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US6159824A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Silicon-on-silicon wafer bonding process using a thin film blister-separation method

Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corp
•
Filing: 1998-02-19
•
Granted: 2000-12-12
•
Expires: 2018-02-19
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Abstract

Abstract A method for fabricating silicon-on-silicon substrates. A donor wafer (40) is attached to a target wafer (46) using a low-temperature bonding process. The low-temperature bonding process maintains the integrity of a layer of microbubbles (41). Subsequent processing separates a thin film (45) of material from the donor wafer. A high-temperature annealing process finishes the bonding process of the thin film to the target wafer to produce a hybrid wafer suitable for fabricating integrated circuit devices or other devices.

Inventors

  • 👤 Francois J. Henley
  • 👤 Nathan W. Cheung

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 22:44
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P10/00; H10P10/12; H10P10/128; B; B81; B81C; B81C1/00; B81C1/00349; B81C1/0038; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10P14/2907; H10P30/00; H10P30/20; H10P30/202; H10P30/204; H10P30/208; H10P30/225; H10P32/00; H10P32/10; H10P32/12; H10P32/1204; H10P52/00; H10P54/00; H10P54/50; H10P54/52; H10P90/00; H10P90/19; H10P90/1904; H10P90/1906; H10P90/1914; H10P90/1916; H10P95/00; H10P95/11; H10P95/112; H10W; H10W10/00; H10W10/10; H10W10/181; B81C2201/00; B81C2201/01; B81C2201/0174; B81C2201/0191; B81C2201/0192; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S117/00; Y10S117/915; Y10S156/00; Y10S156/918; Y10S156/93; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/974; Y10S438/977; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/11; Y10T156/1153; Y10T156/1158; Y10T156/19; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/21; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24893; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249953; Y10T428/249955; Y10T428/249956

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 172 words
The process for fabricating a silicon-on-silicon wafer, said process comprising steps of: providing one of a {100}, a {110}, or a {111} crystallographic plane single-crystal silicon donor wafer with a first polished surface; implanting hydrogen or helium ions through said first polished surface to a first depth to form a layer of microbubbles; bonding the first polished surface of the donor wafer to a second polished surface of a single-crystal silicon target wafer at a bonding temperature less than about 500° C., including activating the first and second polished surfaces by plasma cleaning and bringing the first and second surfaces into contact with each other to form an intermediate wafer assembly; heating the intermediate wafer assembly to separate a thin film of material from the donor wafer, the thin film adhering to the target wafer to form a hybrid substrate assembly; and annealing the hybrid substrate assembly to strengthen the bond between the thin film and the target wafer and to create electrical contact between the thin film and the target wafer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 172 words
The process for fabricating a silicon-on-silicon wafer, said process comprising steps of: providing one of a {100}, a {110}, or a {111} crystallographic plane single-crystal silicon donor wafer with a first polished surface; implanting hydrogen or helium ions through said first polished surface to a first depth to form a layer of microbubbles; bonding the first polished surface of the donor wafer to a second polished surface of a single-crystal silicon target wafer at a bonding temperature less than about 500° C., including activating the first and second polished surfaces by plasma cleaning and bringing the first and second surfaces into contact with each other to form an intermediate wafer assembly; heating the intermediate wafer assembly to separate a thin film of material from the donor wafer, the thin film adhering to the target wafer to form a hybrid substrate assembly; and annealing the hybrid substrate assembly to strengthen the bond between the thin film and the target wafer and to create electrical contact between the thin film and the target wafer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the plasma cleaning includes producing a plasma with a gas selected from the group consisting of argon, ammonia, neon, water vapor and oxygen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the step of annealing the hybrid substrate assembly is a continuation of the step of heating the intermediate wafer assembly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
The process of claim 1 further comprising a step, after the step of heating the intermediate wafer assembly, of polishing a separated surface of the hybrid substrate assembly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said {100} crystallographic plane is parallel to said first polished surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said {110} crystallographic plane is substantially parallel to said first polished surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said {111} crystallographic plane substantially parallel to said first polished surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of claim 7 wherein said {111} crystallographic plane is about three degrees from said first polished surface.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-12-12 2004-06-12 2004-12-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-12-12 2008-06-12 2008-12-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-12-12 2012-06-12 2012-12-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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