Abstract: A substrate made of doped single-crystal silicon has an upper surface. A doped single-crystal silicon layer is formed by epitaxy on top of and in contact with the upper surface of the substrate. Either before or after forming the doped single-crystal silicon layer, and before any other thermal treatment step at a temperature in the range from 600° C. to 900° C., a denuding thermal treatment is applied to the substrate for several hours. This denuding thermal treatment is at a temperature higher than or equal to 1,000° C.

Abstract: A chromium-free etching composition suitable for treating various silicon-containing surfaces, including strained silicon on insulator surfaces as well as stressed silicon surfaces. The etching composition invention includes hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid and an alkali iodide, preferably potassium iodide, present in an amount of 1 mmol/100 ml or more.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an improved method for treating germanium surfaces in order to reveal crystal defects.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabricating a semiconductor on insulator substrate, in particular a silicon on insulator substrate by providing a source substrate, providing a predetermined splitting area inside the source substrate by implanting atomic species, bonding the source substrate to a handle substrate, detaching a remainder of the source substrate from the source-handle component at the predetermined splitting area to thereby transfer a device layer of the source substrate onto the handle substrate, and thinning of the device layer. To obtain semiconductor on insulator substrates with a reduced Secco defect density of less than 100 per cm2 the implanting is carried out with a dose of less than 2.3×106 atoms per cm2 and the thinning is an oxidation step conducted at a temperature of less than 925° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chromium-free etching composition suitable for treating various silicon-containing surfaces, including strained silicon on insulator surfaces as well as stressed silicon surfaces. The novel and inventive etching composition in accordance with the present invention includes hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid and an alkali iodide, preferably potassium iodide, present in an amount of 1 mmol/100 ml or more.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an improved method for treating germanium surfaces in order to reveal crystal defects.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabricating a semiconductor on insulator substrate, in particular a silicon on insulator substrate by providing a source substrate, providing a predetermined splitting area inside the source substrate by implanting atomic species, bonding the source substrate to a handle substrate, detaching a remainder of the source substrate from the source-handle component at the predetermined splitting area to thereby transfer a device layer of the source substrate onto the handle substrate, and thinning of the device layer. To obtain semiconductor on insulator substrates with a reduced Secco defect density of less than 100 per cm2 the implanting is carried out with a dose of less than 2.3×106 atoms per cm2 and the thinning is an oxidation step conducted at a temperature of less than 925° C.

Abstract: A method of wet cleaning a surface is disclosed. The method of wet cleaning a surface of at least one material chosen from silicon, silicon-germanium alloys, A(III)/B(V)-type semiconductors and epitaxially grown crystalline materials, such as germanium, includes the following successive steps: a) the surface is brought into contact with an HF solution; b) the surface is rinsed with acidified, deionized water, then a powerful oxidizing agent is added to the deionized water and the rinsing is continued; c) optionally, step a) is repeated, once or twice, while optionally reducing the contacting time; d) step b) is optionally repeated, once or twice; and e) the surface is dried.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel etching solution suitable for characterizing defects on semiconductor surfaces, including silicon germanium surfaces, as well as a method for treating semiconductor surfaces with an etching solution as disclosed herein. This novel etching solution is chromium-free and enables a highly sufficient etch rate and highly satisfactory etch results.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for characterizing defects on silicon surfaces, such as silicon wafers, a method for treating silicon surfaces with an etching solution, and an etching solution to be employed in the treating and defect characterization of such silicon wafer surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel etching solution suitable for characterizing defects on semiconductor surfaces, including silicon germanium surfaces, as well as a method for treating semiconductor surfaces with an etching solution as disclosed herein. This novel etching solution is chromium-free and enables a highly sufficient etch rate and highly satisfactory etch results.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for characterizing defects on silicon surfaces, such as silicon wafers, a method for treating silicon surfaces with an etching solution, and an etching solution to be employed in the treating and defect characterization of such silicon wafer surfaces.

Abstract: Method of wet cleaning a surface of at least one material chosen from silicon, silicon-germanium alloys, A(III)/B(V)-type semiconductors and epitaxially grown crystalline materials, such as germanium, in which method the following successive steps are carried out: a) the surface is brought into contact with an HF solution; b) the surface is rinsed with acidified, deionized water, then a powerful oxidizing agent is added to the deionized water and the rinsing is continued; c) optionally, step a) is repeated, once or twice, while optionally reducing the contacting time; d) step b) is optionally repeated, once or twice; and e) the surface is dried. Process for fabricating an electronic, optical or optoelectronic device, such as a CMOS or MOSFET device, comprising at least one wet cleaning step using the said cleaning method.

Abstract: Method of wet cleaning a surface of at least one material chosen from silicon, silicon-germanium alloys, A(III)/B(V)-type semiconductors and epitaxially grown crystalline materials, such as germanium, in which method the following successive steps are carried out: a) the surface is brought into contact with an HF solution; b) the surface is rinsed with acidified, deionized water, then a powerful oxidizing agent is added to the deionized water and the rinsing is continued; c) optionally, step a) is repeated, once or twice, while optionally reducing the contacting time; d) step b) is optionally repeated, once or twice; and e) the surface is dried. Process for fabricating an electronic, optical or optoelectronic device, such as a CMOS or MOSFET device, comprising at least one wet cleaning step using the said cleaning method.