Abstract: A thermal treatment system includes a chamber capable of receiving a plurality of substrates, a gas intake path in a distal portion of the chamber located opposite an area for entry of substrates into the chamber, and an outlet path for the gas and/or volatile species generated during the thermal treatment. The outlet path is located in a proximal portion of the chamber located near the area for entry of the substrates into the chamber. The system further includes a collector device in the proximal portion of the chamber. The collector device has a confinement opening oriented toward the distal portion of the chamber, and the collector device defines a compartment communicating with the outlet path, the compartment being configured so that the gas and the volatile species enter into the compartment via the confinement opening and pass through the compartment to reach the outlet path.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor substrate includes the following activities: a) providing a donor substrate with a weakened zone inside the donor substrate, the weakened zone forming a border between a layer to be transferred and the rest of the donor substrate, b) attaching the donor substrate to a receiver substrate, the layer to be transferred being located at the interface between the donor substrate and the receiver substrate; c) detaching the receiver substrate along with the transferred layer from the rest of the donor substrate, at the weakened zone; and d) at least one step of smoothing the surface of the transferred layer, wherein the semiconductor substrate obtained from step c) is kept, at least from the moment of detachment until the end of the smoothing step, in a non-oxidizing inert atmosphere or in a mixture of non-oxidizing inert gases.

Abstract: A useful layer is layered onto a support by a method that includes the steps of forming an embrittlement plane by implanting light elements into a first substrate, so as to form a useful layer between such plane and one surface of the first substrate; applying the support onto the surface of the first substrate so as to form an assembly to be fractured; applying a heat treatment for embrittling the assembly to be fractured; and initiating and propagating a fracture wave into the first substrate along the embrittlement plane. The fracture wave is initiated in a central area of the embrittlement plane and the propagation speed of the wave is controlled so that the velocity thereof is sufficient to cause the interactions of the fracture wave with acoustic vibrations emitted upon the initiation and/or propagation thereof, if any, are confined to a peripheral area of the useful layer.

Abstract: A structure for radiofrequency applications includes: a semiconducting supporting substrate, and a trapping layer arranged on the supporting substrate. The trapping layer includes a higher defect density than a predetermined defect density. The predetermined defect density is the defect density beyond which the electric resistivity of the trapping layer is no lower than 10,000 ohm·cm over a temperature range extending from ?20° C. to 120° C.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for separating a layer from a composite structure, the structure comprising a composite stack formed from at least a support substrate, which is partially transparent at a determined wavelength, the layer to be separated and a separation layer interposed between the support substrate and the layer to be separated, the method comprising irradiation of the separation layer through the support substrate by means of incident light ray at the determined wavelength in order to induce weakening or separation by exfoliation of the separation layer, the light ray being inclined so as to form an angle of incidence ? such that ?>?min, where ?min=sin?1((n1/n0)sin(tan?1(s/2h))), n1 and n0, respectively, being the refractive index of the support substrate and the refractive index of the external medium in contact with the support substrate, from which the ray comes, S being the width of the ray and h being the thickness of the support substrate.

Abstract: A process for smoothing a silicon-on-insulator structure comprising the exposure of a surface of the structure to an inert or reducing gas flow and to a high temperature during a heat treatment includes performing a first heat treatment step at a first temperature and under a first gas flow defined by a first flow rate, and performing a second heat treatment step at a second temperature lower than the first temperature and under a second gas flow defined by a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate.

Abstract: A composite structure for an acoustic wave device comprising a heterostructure includes: a useful layer of piezoelectric material, having a first face and a second face, the first face being arranged at a first bonding interface on a support substrate having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than that of the useful layer, wherein the composite structure further comprises a functional layer, an entire surface of which is arranged at a second bonding interface on the second face of the useful layer and having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than that of the useful layer. Methods are used for producing such a composite structure.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a hybrid structure comprising an effective layer of piezoelectric material having an effective thickness and disposed on a supporting substrate having a substrate thickness and a thermal expansion coefficient lower than that of the effective layer includes: a) a step of providing a bonded structure comprising a piezoelectric material donor substrate and the supporting substrate, b) a first step of thinning the donor substrate to form a thinned layer having an intermediate thickness and disposed on the supporting substrate, the assembly forming a thinned structure; c) a step of heat treating the thinned structure at an annealing temperature; and d) a second step, after step c), of thinning the thinned layer to form the effective layer. The method also comprises, prior to step b), a step a?) of determining a range of intermediate thicknesses that prevent the thinned structure from being damaged during step c).

Abstract: A process for separating at least two substrates comprising at least two separation interfaces along one of the interfaces includes, before inserting a blade between the substrate, damaging at least one portion of a peripheral region of a chosen one of the interfaces, then inserting the blade and partially parting the substrates, and applying a fluid in a space between the parted substrates while the blade remains inserted therebetween, and decreasing a rupture energy of the chosen interface by stress corrosion involving breaking of siloxane bonds present at the interface.

Abstract: A thermal treatment system includes a chamber capable of receiving a plurality of substrates, a gas intake path in a distal portion of the chamber located opposite an area for entry of substrates into the chamber, and an outlet path for the gas and/or volatile species generated during the thermal treatment. The outlet path is located in a proximal portion of the chamber located near the area for entry of the substrates into the chamber. The system further includes a collector device in the proximal portion of the chamber. The collector device has a confinement opening oriented toward the distal portion of the chamber, and the collector device defines a compartment communicating with the outlet path, the compartment being configured so that the gas and the volatile species enter into the compartment via the confinement opening and pass through the compartment to reach the outlet path.

