Patents by Inventor Francois J. Henley

Francois J. Henley has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9257339
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin films of material from a bulk substrate are described. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. In certain embodiments, this bulk substrate may comprise GaN; in other embodiments this bulk substrate may comprise (111) single crystal silicon. Then, a thin film or wafer of material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. In certain embodiments this separated material is incorporated directly into an optoelectronic device, for example a GaN film cleaved from GaN bulk material. In some embodiments, this separated material may be employed as a template for further growth of semiconductor materials (e.g. GaN) that are useful for optoelectronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: SILICON GENESIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Sien Kang, Albert Lamm
  • Patent number: 9159605
    Abstract: A method for forming a multi-material thin film includes providing a multi-material donor substrate comprising single crystal silicon and an overlying film comprising GaN. Energetic particles are introduced through a surface of the multi-material donor substrate to a selected depth within the single crystal silicon. The method includes providing energy to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action in the donor substrate. Then, a cleaving action is made using a propagating cleave front to free a multi-material film from a remaining portion of the donor substrate, the multi-material film comprising single crystal silicon and the overlying film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: SILICON GENESIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan Cheung
  • Publication number: 20150044447
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin layers of material from a bulk substrate. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate (e.g. donor substrate) having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. In certain embodiments, this bulk substrate may comprise a core of crystalline sapphire (Al2O3) material. Then, a thin layer of the material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. Embodiments may find particular use as hard, scratch-resistant covers for personal electric device displays such as mobile phones or tablets, or as optical surfaces for fingerprint, eye, or other biometric scanning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Francois J. HENLEY
  • Publication number: 20140370687
    Abstract: A method for forming a multi-material thin film includes providing a multi-material donor substrate comprising single crystal silicon and an overlying film comprising GaN. Energetic particles are introduced through a surface of the multi-material donor substrate to a selected depth within the single crystal silicon. The method includes providing energy to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action in the donor substrate. Then, a cleaving action is made using a propagating cleave front to free a multi-material film from a remaining portion of the donor substrate, the multi-material film comprising single crystal silicon and the overlying film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Francois J. HENLEY, Nathan CHEUNG
  • Patent number: 8835282
    Abstract: A method for forming a multi-material thin film includes providing a multi-material donor substrate comprising single crystal silicon and an overlying film comprising GaN. Energetic particles are introduced through a surface of the multi-material donor substrate to a selected depth within the single crystal silicon. The method includes providing energy to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action in the donor substrate. Then, a cleaving action is made using a propagating cleave front to free a multi-material film from a remaining portion of the donor substrate, the multi-material film comprising single crystal silicon and the overlying film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan Cheung
  • Publication number: 20140197419
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin films of material from a bulk substrate. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate (e.g. donor substrate) having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. In certain embodiments, this bulk substrate may comprise GaN; in other embodiments this bulk substrate may comprise Si, SiC, or other materials. Then, a thin film or wafer of material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. In certain embodiments this separated material is incorporated directly into an optoelectronic device, for example a GaN film cleaved from GaN bulk material. In some embodiments, this separated material may be employed as a template for further growth of semiconductor materials (e.g. GaN) that are useful for optoelectronic devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: QMAT, Inc.
