Abstract: An engineered substrate comprises: a seed layer made of a first semiconductor material for growth of a solar cell; a support substrate comprising a base and a surface layer epitaxially grown on a first side of the base, the base and the surface layer made of a second semiconductor material; a direct bonding interface between the seed layer and the surface layer; wherein a doping concentration of the surface layer is higher than a predetermined value such that the electrical resistivity at the direct bonding interface is below 10 mOhm·cm2, preferably below 1 mOhm·cm2; and wherein a doping concentration of the base as well as the thickness of the engineered substrate are such that absorption of the engineered substrate is less than 20%, preferably less than 10%, and total area-normalized series resistance of the engineered substrate is less than 10 mOhm·cm2, preferably less than 1 mOhm·cm2.

Abstract: An engineered substrate comprises: a seed layer made of a first semiconductor material for growth of a solar cell; a support substrate comprising a base and a surface layer epitaxially grown on a first side of the base, the base and the surface layer made of a second semiconductor material; a direct bonding interface between the seed layer and the surface layer; wherein a doping concentration of the surface layer is higher than a predetermined value such that the electrical resistivity at the direct bonding interface is below 10 mOhm·cm2, preferably below 1 mOhm·cm2; and wherein a doping concentration of the base as well as the thickness of the engineered substrate are such that absorption of the engineered substrate is less than 20%, preferably less than 10%, and total area-normalized series resistance of the engineered substrate is less than 10 mOhm·cm2, preferably less than 1 mOhm·cm2.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a solar cell assembly structure for supporting a concentrator photovoltaic cell comprising a semiconducting structure and a diode, wherein the semiconducting structure comprises a first semiconducting region at least a part of which for placing the concentrator photovoltaic cell structure, and a second semiconducting region for realizing the diode within or on the second semiconducting region and wherein the part of the first semiconducting region for placing the concentrator photovoltaic cell structure and the second semiconducting region are not vertically overlapping.

Abstract: This disclosure is related to a manufacturing method for a plurality of photovoltaic cells comprising the steps of: obtaining a plurality of photovoltaic cells placed at a first distance from each other; attaching a stretching material to the plurality of photovoltaic cells; and stretching the stretching material such that the plurality of photovoltaic cells result at a second distance from each other, wherein the second distance is greater that the first distance.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a solar cell assembly structure for supporting a concentrator photovoltaic cell structure (3420), comprising a semiconducting structure and a diode, wherein the semiconducting structure comprises a first semiconducting region at least a part of which for placing the concentrator photovoltaic cell structure, and a second semiconducting region for realizing the diode within or on the second semiconducting region and wherein the part of the first semiconducting region for placing the concentrator photovoltaic cell structure and the second semiconducting region are not vertically overlapping.

Abstract: This disclosure is related to a manufacturing method for a plurality of photovoltaic cells comprising the steps of: obtaining a plurality of photovoltaic cells placed at a first distance from each other; attaching a stretching material to the plurality of photovoltaic cells; and stretching the stretching material such that the plurality of photovoltaic cells result at a second distance from each other, wherein the second distance is greater that the first distance.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for the manufacture of a wafer by providing a doped layer on a semiconductor substrate; providing a first semiconductor layer on the doped layer; providing a buried oxide layer on the first semiconductor layer; and providing a second semiconductor layer on the buried oxide layer to form a wafer having a buried oxide layer and a doped layer beneath the buried oxide layer. The disclosure also relates to the wafer that is produced by the new method.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for forming a Semiconductor-On-Insulator structure that includes a semiconductor layer of III/V material by growing a relaxed germanium layer on a donor substrate; growing at least one layer of III/V material on the layer of germanium; forming a cleaving plane in the relaxed germanium layer; transferring a cleaved part of the donor substrate to a support substrate, with the cleaved part being a part of the donor substrate cleaved at the cleaving plane that includes the at least one layer of III/V material. The present invention also concerns a germanium on III/V-On-Insulator structure, an N Field-Effect Transistor (NFET), a method for manufacturing an NFET, a P Field-Effect Transistor (PFET), and a method for manufacturing a PFET.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a SOI structure having a thin silicon layer by forming a first etch stop layer on a donor substrate, forming a second etch stop layer on the first etch stop layer, wherein the material of the second etch stop layer differs from the material of the first etch stop layer, forming a thin silicon layer on the second etch stop layer, preferably by epitaxy, and bonding the intermediate structure to a target substrate, followed by detaching the donor substrate by splitting initiated in the first etch stop layer at a weakened region and removing the remaining material of the etch stop layers to produce a final ETSOI structure. The invention also relates to the ETSOI structure produces by the described method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recycling a substrate with a step-like residue in a first region of its surface, in particular along the edge of the substrate, which protrudes with respect to the surface of a remaining second region of the substrate, and wherein the first region comprises a modified zone, in particular an ion implanted zone, essentially in a plane corresponding to the plane of the surface of the remaining second region of the substrate and/or chamfered towards the edge of the substrate. To prevent the negative impact of contaminants in subsequent laminated wafer fabricating processes, the recycling method comprises a material removal step which is carried out such that the surface of the substrate in the first region is lying lower than the level of the modified zone before the material removal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a wafer by providing a doped layer on a semiconductor substrate; providing a first semiconductor layer on the doped layer; providing a buried oxide layer on the first semiconductor layer; and providing a second semiconductor layer on the buried oxide layer to form a wafer having a buried oxide layer and a doped layer beneath the buried oxide layer. The invention also relates to the wafer that is produced by the new method.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for forming a Semiconductor-On-Insulator structure that includes a semiconductor layer of III/V material by growing a relaxed germanium layer on a donor substrate; growing at least one layer of III/V material on the layer of germanium; forming a cleaving plane in the relaxed germanium layer; transferring a cleaved part of the donor substrate to a support substrate, with the cleaved part being a part of the donor substrate cleaved at the cleaving plane that includes the at least one layer of III/V material. The present invention also concerns a germanium on III/V-On-Insulator structure, a N Field-Effect Transistor (NFET), a method for manufacturing a NFET, a P Field-Effect Transistor (PFET), and a method for manufacturing a PFET.