Abstract: A method for transferring a useful layer onto a carrier substrate comprises formation of an embrittlement plane by implantation of light species into a first substrate in such a manner as to define the bounds of a useful layer between the plane and a surface of the first substrate, mounting of the carrier substrate onto a surface of the first substrate so as to form an assembly to be fractured, and thermal fracture treatment of the first substrate along the embrittlement plane in such a manner as to transfer the useful layer onto a support. During the thermal fracture treatment, the degree of peripheral adhesion is reduced at an interface between the carrier substrate and the first substrate.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a device for separating two substrates to be utilized in electronics, optics, optoelectronics and/or photovoltaics. The device separates the substrates at an interface, the device comprising a holder; a member for retaining the structure, the member being mounted on the holder; a tool for separating the two substrates, also mounted on the holder; and means for moving the separating tool and/or means for moving the retaining member relative to the holder so as to bring them closer together or move them farther apart from each other, preferably over a limited range of travel. This device is noteworthy in that the separating tool comprises a leading edge that has, in cross-section, in succession from its tip or its front edge to its back, a tapered portion that is extended by a flared portion.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for dissolving a silicon dioxide layer in a structure, including, from the back surface thereof to the front surface thereof, a supporting substrate, the silicon dioxide layer and a semiconductor layer, the dissolution method being implemented in a furnace in which structures are supported on a support, the dissolution method resulting in the diffusion of oxygen atoms included in the silicon dioxide layer through the semiconductor layer and generating volatile products, and the furnace including traps suitable for reacting with the volatile products, so as to reduce the concentration gradient of the volatile products parallel to the front surface of at least one structure.

Abstract: A process comprises the following steps: a) provision of a chamber suitable for receiving a plurality of structures, b) circulation of a gas stream in the chamber so that the chamber has a non-oxidizing atmosphere, c) heat treatment of the plurality of structures at a temperature above a threshold value above which the oxygen present in an oxide of a dielectric diffuses through an active layer reacts with semiconductor material of the active layer and produces a volatile material, the process being noteworthy in that the step b) is carried out so that the gas stream has a rate of circulation between the plurality of structures greater than the rate of diffusion of the volatile material into the gas stream.

Abstract: A structure for radiofrequency applications includes: a semiconducting supporting substrate, and a trapping layer arranged on the supporting substrate. The trapping layer includes a higher defect density than a predetermined defect density. The predetermined defect density is the defect density beyond which the electric resistivity of the trapping layer is no lower 10,000 ohm·cm over a temperature range extending from ?20° C. to 120° C.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for manufacturing a composite structure, the process comprising the following steps: a) providing a donor substrate and a carrier substrate; b) forming a dielectric layer; c) forming a covering layer; d) forming a weakened zone in the donor substrate; e) joining the carrier substrate and the donor substrate via a contact surface having an outline; f) fracturing the donor substrate via the weakened zone, steps b) and e) being executed so that the outline is inscribed in the outline, and step c) being executed so that the covering layer covers the peripheral surface of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method for assembling two substrates by molecular adhesion comprises: a first step (a) of putting first and second substrates in close contact in order to form an assembly having an assembly interface; a second step (b) of reinforcing the degree of adhesion of the assembly beyond a threshold adhesion value at which water is no longer able to diffuse along the assembly interface. The method also comprises a step (c) of anhydrous treatment of the first and second substrates in a treatment atmosphere having a dew point below ?10° C., and control of the dew point of a working atmosphere to which the first and second substrates are exposed from the anhydrous treatment step (c) until the end of the second step (b) so as to limit or prevent the appearance of bonding defects at the assembly interface.

Abstract: A process for smoothing a silicon-on-insulator structure comprising the exposure of a surface of the structure to an inert or reducing gas flow and to a high temperature during a heat treatment includes performing a first heat treatment step at a first temperature and under a first gas flow defined by a first flow rate, and performing a second heat treatment step at a second temperature lower than the first temperature and under a second gas flow defined by a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for stabilizing a bonding interface, located within a structure for applications in the fields of electronics, optics and/or optoelectronics and that comprises an oxide layer buried between an active layer and a receiver substrate, the bonding interface having been obtained by molecular adhesion. In accordance with the invention, the process further comprises irradiating this structure with a light energy flux provided by a laser, so that the flux, directed toward the structure, is absorbed by the energy conversion layer and converted to heat in this layer, and in that this heat diffuses into the structure toward the bonding interface, so as to thus stabilize the bonding interface.

Abstract: A process for fabrication of a structure includes assembling at least two substrates. At least one of these two substrates is intended to be used in electronics, optics, optoelectronics and/or photovoltaics. The structure includes at least two separation interfaces extending parallel to the main faces of the structure. The assembling process is carried out with a view to a separation of the structure along one interface selected from the interfaces, the separation being carried out by inserting a blade between the substrates and applying a parting force, via the blade. The interface chosen for the separation is formed so that it is more sensitive than the other interface(s) to stress corrosion. Separation occurs due to the combined action of the parting force and of a fluid capable of breaking siloxane (Si—O—Si) bonds present at the interface. A structure obtained by such a process may be separated along the chosen interface.