Bonding Of Plural Semiconductive Substrates Patents (Class 438/406)
  • Patent number: 7547609
    Abstract: A process for forming multi-layered substrates, e.g., silicon on silicon. The process includes providing a first substrate, which has a thickness of material to be removed. The thickness of material to be removed includes a first face region. The process includes joining the first face region of the first substrate to a second face region of a second substrate to form an interface region between the first face region of the first substrate and the second face region of the second substrate. The process includes removing the thickness of material from the first substrate while maintaining attachment of the first face region of the first substrate to the second face region of the second substrate. The process implants particles through the interface region to form a region of the particles within the vicinity of the interface region to electrically couple the thickness of material to the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 7547579
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for underfilling a gap between a semiconductor die or device and a substrate, where the semiconductor die or device is electrically connected to the substrate so that an active surface of the semiconductor die is facing a top surface of the substrate with the gap therebetween. A silane layer is applied to the active surface of the semiconductor die, the upper surface of the substrate, and/or both to increase the surface tension thereon. The increased surface tension thereby allows the underfill material to fill the gap via capillary action in a lesser flow time more effectively, and therefore, is more efficient than conventional underfilling methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tongbi Jiang
  • Patent number: 7541261
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus uses a single crystalline silicon substrate disposed adjacent to a flexible substrate. The electronic apparatus may be a flexible flat panel display, or a flexible printed circuit board. The flexible substrate can be made from polymer, plastic, paper, flexible glass, and stainless steel. The flexible substrate is bonded to the single crystalline substrate using an ion implantation process. The ion implantation process involves the use of a noble gas such as hydrogen, helium, xenon, and krypton. A plurality of semiconductor devices are formed on the single crystalline silicon substrate. The semiconductor devices may be thin film transistors for the flat panel display, or active and passive components for the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents
    Inventors: Terry L. Alford, Douglas C. Thompson, Jr., Hyunchul Kim, Michael A. Nastasi, James W. Mayer, Daniel Adams
  • Patent number: 7541263
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a semiconducting structure on a semiconducting substrate, one surface of which has a topology, this method including: a) a step for forming a first layer (24) in a first insulating material on said surface, b) a step for forming a second layer in a second insulating material (28), less dense than the first insulating material, with a thickness between 2.5 p and 3.5 p, c) a step for planarization of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Hubert Moriceau, Christophe Morales, Marc Zussy, Jerome Dechamp
  • Patent number: 7541629
    Abstract: A method and structure for reducing leakage currents in integrated circuits based on a direct silicon bonding (DSB) fabrication process. After recessing a top semiconductor layer and an underlying semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer may be deposited and etched back to form embedded spacers. Conventional source/drain regions may then be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Huilong Zhu, Haizhou Yin, Zhijiong Luo
  • Patent number: 7536780
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of manufacturing a wiring substrate to which a semiconductor chip mounted. The method includes the steps of forming a base, forming a peeling layer on the base, forming a capacitor having a plurality of layers on the peeling layer, and forming a wiring part in the capacitor for connecting the capacitor to the semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriyoshi Shimizu, Tomoo Yamasaki, Kiyoshi Oi, Akio Rokugawa
  • Patent number: 7531429
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention use silicon on porous silicon wafers to produce a reduced-thickness IC device wafers. After device manufacturing, a temporary support is bonded to the device layer. The uppermost silicon layer is then separated from the silicon substrate by splitting the porous silicon layer. The porous silicon layer and temporary support are then removed and packaging is completed. Embodiments of the invention provide reliable, low cost methods and apparatuses for producing reduced-thickness IC device wafers to substantially increase thermal conductivity between the device layer of an IC device and a heat sink. In alternative embodiments, the layered silicon substrate includes an insulator layer on a layer of porous silicon and a silicon layer on the insulator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Tolchinsky, Irwin Yablok, Chuan Hu, Richard D. Emery
  • Patent number: 7531428
