) further comprises annealing the Si body at a temperature in the range from about 500° to 700° C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method of claim 5, wherein the atmosphere comprises inert gas as a major component and oxygen as a minor component.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 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 13
Dependent Claim
26 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.