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US5276338A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Bonded wafer structure having a buried insulation layer

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1992-05-15
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Granted: 1994-01-04
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Expires: 2012-05-15
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Abstract

Abstract A wafer structure and a method of making the same, upon which semiconductor devices may be formed, comprises first and second wafers. The first wafer comprises a first substrate having a thin oxide layer formed on a bottom surface thereof, the first substrate having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient. The second wafer comprises a second substrate having an insulation layer formed on a top surface thereof, the insulation layer having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient substantially matched with the characteristic thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate and further having a high thermal conductivity. The second wafer further comprises a thin oxide layer formed on a top surface of the insulation layer, wherein the first thin oxide layer of the first wafer is bonded to the second thin oxide layer of the second wafer.

Inventors

  • 👤 Klaus Beyer
  • 👤 Chang-Ming Hsieh
  • 👤 Louis L. Hsu
  • 👤 Tsorng-Dih Yuan

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 14:13
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P90/00; H10P90/19; H10P90/1904; H10P90/1906; H10W; H10W10/00; H10W10/01; H10W10/061; H10W10/10; H10W10/181; H10P90/1914; H10W10/011; H10W10/014; H10W10/041; H10W10/17; H10W10/40; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/012; Y10S148/135

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 236 words
A wafer structure upon which semiconductor devices may subsequently be formed, said structure comprising: a) a first wafer comprising a first original substrate of a thickness on the order of 100-650 μm and being substantially free of lattice mismatch defects, the first substrate having a first thin silicon oxide layer of a thickness less than 0.5 μm formed on a bottom surface of the first substrate, the first substrate further having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient; and b) a second wafer comprising a second original substrate of a thickness on the order of 100-650 μm, the second substrate having a chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond insulation layer of a thickness less than 1.0 μm deposited on a top surface of the second substrate, the insulation layer having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient substantially matched with the characteristic thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate of said first wafer, the insulation layer further having a high thermal conductivity, said second wafer further having a second thin silicon oxide layer of a thickness less than 0.05 μm formed on a top surface of the insulation layer, the second thin oxide layer further being planarized to a desired thickness, wherein the first thin oxide layer of said first wafer is bonded to the second thin oxide layer of said second wafer to form a single combined thin silicon oxide layer having a thickness in the range of 0.025-0.1 μm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 236 words
A wafer structure upon which semiconductor devices may subsequently be formed, said structure comprising: a) a first wafer comprising a first original substrate of a thickness on the order of 100-650 μm and being substantially free of lattice mismatch defects, the first substrate having a first thin silicon oxide layer of a thickness less than 0.5 μm formed on a bottom surface of the first substrate, the first substrate further having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient; and b) a second wafer comprising a second original substrate of a thickness on the order of 100-650 μm, the second substrate having a chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond insulation layer of a thickness less than 1.0 μm deposited on a top surface of the second substrate, the insulation layer having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient substantially matched with the characteristic thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate of said first wafer, the insulation layer further having a high thermal conductivity, said second wafer further having a second thin silicon oxide layer of a thickness less than 0.05 μm formed on a top surface of the insulation layer, the second thin oxide layer further being planarized to a desired thickness, wherein the first thin oxide layer of said first wafer is bonded to the second thin oxide layer of said second wafer to form a single combined thin silicon oxide layer having a thickness in the range of 0.025-0.1 μm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The wafer structure of claim 1, wherein the substrate of said first wafer comprises a substrate thinned down to a predetermined thickness.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
The wafer structure of claim 1, wherein the first substrate of said first wafer comprises a silicon substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 38 words
A wafer structure according to claim 1, further wherein: the CVD diamond insulation layer of said second wafer comprises a thickness of 0.5 μm; and the single combined thin silicon oxide layer comprises a thickness of 0.05 μm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 22 words