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating compound material wafers are described. An embodiment of the method includes providing a donor substrate having a surface, forming a weakened zone in the donor substrate to define a transfer layer that includes the donor substrate surface, bonding the surface of the transfer layer to a handle substrate, and detaching the donor substrate at the weakened zone to transfer the transfer layer onto the handle substrate. Consequently, a compound material wafer is formed, and the transfer layer detached donor wafer provides a remainder substrate having a surface where the transfer layer was detached. Next, an additional layer is deposited onto a surface of the remainder substrate to increase its thickness and to form a reconditioned substrate, and the reconditioned substrate is recycled as a donor substrate for fabricating additional compound material wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: S.O.I.Tec Silicon on Insulator Technologies
    Inventor: Frederic Dupont
  • Publication number: 20090117703
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate is provided, which includes a step of forming a buffer layer over a first semiconductor substrate, a step of forming a damaged region in the first semiconductor substrate by irradiating the first semiconductor substrate with ions, a step of bonding the first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate with the buffer layer interposed between, a step of separating the first semiconductor substrate with a single crystal semiconductor layer left over the second semiconductor substrate by heating the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate, and a step of irradiating the single crystal semiconductor layer with a laser beam and heating the single crystal semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20090117704
    Abstract: As a base substrate, a substrate having an insulating surface such as a glass substrate is used. Then, a single crystal semiconductor layer is formed over the base substrate with the use of a large-sized semiconductor substrate. Note that, it is preferable that the base substrate be provided with a plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers. After that, the single crystal semiconductor layers are cut to divide the single crystal semiconductor layers into a plurality of single crystal semiconductor regions by patterning. Next, the single crystal semiconductor regions are irradiated with laser light or heat treatment is performed on the single crystal semiconductor regions in order to improve the planarity of surfaces and reduce defects. Peripheral portions of the single crystal semiconductor regions are not used as semiconductor elements, and central portions of the single crystal semiconductor regions are used as the semiconductor elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 7528050
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor structure that includes a high performance field effect transistor (FET) on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) in which the insulator thereof is a stress-inducing material of a preselected geometry. Such a structure achieves performance enhancement from uniaxial stress, and the stress in the channel is not dependent on the layout design of the local contacts. In broad terms, the present invention relates to a semiconductor structure that comprises an upper semiconductor layer and a bottom semiconductor layer, wherein said upper semiconductor layer is separated from said bottom semiconductor layer in at least one region by a stress-inducing insulator having a preselected geometric shape, said stress-inducing insulator exerting a strain on the upper semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Judson R. Holt, Qiqing C. Ouyang
  • Patent number: 7528049
    Abstract: A bonded SOI wafer is manufactured by performing bonding in a state where organics exist on a surface of an active layer wafer and/or on a surface of a supporting wafer and performing heat-treating for bonding reinforcement in a state where the organics are trapped at an interface between the active layer wafer and the supporting wafer to form crystal defects at an interface between the active layer wafer and an oxide film and/or at an interface between the supporting wafer and the oxide film. This allows a simple and inexpensive gettering source to be formed at the interface between an SOI layer and an insulating layer (oxide film). Also, the bonded SOI wafer of the present invention that is manufactured by this method can effectively remove heavy-metal impurities that may have a negative impact on the characteristics of the device and/or the withstand voltage characteristics of the oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Ikeda, Shinichi Tomita, Hiroyuki Miyahara
  • Publication number: 20090111236
    Abstract: An object is to reduce occurrence of defective bonding between a base substrate and a semiconductor substrate even when a silicon nitride film or the like is used as a bonding layer. Another object is to provide a method for manufacturing an SOI substrate by which an increase in the number of steps can be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kakehata, Kazutaka Kuriki
  • Publication number: 20090111237