    Inventors: Francois J. HENLEY, Sien KANG, Albert LAMM
  • Publication number: 20140106540
    Abstract: A method for slicing a crystalline material ingot includes providing a crystalline material boule characterized by a cropped structure including a first end-face, a second end-face, and a length along an axis in a first crystallographic direction extending from the first end-face to the second end-face. The method also includes cutting the crystalline material boule substantially through a first crystallographic plane in parallel to the axis to separate the crystalline material boule into a first portion with a first surface and a second portion with a second surface. The first surface and the second surface are planar surfaces substantially along the first crystallographic plane. The method further includes exposing either the first surface of the first portion or the second surface of the second portion, and performing a layer transfer process to form a crystalline material sheet from either the first surface of the first portion or from the second surface of the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 8637382
    Abstract: A method and system for cleaving a film of material utilizing thermal flux. The method includes providing a substrate having a face and an underlying cleave region including a prepared initiation region. Additionally, the method includes subjecting the initiation region to a first thermal flux to form a cleave front separating the cleave region of the substrate to a film portion and a bulk portion. The method further includes subjecting an area of the bulk portion substantially in the vicinity of the cleave front to a second thermal flux to cause a temperature difference above and below the cleave region for inducing a propagation of the cleave front expanding the film portion to the area at the expense of the bulk portion. Furthermore, the method includes determining a scan path for the second thermal flux based on the cleave front. Moreover, the method includes scanning the second thermal flux to follow the scan path to further propagate the cleave front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 8623137
    Abstract: A method for slicing a shaped silicon ingot includes providing a single crystal silicon boule characterized by a cropped structure including a first end-face, a second end-face, and a length along an axis in an <100> crystallographic direction substantially vertically extending from the first end-face to the second end-face. The method further includes cutting the single crystal silicon boule substantially through an {110} crystallographic plane in parallel to the axis to separate the single crystal silicon boule into a first portion with a first surface and a second portion with a second surface. Additionally, the method includes exposing either the first surface of the first portion or the second surface of the second portion and performing a layer transfer process to form a single crystal silicon sheet from either the first surface of the first portion or from the second surface of the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Publication number: 20130292691
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin films of material from a bulk substrate are described. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. In certain embodiments, this bulk substrate may comprise GaN; in other embodiments this bulk substrate may comprise (111) single crystal silicon. Then, a thin film or wafer of material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. In certain embodiments this separated material is incorporated directly into an optoelectronic device, for example a GaN film cleaved from GaN bulk material. In some embodiments, this separated material may be employed as a template for further growth of semiconductor materials (e.g. GaN) that are useful for optoelectronic devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Sien Kang, Albert Lamm
  • Patent number: 8563402
    Abstract: A method includes providing a donor substrate comprising single crystal silicon and having a surface region, a cleave region, and a thickness of material to be removed between the surface region and the cleave region. The method also includes introducing through the surface region a plurality of hydrogen particles within a vicinity of the cleave region using a high energy implantation process. The method further includes applying compressional energy to cleave the semiconductor substrate and remove the thickness of material from the donor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Publication number: 20130032582
    Abstract: A method and system for cleaving a film of material utilizing thermal flux. The method includes providing a substrate having a face and an underlying cleave region including a prepared initiation region. Additionally, the method includes subjecting the initiation region to a first thermal flux to form a cleave front separating the cleave region of the substrate to a film portion and a bulk portion. The method further includes subjecting an area of the bulk portion substantially in the vicinity of the cleave front to a second thermal flux to cause a temperature difference above and below the cleave region for inducing a propagation of the cleave front expanding the film portion to the area at the expense of the bulk portion. Furthermore, the method includes determining a scan path for the second thermal flux based on the cleave front. Moreover, the method includes scanning the second thermal flux to follow the scan path to further propagate the cleave front.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: FRANCOIS J. HENLEY
  • Patent number: 8329557
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to the use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin films of material from a bulk substrate. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. Then, a thin film of material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. To improve uniformity of depth of implantation, channeling effects are reduced by one or more techniques. In one technique, a miscut bulk substrate is subjected to the implantation, such that the lattice of the substrate is offset at an angle relative to the impinging particle beam. According to another technique, the substrate is tilted at an angle relative to the impinging particle beam. In still another technique, the substrate is subjected to a dithering motion during the implantation. These techniques may be employed alone or in combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Brailove, Zuqin Liu, Francois J. Henley, Albert J. Lamm
  • Patent number: 8330126
