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).

  • Publication number: 20090001500
    Abstract: A partially completed multi-layered substrate, e.g., silicon on silicon. The substrate has a thickness of material from a first substrate. The thickness of material comprises a first face region. The substrate has a second substrate having a second face region. Preferably, the first face region of the thickness of material is joined to the second face region of the second substrate. The substrate has an interface region formed between the first face region of the thickness of material and the second face region of the second substrate. A plurality of particles are implanted within a portion of the thickness of the material and a portion of the interface region to electrically couple a portion of the thickness of material to a portion of the second substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 7470600
    Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of forming a stressed region in a selected manner at a selected depth (20) underneath the surface. An energy source such as pressurized fluid 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: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan Cheung
  • Patent number: 7462526
    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: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Publication number: 20080286945
    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: July 10, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan W. Cheung
  • Patent number: 7427554
    Abstract: A method for forming a strained silicon layer of semiconductor material. The method includes providing a deformable surface region having a first predetermined radius of curvature, which is defined by R(1) and is defined normal to the surface region. A backing plate is coupled to the deformable surface region to cause the deformable surface region to be substantially non-deformable. The method includes providing a first substrate (e.g., silicon wafer) having a first thickness. Preferably, the first substrate has a face, a backside, and a cleave plane defined within the first thickness. The method includes a step of overlying the backside of the first substrate on a portion of the surface region having the predetermined radius of curvature to cause a first bend within the thickness of material to form a first strain within a portion of the first thickness. The method provides a second substrate having a second thickness, which has a face and a backside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Harry R. Kirk
  • Publication number: 20080206963
    Abstract: A method of forming substrates, e.g., silicon on insulator, silicon on silicon. The method includes providing a donor substrate, e.g., silicon wafer. The method also includes forming a cleave layer on the donor substrate that contains the cleave plane, the plane of eventual separation. In a specific embodiment, the cleave layer comprising silicon germanium. The method also includes forming a device layer (e.g., epitaxial silicon) on the cleave layer. The method also includes introducing particles into the cleave layer to add stress in the cleave layer. The particles within the cleave layer are then redistributed to form a high concentration region of the particles in the vicinity of the cleave plane, where the redistribution of the particles is carried out in a manner substantially free from microbubble or microcavity formation of the particles in the cleave plane. That is, the particles are generally at a low dose, which is defined herein as a lack of microbubble or microcavity formation in the cleave plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Michael A. Bryan, William G. En
  • Publication number: 20080206962
    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 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: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Albert Lamm, Babak Adibi
  • Patent number: 7410887
    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: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan W. Cheung
  • Publication number: 20080188011
    Abstract: An apparatus for temperature control of manufacture of thick film materials includes a stage comprising a planar surface for supporting a bulk material to be implanted and subsequently cleaved. The bulk material has a surface region, a side region, and a bottom region which provides a volume of material and defines a length between the bottom region and the surface region. The apparatus further includes a mechanical clamp device adapted to engage the bottom region to the planar surface of the stage such that the bulk material is in physical contact with the planar surface for thermal energy to transfer through an interface region between the bulk material and the stage while the surface region is substantially exposed. Additionally, the apparatus includes a sensor device configured to measure a temperature value of the surface region and generate an input data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Publication number: 20080182386
    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: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan W. Cheung
  • Publication number: 20080179547
    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: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 7399680
    Abstract: A partially completed multi-layered substrate, e.g., silicon on silicon. The substrate has a thickness of material from a first substrate. The thickness of material comprises a first face region. The substrate has a second substrate having a second face region. Preferably, the first face region of the thickness of material is joined to the second face region of the second substrate. The substrate has an interface region formed between the first face region of the thickness of material and the second face region of the second substrate. A plurality of particles are implanted within a portion of the thickness of the material and a portion of the interface region to electrically couple a portion of the thickness of material to a portion of the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Publication number: 20080160661
    Abstract: A reusable silicon substrate device for use with layer transfer process. The device has a reusable substrate having a surface region, a cleave region, and a total thickness of material. The total thickness of material is at least N times greater than a first thickness of material to be removed. In a specific embodiment, the first thickness of material to be removed is between the surface region and the cleave region, whereupon N is an integer greater than about ten. The device also has a chuck member adapted to hold a handle substrate member in place. The chuck member is configured to hold the handle substrate in manner to facilitate bonding the handle substrate to the first thickness of material to be removed. In a preferred embodiment, the device has a mechanical pressure device operably coupled to the chuck member. The mechanical pressure device is adapted to provide a force to cause bonding of the handle substrate to the first thickness of material to be removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Publication number: 20080153220
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit on semiconductor substrates. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate characterized by a first lattice with a first structure and a first spacing. The semiconductor substrate has an overlying film of material with a second lattice with a second structure and a second spacing. Preferably, the second spacing placing the film of material in either a tensile or compressive mode across the entirety of the film of material relative to the semiconductor substrate with the first structure and the first spacing. The method includes processing the film of material to form a first region and a second region within the film of material. The first region and the second region are characterized by either the tensile or compressive mode. Preferably, both the first and second regions in their entirety are characterized by either the tensile or compressive mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 7391047
    Abstract: A method for forming a strained layer of semiconductor material, e.g., silicon, germanium, Group III/V, silicon germanium alloy. The method includes providing a non-deformable surface region having a first predetermined radius of curvature, which is defined by R(1) and is defined normal to the surface region. The method includes providing a first substrate (e.g., silicon wafer) having a first thickness. Preferably, the first substrate has a face, a backside, and a cleave plane defined within the first thickness. The method includes a step of overlying the backside of the first substrate on a portion of the surface region having the predetermined radius of curvature to cause a first bend within the thickness of material to form a first strain within a portion of the first thickness. The method provides a second substrate having a second thickness, which has a face and a backside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Philip James Ong, Igor J. Malik, Harry R. Kirk
  • Patent number: 7390724
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing multilayered substrates. The system has a support member is adapted to process a film of material comprising a first side and a second side from a first state to a second state. The support member is attached to the first side of the film of material. The second state comprises a stressed state. The system has a handle substrate comprising a face, which is adapted to be attached to the second side of the film of material. The support member is capable of being detached from the first side of the film of material thereby leaving the handle substrate comprising the film of material in the second state being attached to the face of the handle substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Philip James Ong, Igor J. Malik
  • Publication number: 20080141510
    Abstract: A method for forming a strained layer of semiconductor material, e.g., silicon, germanium, Group III/V, silicon germanium alloy. The method includes providing a non-deformable surface region having a first predetermined radius of curvature, which is defined by R(1) and is defined normal to the surface region. The method includes providing a first substrate (e.g., silicon wafer) having a first thickness. Preferably, the first substrate has a face, a backside, and a cleave plane defined within the first thickness. The method includes a step of overlying the backside of the first substrate on a portion of the surface region having the predetermined radius of curvature to cause a first bend within the thickness of material to form a first strain within a portion of the first thickness. The method provides a second substrate having a second thickness, which has a face and a backside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Philip James Ong, Igor J. Malik, Harry R. Kirk
  • Publication number: 20080128641
    Abstract: A system for forming one or more detachable semiconductor films capable of being free-standing. The apparatus includes an ion source to generate a plurality of collimated charged particles at a first energy level. The system includes a linear accelerator having a plurality of modular radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) elements numbered from 1 through N successively coupled to each other, where N is an integer greater than 1. The linear accelerator controls and accelerates the plurality of collimated charged particles at the first energy level into a beam of charge particles having a second energy level. RFQ element numbered 1 is operably coupled to the ion source. The system includes an exit aperture coupled to RFQ element numbered N of the RFQ linear accelerator. In a specific embodiment, the system includes a beam expander coupled to the exit aperture, the beam expander being configured to process the beam of charged particles at the second energy level into an expanded beam of charged particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Albert Lamm, Babak Adibi
  • Patent number: 7378330
    Abstract: A method of forming substrates, e.g., silicon on insulator, silicon on silicon. The method includes providing a donor substrate, e.g., silicon wafer. The method also includes forming a cleave layer on the donor substrate that contains the cleave plane, the plane of eventual separation. In a specific embodiment, the cleave layer comprising silicon germanium. The method also includes forming a device layer (e.g., epitaxial silicon) on the cleave layer. The method also includes introducing particles into the cleave layer to add stress in the cleave layer. The particles within the cleave layer are then redistributed to form a high concentration region of the particles in the vicinity of the cleave plane, where the redistribution of the particles is carried out in a manner substantially free from microbubble or microcavity formation of the particles in the cleave plane. That is, the particles are generally at a low dose, which is defined herein as a lack of microbubble or microcavity formation in the cleave plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Michael A. Bryan, William G. En
  • Patent number: 7371660
    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: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Nathan W. Cheung