Abstract: The present invention provides a multilayered wafer 10 such as an SOI wafer having a novel implanted layer. This implanted layer is removable and provides a resulting wafer having a substantially uniform surface. The wafer includes a bulk substrate 11 and an insulating layer 13 formed overlying the bulk substrate 15. A film of semiconductor material is formed overlying the insulating layer. Surface non-uniformities are formed overlying and in the film of semiconductor material. The non-uniformities are implanted, and are bordered by a substantially uniform interface 17 at a selected depth underlying the surface non-uniformities. The substantially uniform interface provides a substantially uniform resulting surface for the SOI wafer.

Abstract: A gettering layer in a silicon-on-insulator wafer. The gettering layer may be formed by implanting gas-forming particles or precipitate-forming particles beneath the active region of the silicon layer and thermally treating the gas-forming ions to produce microbubbles or precipitates within the silicon layer. The microbubbles an/or precipitates create trapping sites for mobile impurity species, thus gettering the impurities. In another embodiment, a polysilicon layer is formed on a donor silicon wafer prior to separating a thin layer of silicon from the donor wafer. The thin layer of silicon is bonded to a backing wafer, the polysilicon layer provides a gettering layer between the active silicon and the backing wafer.

Abstract: A plasma treatment system (200) for implantation with a novel susceptor with a perforated shield (201). The system (200) has a variety of elements such as a chamber in which a plasma is generated in the chamber. The system (200) also has a susceptor disposed in the chamber to support a silicon substrate, which has a surface. The perforated shield (201) draws ions from the implantation toward and through the shield to improve implant uniformity in the substrate. In a specific embodiment, the chamber has a plurality of substantially planar rf transparent windows (26) on a surface of the chamber. The system (200) also has an rf generator (66) and at least two rf sources in other embodiments.

Abstract: A hybrid silicon-on-silicon substrate. A thin film (2101) of single-crystal silicon is bonded to a target wafer (46). A high-quality bond is formed between the thin film and the target wafer during a high-temperature annealing process. It is believed that the high-temperature annealing process forms covalent bonds between the layers at the interface (2305). The resulting hybrid wafer is suitable for use in integrated circuit manufacturing processes, similar to wafers with an epitaxial layer.

Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of forming a stressed region in a selected manner at a selected depth (20) underneath the surface. An energy source such as pressurized fluid is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth. An energy source is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) in a selected manner through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth and the particles for a pattern at the selected depth. An energy source such as pressurized fluid is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Abstract: A donor substrate (10) for forming multiple thin films of material (12). In one embodiment, a first thin film of material is separated or cleaved from a donor substrate by introducing energetic particles (22) through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth. Energy is provided to a selected region of the substrate to cleave a thin film of material from the donor substrate. Particles are introduced again into the donor substrate underneath a fresh, or cleaved, surface of the donor substrate. A second thin film of material is then cleaved from the donor substrate.

Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) in a selected manner through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth and the particles for a pattern at the selected depth. An energy source such as pressurized fluid is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) in a selected manner through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth and the particles for a pattern at the selected depth. An energy source is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Abstract: A tumbling barrel plasma processing method and apparatus are presented. The tumbling barrel plasma processor includes a vacuum chamber, a plasma source, a power supply, a rotatable barrel which is disposed within the vacuum chamber and a barrel rotation mechanism for rotating the barrel. The plasma source generates a plasma surrounding the rotatable barrel. The barrel is made up of at least one conductive screen of a certain transparency that allows ions to pass therethrough. The power supply provides a negative voltage which is applied to the screens of the barrel to extract ions from a plasma surrounding the rotatable barrel. Alternately a positive voltage can be applied to the screens of the barrel to extract electrons from the plasma surrounding the rotatable barrel. The barrel is rotated by the barrel rotation mechanism such that the samples disposed within the barrel are tumbled, thereby the samples receive plasma treatment on all sides.