Abstract: A method for reducing roughness of an exposed surface of an insulator layer on a substrate, by depositing an insulator layer on a substrate wherein the insulator layer includes an exposed rough surface opposite the substrate, and then smoothing the exposed rough surface of the insulator layer by exposure to a gas plasma in a chamber. The chamber contains therein a gas at a pressure of greater than 0.25 Pa but less than 30 Pa, and the gas plasma is created using a radiofrequency generator applying to the insulator layer a power density greater than 0.6 W/cm2 but less than 10 W/cm2 for at least 10 seconds to less than 200 seconds. Substrate bonding and layer transfer may be carried out subsequently to transfer the thin layer of substrate and the insulator layer to a second substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a structure comprising a germanium layer (3) on a support substrate (1), characterised in that it comprises the following steps: (a) formation of an intermediate structure (10) comprising said support substrate (1), a silicon oxide layer (20) and said germanium layer (3), the silicon oxide layer (20) being in direct contact with the germanium layer (3), (b) application to said intermediate structure (10) of a heat treatment, in a neutral or reducing atmosphere, at a defined temperature and for a defined time, to diffuse at least part of the oxygen from the silicon oxide layer (20) through the germanium layer (3).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a SOI structure having a thin silicon layer by forming a first etch stop layer on a donor substrate, forming a second etch stop layer on the first etch stop layer, wherein the material of the second etch stop layer differs from the material of the first etch stop layer, forming a thin silicon layer on the second etch stop layer, preferably by epitaxy, and bonding the intermediate structure to a target substrate, followed by detaching the donor substrate by splitting initiated in the first etch stop layer at a weakened region and removing the remaining material of the etch stop layers to produce a final ETSOI structure. The invention also relates to the ETSOI structure produces by the described method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recycling a substrate with a step-like residue in a first region of its surface, in particular along the edge of the substrate, which protrudes with respect to the surface of a remaining second region of the substrate, and wherein the first region comprises a modified zone, in particular an ion implanted zone, essentially in a plane corresponding to the plane of the surface of the remaining second region of the substrate and/or chamfered towards the edge of the substrate. To prevent the negative impact of contaminants in subsequent laminated wafer fabricating processes, the recycling method comprises a material removal step which is carried out such that the surface of the substrate in the first region is lying lower than the level of the modified zone before the material removal.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure that includes a thin layer of semiconductor material on a receiver wafer is disclosed. The method includes removing a thickness of material from a donor wafer, which comprises a support substrate and an epitaxial layer, for surface preparation and transferring a portion of the epitaxial layer from the donor wafer to the receiver wafer. The thickness removed during the surface preparation is adapted to enable formation of a new semiconductor structure from the remaining epitaxial portion of the donor wafer.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure that includes a thin layer of semiconductor material on a receiver wafer is disclosed. The method includes removing a thickness of material from a donor wafer, which comprises a support substrate and an epitaxial layer, for surface preparation and transferring a portion of the epitaxial layer from the donor wafer to the receiver wafer. The thickness removed during the surface preparation is adapted to enable formation of a new semiconductor structure from the remaining epitaxial portion of the donor wafer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recyclable donor wafer that includes a substrate and a formed layer thereon, wherein the formed layer has a thickness sufficient to provide (a) at least two useful layers for detachment therefrom and (b) additional material that can be removed to planarize exposed surfaces of the useful layers prior to detachment from the donor wafer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing a film intended for applications in electronics, optics or optronics starting from an initial wafer, which includes a step of implanting atomic species through one of the faces of the wafer. This method includes forming a step of defined height around the periphery of the wafer, with the step having a mean thickness that is less than that of the wafer; and selectively implanting atomic species through a face of the wafer but not through the step to form an implanted zone at a defined implant depth with the film being defined between the face of the wafer and the implanted zone. The implantation of atomic species into the step can be prevented by forming a protective layer at least over the step or by masking the step. The invention also relates to a wafer obtainable by the method.