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing free-standing films from work pieces. The system includes a racetrack structure being configured to transfer at least one work piece and one or more accelerator-based ion implanters coupled to the racetrack structure via an end station. Each of the accelerator-based ion implanters is configured to introduce particles having an energy of greater than 1 MeV to implant into a surface of the work piece loaded in the end station to form a cleave region in the work piece. The system includes one or more cleave modules coupled to the racetrack structure configured to perform a cleave process to release a free-standing film from the work piece along the cleave region. Additionally, the system includes an output port coupled to each cleave module to output the free standing film detached from the work piece and one or more service modules each connected to the racetrack structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Adam Brailove
  • Patent number: 8293619
    Abstract: A film of material may be formed by providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface region and a cleave region located at a predetermined depth beneath the surface region. During a process of cleaving the film from the substrate, shear in the cleave region is carefully controlled to achieve controlled propagation by either KII or energy propagation control. According to certain embodiments, an in-plane shear component (KII) is maintained near zero by adiabatic heating of silicon through exposure to E-beam radiation. According to other embodiments, a surface heating source in combination with an implanted layer serves to guide fracture propagation through the cleave sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 8241996
    Abstract: A method and structures for manufacturing multi-layered substrates. The method includes providing a donor substrate, which has a first deflection characteristic. The donor substrate has a backside, a face, a cleave region, and a thickness of material defined between the cleave region and the face. The method includes bonding the face of the donor substrate to a face of the handle substrate. The method includes coupling a backing substrate to the backside of the donor substrate to form a multilayered structure. The backing substrate is adequate to cause the first deflection characteristic of the donor substrate to be reduced to a predetermined level. The predetermined level is a suitable deflection characteristic for the thickness of material to be transferred onto the face of a handle substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Harry Robert Kirk, James Andrew Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8222119
    Abstract: A method for temperature control during a process of cleaving a plurality of free-standing thick films from a bulk material includes clamping a bulk material using a mechanical clamp device adapted to engage the bottom region of the bulk material through a seal with a planar surface of a stage to form a cavity with a height between the bottom region and the planar surface. The planar surface includes a plurality of gas passageways allowing a gas filled in the cavity with adjustable pressure. The method also includes maintaining the temperature of the surface region by processing at least input data and executing a control scheme utilizing at least one or more of: particle bombardment to heat the surface region; radiation to heat the surface region; and gas-assisted conduction between the bottom region and the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 8153513
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing doped substrates using a continuous large area scanning implantation process is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a movable track member. The movable track member is provided in a chamber. The chamber includes an inlet and an outlet. In a specific embodiment, the movable track member can include one or more rollers, air bearings, belt member, and/or movable beam member to provide one or more substrates for a scanning process. The method may also include providing a first substrate. The first substrate includes a first plurality of tiles. The method maintains the first substrate including the first plurality of tiles in a vacuum. The method includes transferring the first substrate including the first plurality of tiles from the inlet port onto the movable track member. The first plurality of tiles are subjected to a scanning implant process. The method also includes maintaining a second substrate including a second plurality of tiles in the vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Publication number: 20120077289
    Abstract: A method for temperature control during a process of cleaving a plurality of free-standing thick films from a bulk material includes clamping a bulk material using a mechanical clamp device adapted to engage the bottom region of the bulk material through a seal with a planar surface of a stage to form a cavity with a height between the bottom region and the planar surface. The planar surface includes a plurality of gas passageways allowing a gas filled in the cavity with adjustable pressure. The method also includes maintaining the temperature of the surface region by processing at least input data and executing a control scheme utilizing at least one or more of; particle bombardment to heat the surface region; radiation to heat the surface region; and gas-assisted conduction between the bottom region and the stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: FRANCOIS J. HENLEY
  • Patent number: 8143165
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit on semiconductor substrates, e.g., silicon wafer. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate characterized by a first lattice with a first structure and a first spacing. In a specific embodiment, the semiconductor substrate has an overlying film of material with a second lattice with a second structure and a second spacing, the second spacing placing the film of material in a strain mode characterized by a first tensile and/or compressive mode along a single film surface crystal axis across a first portion of the film of material relative to the semiconductor substrate with the first structure and the first spacing. The method patterns a predetermined region of the first portion of the film of material to cause the first tensile and/or compressive mode in the first portion of the film of material to change to a second tensile and/or compressive mode in a resulting patterned portion of the first portion of the film of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley