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US6177359B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for detaching an epitaxial layer from one substrate and transferring it to another substrate

Assignee: Lumileds LLC
•
Filing: 1999-06-07
•
Granted: 2001-01-23
•
Expires: 2019-06-07
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Abstract

Abstract A method for detaching an epitaxial layer from one substrate and transferring it to another substrate allows an epitaxially grown material layer to be easily detached from a first substrate that has good epitaxial growth properties and transferred to another substrate having better cleaving, electrical or other properties than the first substrate. A mask is applied to a portion of a surface of the first epitaxial layer and a second epitaxial layer is grown over the first epitaxial layer and the mask. A trench is formed in the second epitaxial layer to expose the mask and a second substrate is bonded to the second epitaxial layer. An etchant is introduced through the trench and etches away the mask, thus releasing the second epitaxial layer from the first substrate and the first epitaxial layer. Thus, the second epitaxial layer has been released from the first substrate and transferred to the second substrate without performing operations that would impair the optical properties of the epitaxial material.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yong Chen
  • 👤 Shih-Yuan Wang

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 09:59
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P90/00; H10P90/19; H10P90/1904; H10P90/1906; H10P90/1914; H10W; H10W10/00; H10W10/10; H10W10/181

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 100 words
A method for detaching an epitaxial layer from one substrate and transferring the epitaxial layer to another substrate, the method comprising the steps of: growing a first epitaxial layer over a first substrate; depositing a mask over a portion of a surface of said first epitaxial layer; growing a second epitaxial layer over said first epitaxial layer; forming a trench in said second epitaxial layer to expose said mask; bonding a second substrate to said second epitaxial layer; and introducing an etchant through said trench to etch said mask to detach said second epitaxial layer from said first epitaxial layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 100 words
A method for detaching an epitaxial layer from one substrate and transferring the epitaxial layer to another substrate, the method comprising the steps of: growing a first epitaxial layer over a first substrate; depositing a mask over a portion of a surface of said first epitaxial layer; growing a second epitaxial layer over said first epitaxial layer; forming a trench in said second epitaxial layer to expose said mask; bonding a second substrate to said second epitaxial layer; and introducing an etchant through said trench to etch said mask to detach said second epitaxial layer from said first epitaxial layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said first substrate includes sapphire.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said first epitaxial layer includes gallium nitride (GaN).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said second epitaxial layer includes gallium nitride (GaN).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said second epitaxial layer includes aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said mask includes silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said second substrate is chosen from the group consisting of: silicon (Si), gallium phosphide (GaP), and indium phosphide (InP).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said second epitaxial layer comprises additional epitaxial layers, said additional epitaxial layers forming a semiconductor light emitting device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said etch is performed using hydrofluoric acid (HF).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 65 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: forming an additional trench in a surface of said second epitaxial layer prior to said step of bonding said second substrate; depositing dielectric layers to form a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) within said additional trench; and depositing, after said etching step, additional dielectric layers to form a second DBR over said second epitaxial layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of cleaving said second substrate and said second epitaxial layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
A high quality gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial material produced in accordance with the method of claim 4 .

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5328549A Cited
US5073230A Cited
US5376229A Cited
US5683596A Cited
US5710057A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2004-01-23 2004-07-24 2005-01-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2008-01-23 2008-07-24 2009-01-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2012-01-23 2012-07-24 2013-01-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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