Abstract: A method for preparing a thin layer comprises a weakening step for forming a weakened zone in a central portion of a donor substrate, the weakened zone not extending into a peripheral portion of the donor substrate; a step of joining the main face of the donor substrate to a receiver substrate to form an assembly to be split; and a step of separating the assembly to be split, the separating step comprising a heat treatment resulting in the freeing of the thin layer from the donor substrate at the central portion thereof only. The method also comprises, after the separating step, a detaching step comprising the treating of the assembly to be split in order to detach the peripheral portion of the donor substrate from the receiver substrate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a structure comprising membranes overhanging cavities, comprises: a) forming cavities opening at a front face of a support substrate, the cavities having a depth and an area, and being spaced apart by a spacing; b) assembling, by way of direct bonding, a donor substrate on the support substrate to seal the cavities under vacuum, the direct bonding being hydrophilic and involving a given number of water monolayers at a contact interface between the substrates; and c) transferring a thin layer from the donor substrate onto the support substrate, the thin layer comprising the membranes. A specific area is defined around each cavity in the plane of the contact interface and is expressed as a function of half of the spacing. The area, the depth of each cavity, and the specific area are defined in step a) to satisfy a particular relationship.

Abstract: Substrates may include a useful layer affixed to a support substrate. A surface of the useful layer located on a side of the useful layer opposite the support substrate may include a first region and a second region. The first region may have a first surface roughness, may be located proximate to a geometric center of the surface, and may occupy a majority of an area of the surface. The second region may have a second, higher surface roughness, may be located proximate to a periphery of the surface, and may occupy a minority of the area of the surface.

Abstract: A method for transferring a semiconductor layer from a donor substrate to a receiver substrate having an open cavity includes forming an embrittlement plane in the donor substrate, making, by bringing the donor substrate and the receiver substrate into contact, a packaging in which the cavity is buried, and separating the packaging by fracturing along the embrittlement plane. The separating causes a transfer of the semiconductor layer to the receiver substrate and a sealing of the cavity by the semiconductor layer. The method also includes, prior to making the packaging, implanting diffusing species into the donor substrate or into the receiver substrate and, subsequently to making the packaging and prior to separating the packaging, diffusing the species into the cavity.

Abstract: A process for hydrophilic bonding first and second substrates, comprising: —bringing the first and second substrates into contact to form a bonding interface between main surfaces of the first and second substrates, and —applying a heat treatment to close the bonding interface. The process further comprises, before the step of bringing into contact, depositing, on the main surface of the first and/or second substrate, a bonding layer comprising a non-metallic material that is permeable to dihydrogen and that has, at the temperature of the heat treatment, a yield strength lower than that of at least one of the materials of the first substrate and of the second substrate located at the bonding interface. The layer has a thickness between 1 and 6 nm, and the heat treatment is carried out at a temperature lower than or equal to 900° C., and preferably lower than or equal to 600° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transferring a semiconductor layer from a donor substrate to a receiver substrate having an open cavity, comprising the steps of forming an embrittlement plane in the donor substrate, making, by bringing the donor substrate and the receiver substrate into contact, a packaging in which said cavity is buried, and separating the packaging by fracturing along the embrittlement plane, said separating causing a transfer of the semiconductor layer to the receiver substrate and a sealing of the cavity by the semiconductor layer. This method comprises, prior to making the packaging, a step of implanting diffusing species into the donor substrate or into the receiver substrate and, subsequently to making the packaging and prior to separating the packaging, a step of diffusing said species into the cavity.

Abstract: Substrates may include a useful layer affixed to a support substrate. A surface of the useful layer located on a side of the useful layer opposite the support substrate may include a first region and a second region. The first region may have a first surface roughness, may be located proximate to a geometric center of the surface, and may occupy a majority of an area the surface. The second region may have a second, higher surface roughness, may be located proximate to a periphery of the surface, and may occupy a minority of the area of the surface.

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 method for monitoring a heat treatment applied to a substrate comprising a weakened zone formed by implanting atomic species for splitting the substrate along the weakened zone, the substrate being arranged in a heating chamber, the method comprising recording sound in the interior or in the vicinity of the heating chamber and detecting, in the recording, a sound emitted by the substrate during the splitting thereof along the weakened zone. A device for the heat treatment of a batch of substrates comprises an annealing furnace comprising a heating chamber intended to receive the batch, at least one microphone configured to record sounds in the interior or in the vicinity of the heating chamber, and a processing system configured to detect, in an audio recording produced by the microphone, a sound emitted when a substrate splits.

