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: 8133800
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a thickness of silicon material includes providing a silicon ingot material having a surface region and introducing a plurality of particles having an energy of about 1-5 MeV through the surface region to a depth to define a cleave region and a thickness of detachable material between the cleave region and the surface region. Additionally, the method includes processing the silicon ingot material to free the thickness of detachable material at a vicinity of the cleave region and causing formation of a free-standing thickness of material characterized by a carrier lifetime about 10 microseconds and a thickness ranging from about 20 microns to about 150 microns with a thickness variation of less than about five percent. Furthermore, the method includes treating the free-standing thickness of material using a thermal treatment process to recover the carrier lifetime to about 200 microseconds and greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Sien Kang, Zuqin Liu, Lu Tian
  • Publication number: 20120058624
    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: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: FRANCOIS J. HENLEY
  • Patent number: 8124499
    Abstract: Free standing thickness of materials are fabricated using one or more semiconductor substrates, e.g., single crystal silicon, polysilicon, silicon germanium, germanium, group III/IV materials, and others. A semiconductor substrate is provided having a surface region and a thickness. The surface region of the semiconductor substrate is subjected to a first plurality of high energy particles generated using a linear accelerator to form a region of a plurality of gettering sites within a cleave region, the cleave region being provided beneath the surface region to defined a thickness of material to be detached, the semiconductor substrate being maintained at a first temperature. The surface region of the semiconductor substrate is subjected to a second plurality of high energy particles generated using the linear accelerator, the second plurality of high energy particles being provided to increase a stress level of the cleave region from a first stress level to a second stress level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Albert Lamm, Babak Adibi
  • Patent number: 8110480
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell device, e.g., solar cell, solar panel, and method of manufacture. The device has an optically transparent substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface. A first thickness of material (e.g., semiconductor material, single crystal material) having a first surface region and a second surface region is included. In a preferred embodiment, the surface region is overlying the first surface of the optically transparent substrate. The device has an optical coupling material provided between the first surface region of the thickness of material and the first surface of the optically transparent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 8071463
    Abstract: A reusable transfer substrate member for forming a tiled substrate structure. The member including a transfer substrate, which has a surface region. The surface region comprises a plurality of donor substrate regions. Each of the donor substrate regions is characterized by a donor substrate thickness and a donor substrate surface region. Each of the donor substrate regions is spatially disposed overlying the surface region of the transfer substrate. Each of the donor substrate regions has the donor substrate thickness without a definable cleave region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Publication number: 20110294306
    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 or SiC. 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 10, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan W. Cheung
  • Patent number: 8012851
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell device, e.g., solar cell, solar panel, and method of manufacture. The device has an optically transparent substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface. A first thickness of material (e.g., semiconductor material, single crystal material) having a first surface region and a second surface region is included. In a preferred embodiment, the surface region is overlying the first surface of the optically transparent substrate. The device has an optical coupling material provided between the first surface region of the thickness of material and the first surface of the optically transparent material. A second thickness of semiconductor material is overlying the second surface region to form a resulting thickness of semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Philip James Ong
  • Patent number: 8012852
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan W. Cheung
  • Patent number: 8012855
    Abstract: A reusable transfer substrate member for forming a tiled substrate structure. The member including a transfer substrate, which has a surface region. The surface region comprises a plurality of donor substrate regions. Each of the donor substrate regions is characterized by a donor substrate thickness and a donor substrate surface region. Each of the donor substrate regions is spatially disposed overlying the surface region of the transfer substrate. Each of the donor substrate regions has the donor substrate thickness without a definable cleave region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 7910458
    Abstract: A method for fabricating free standing thickness of materials using one or more semiconductor substrates, e.g., single crystal silicon, polysilicon, silicon germanium, germanium, group III/IV materials, and others. In a specific embodiment, the present method includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface region and a thickness. The method includes subjecting the surface region of the semiconductor substrate to a first plurality of high energy particles provided at a first implant angle generated using a linear accelerator to form a region of a plurality of gettering sites within a cleave region, the cleave region being provided beneath the surface region to defined a thickness of material to be detached, the semiconductor substrate being maintained at a first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 7911016
    Abstract: A reusable transfer substrate member for forming a tiled substrate structure. The member including a transfer substrate, which has a surface region. The surface region comprises a plurality of donor substrate regions. Each of the donor substrate regions is characterized by a donor substrate thickness and a donor substrate surface region. Each of the donor substrate regions is spatially disposed overlying the surface region of the transfer substrate. Each of the donor substrate regions has the donor substrate thickness without a definable cleave region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 7863157
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell device, e.g., solar cell, solar panel, and method of manufacture. The device has an optically transparent substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface. A first thickness of material (e.g., semiconductor material, single crystal material) having a first surface region and a second surface region is included. In a preferred embodiment, the surface region is overlying the first surface of the optically transparent substrate. The device has an optical coupling material provided between the first surface region of the thickness of material and the first surface of the optically transparent material. A second thickness of semiconductor material is overlying the second surface region to form a resulting thickness of semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Philip James Ong
  • Publication number: 20100317140
    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: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: ADAM BRAILOVE, Zuqin Liu, Francois J. Henley, Albert J. Lamm
  • Patent number: 7846818
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan W. Cheung
  • Publication number: 20100282323
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan W. Cheung
  • Patent number: 7811900
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell device, e.g., solar cell, solar panel, and method of manufacture. The device has an optically transparent substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface. A first thickness of material (e.g., semiconductor material, single crystal material) having a first surface region and a second surface region is included. In a preferred embodiment, the surface region is overlying the first surface of the optically transparent substrate. The device has an optical coupling material provided between the first surface region of the thickness of material and the first surface of the optically transparent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 7781305
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan W. Cheung
  • Patent number: 7776717
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan W. Cheung
  • Patent number: 7772088
    Abstract: A multilayered substrate structure comprising one or more devices, e.g., optoelectronic, integrated circuit. The structure has a handle substrate, which is characterized by a predetermined thickness and a Young's modulus ranging from about 1 Mega Pascal to about 130 Giga Pascal. The structure also has a thickness of substantially crystalline material coupled to the handle substrate. Preferably, the thickness of substantially crystalline material ranges from about 100 microns to about 5 millimeters. The structure has a cleaved surface on the thickness of substantially crystalline material and a surface roughness characterizing the cleaved film of less than 200 Angstroms. At least one or more optoelectronic devices is provided on the thickness of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Harry Robert Kirk, James Andrew Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20100180945
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell device, e.g., solar cell, solar panel, and method of manufacture. The device has an optically transparent substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface. A first thickness of material (e.g., semiconductor material, single crystal material) having a first surface region and a second surface region is included. In a preferred embodiment, the surface region is overlying the first surface of the optically transparent substrate. The device has an optical coupling material provided between the first surface region of the thickness of material and the first surface of the optically transparent material. A second thickness of semiconductor material is overlying the second surface region to form a resulting thickness of semiconductor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Philip James Ong