The wafer structure of claim 4, wherein the substrate of said first wafer comprises a substrate thinned down to a predetermined thickness.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The wafer structure of claim 4, wherein the first substrate of said first wafer comprises a silicon substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 250 words
A wafer structure upon which semiconductor devices may subsequently be formed, said structure comprising: a) a first wafer comprising a first original substrate of a thickness on the order of 100-650 μm and being substantially free of lattice mismatch defects, the first substrate having a first thin silicon oxide layer of a thickness less than 0.05 μm formed on a bottom surface of the first substrate, the first substrate further having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient; and b) a second wafer comprising a second original substrate of a thickness on the order of 100-650 μm, the second substrate having (i) a chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond insulation layer of a thickness less than 1.0 μm deposited on a top surface of the second substrate, the insulation layer having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient substantially matched with the characteristic thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate of said first wafer, the insulation layer further having a high thermal conductivity, (ii) a buffer layer formed on a top surface of the insulation layer, the buffer layer further being planarized to a predetermined thickness of less than 0.1 μm, and (ii) a second thin silicon oxide layer of a thickness less than 0.05 μm formed on a top surface of the buffer layer, wherein the first thin oxide layer of said first wafer is bonded to the second thin oxide layer of said second wafer to form a single combined thin silicon oxide layer having a thickness in the range of 0.025-0.1 μm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 250 words
A wafer structure upon which semiconductor devices may subsequently be formed, said structure comprising: a) a first wafer comprising a first original substrate of a thickness on the order of 100-650 μm and being substantially free of lattice mismatch defects, the first substrate having a first thin silicon oxide layer of a thickness less than 0.05 μm formed on a bottom surface of the first substrate, the first substrate further having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient; and b) a second wafer comprising a second original substrate of a thickness on the order of 100-650 μm, the second substrate having (i) a chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond insulation layer of a thickness less than 1.0 μm deposited on a top surface of the second substrate, the insulation layer having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient substantially matched with the characteristic thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate of said first wafer, the insulation layer further having a high thermal conductivity, (ii) a buffer layer formed on a top surface of the insulation layer, the buffer layer further being planarized to a predetermined thickness of less than 0.1 μm, and (ii) a second thin silicon oxide layer of a thickness less than 0.05 μm formed on a top surface of the buffer layer, wherein the first thin oxide layer of said first wafer is bonded to the second thin oxide layer of said second wafer to form a single combined thin silicon oxide layer having a thickness in the range of 0.025-0.1 μm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
The wafer structure of claim 7, wherein the substrate of said first wafer comprises a substrate thinned down to a predetermined thickness.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 18 words
The wafer structure of claim 7, wherein the first substrate of said first wafer comprises a silicon substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
The wafer structure of claim 7, wherein the buffer layer of said second wafer comprises a polycrystalline layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 12 words
The wafer structure of claim 10, wherein the polycrystalline layer comprises polysilicon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 17 words
The wafer structure of claim 7, wherein the buffer layer of said second wafer comprises amorphous silicon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 42 words
A wafer structure according to claim 7, further wherein: the CVD diamond insulation layer of said second wafer comprises a thickness of 0.5 μm; and the single combined thin silicon oxide layer of said second wafer comprises a thickness of 0.05 μm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 22 words
The wafer structure of claim 13, wherein the substrate of said first wafer comprises a substrate thinned down to a predetermined thickness.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 25 words
The wafer structure of claim 13, wherein the first substrate of said first wafer and the second substrate of said second wafer comprise silicon substrates.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 18 words
The wafer structure of claim 13, wherein the buffer layer of said second wafer comprises a polycrystalline layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 12 words
The wafer structure of claim 16, wherein the polycrystalline layer comprises polysilicon.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 17 words
The wafer structure of claim 13, wherein the buffer layer of said second wafer comprises amorphous silicon.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-01-03 1997-07-05 1998-01-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-01-03 2001-07-05 2002-01-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-01-03 2005-07-05 2006-01-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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