Abstract: A method for direct bonding between at least a first and a second substrate, each of the first and second substrates containing a first and a second main surface, the method including: a first thinning of the edges of the first substrate over at least one portion of the circumference of the first substrate, at the first main surface of the first substrate; and placing the second main surface of the first substrate in contact with the second main surface of the second substrate such that a bonding wave propagates between the first and second substrates, securing the first and second substrates to one another by direct bonding such that portions of the second main surface of the first substrate located below the thinned portions of the first main surface of the first substrate are secured to the second substrate.

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 method for direct bonding between at least a first and a second substrate, each of the first and second substrates containing a first and a second main surface, the method including: a first thinning of the edges of the first substrate over at least one portion of the circumference of the first substrate, at the first main surface of the first substrate; and placing the second main surface of the first substrate in contact with the second main surface of the second substrate such that a bonding wave propagates between the first and second substrates, securing the first and second substrates to one another by direct bonding such that portions of the second main surface of the first substrate located below the thinned portions of the first main surface of the first substrate are secured to the second substrate.

Abstract: Method for creation of stressed channel structure transistors wherein at least one amorphizing ion implantation of the surface layer of a substrate of the semiconductor-on-insulator type is carried out through openings in a mask, so as to render zones of the surface layers amorphous and to induce relaxation of a zone intended to form a channel and located between the zones that have been rendered amorphous, the relaxation being carried out in a direction orthogonal to that in which it is intended that the channel current flows.

Abstract: Method for creation of stressed channel structure transistors wherein at least one amorphising ion implantation of the surface layer of a substrate of the semiconductor-on-insulator type is carried out through openings in a mask, so as to render zones of the surface layers amorphous and to induce relaxation of a zone intended to form a channel and located between the zones that have been rendered amorphous, the relaxation being carried out in a direction orthogonal to that in which it is intended that the channel current flows.

Abstract: A method for transferring a useful layer onto a support includes the following processes: formation of a fragilization plane through the implantation of light species into a first substrate in such a way as to form a useful layer between this plane and a surface of the first substrate; application of the support onto the surface of the first substrate to form an assembly to be fractured having two exposed sides; thermal fragilization treatment of the assembly to be fractured; and initiation and self-sustained propagation of a fracture wave in the first substrate along the fragilization plane. At least one of the sides of the assembly to be fractured is in close contact, over a contact zone, with an absorbent element suitable for capturing and dissipating acoustic vibrations emitted during the initiation and/or propagation of the fracture wave.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for direct bonding two substrates, comprising at least: (a) bringing the surfaces to be bonded of said substrates in close contact; and (b) propagating a bonding wave between said substrates, characterised in that said substrates are kept, during step (b), in an atmosphere of a gas having a negative Joule-Thomson coefficient at the temperature and pressure of said atmosphere.

Abstract: This system for measuring the propagation of a zone of separation between a first portion and a second portion of at least one substrate includes: a module for emitting at least two incident beams each of which illuminates a separate point on the substrate, the at least two incident beams being able to pass through the first portion and the zone of separation and meet the second portion in such a way that each of them generates at least one first emergent beam Fe originating from the interface between the first portion and the zone of separation, and at least one second emergent beam originating from the interface between the zone of separation and the second portion; a detecting module for detecting light intensity values resulting from interference between the first and second emergent beams; and a computer for determining the conditions of the propagation of the zone of separation.

Abstract: A method for transferring a useful layer onto a support includes the following processes: formation of a fragilization plane through the implantation of light species into a first substrate in such a way as to form a useful layer between this plane and a surface of the first substrate; application of the support onto the surface of the first substrate to form an assembly to be fractured having two exposed sides; thermal fragilization treatment of the assembly to be fractured; and initiation and self-sustained propagation of a fracture wave in the first substrate along the fragilization plane. At least one of the sides of the assembly to be fractured is in close contact, over a contact zone, with an absorbent element suitable for capturing and dissipating acoustic vibrations emitted during the initiation and/or propagation of the fracture wave.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for direct bonding two substrates, comprising at least: (a) bringing the surfaces to be bonded of said substrates in close contact; and (b) propagating a bonding wave between said substrates, characterised in that said substrates are kept, during step (b), in an atmosphere of a gas having a negative Joule-Thomson coefficient at the temperature and pressure of said atmosphere.

Abstract: This system for measuring the propagation of a zone of separation between a first portion and a second portion of at least one substrate includes: a module for emitting at least two incident beams each of which illuminates a separate point on the substrate, the at least two incident beams being able to pass through the first portion and the zone of separation and meet the second portion in such a way that each of them generates at least one first emergent beam Fe originating from the interface between the first portion and the zone of separation, and at least one second emergent beam originating from the interface between the zone of separation and the second portion; a detecting module for detecting light intensity values resulting from interference between the first and second emergent beams; and a computer for determining the conditions of the propagation of the zone of separation.