    Abstract: A consistent reduction in temperature in an SOI substrate manufacturing process is achieved. A gate oxide film provided on an SOI substrate is obtained by laminating a low-temperature thermal oxide film 13 grown at a temperature of 450° C. or below and an oxide film 14 obtained based on a CVD method. Since the thermal oxide film 13 is a thin film of 100 ? or below, a low temperature of 450° C. or below can suffice. The underlying thermal oxide film 13 can suppress a structural defect, e.g., an interface state, and the CVD oxide film 14 formed on the thermal oxide film can be used to adjust a thickness of the gate oxide film. According to such a technique, a conventional general silicon oxide film forming apparatus can be used to form the gate oxide film at a low temperature, thereby achieving a consistent reduction in temperature in the SOI substrate manufacturing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoji Akiyama, Yoshihiro Kubota, Atsuo Ito, Makoto Kawai, Yuuji Tobisaka, Koichi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20090104750
    Abstract: If the size of a single crystal silicon layer attached is not appropriate, even when a large glass substrate is used, the number of panels to be obtained cannot be maximized. Therefore, in the present invention, a substantially quadrangular single crystal semiconductor substrate is formed from a substantially circular single crystal semiconductor wafer, and a damaged layer is formed by irradiation with an ion beam into the single crystal semiconductor substrate. A plurality of the single crystal semiconductor substrates are arranged so as to be separated from each other over one surface of a supporting substrate. By thermal treatment, a crack is generated in the damaged layer and the single crystal semiconductor substrate is separated while a single semiconductor layer is left over the supporting substrate. After that, one or a plurality of display panels is manufactured from the single crystal semiconductor layer bonded to the supporting substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Hideto OHNUMA, Jun KOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20090102008
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate having an SOI layer is provided. Between an SOI layer and a glass substrate, a bonding layer is provided which is formed of one layer or a plurality of layers of phosphosilicate glass, borosilicate glass, and/or borophosphosilicate glass, using organosilane as one material by a thermal CVD method at a temperature of 500° C. to 800° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuya KAKEHATA
  • Publication number: 20090096054
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate is provided. The semiconductor substrate includes a substrate having an insulating surface, and a plurality of stacks over the substrate having an insulating surface. Each of the plurality of stacks includes a bonding layer over the substrate having an insulating surface, an insulating layer over the bonding layer, and a single crystal semiconductor layer over the insulating layer. The substrate having an insulating surface has a depression, and the depression is provided between one of the plurality of stacks and another adjacent one of the plurality of stacks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Junichi KOEZUKA, Tetsuya KAKEHATA
  • Publication number: 20090098704
    Abstract: A method is demonstrated to manufacture SOI substrates with high throughput while resources can be effectively used. The present invention is characterized by the feature in which the following process A and process B are repeated. The process A includes irradiation of a surface of a semiconductor wafer with cluster ions to form a separation layer in the semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer and a substrate having an insulating surface are then overlapped with each other and bonded, which is followed by thermal treatment to separate the semiconductor wafer at or around the separation layer. A separation wafer and an SOI substrate which has a crystalline semiconductor layer over the substrate having the insulating surface are simultaneously obtained by the process A. The process B includes treatment of the separation wafer for reusing, which allows the separation wafer to be successively subjected to the process A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideto OHNUMA, Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 7518236
    Abstract: A power circuit package includes a base including a substrate, a plurality of interconnect circuit layers over the substrate with each including a substrate insulating layer patterned with substrate electrical interconnects, and via connections extending from a top surface of the substrate to at least one of the substrate electrical interconnects; and a power semiconductor module including power semiconductor devices each including device pads on a top surface of the respective power semiconductor device and backside contacts on a bottom surface of the respective power semiconductor device, the power semiconductor devices being coupled to a membrane structure, the membrane structure including a membrane insulating layer and membrane electrical interconnects over the membrane insulating layer and selectively extending to the device pads, wherein the backside contacts are coupled to selected substrate electrical interconnects or via connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eladio Clemente Delgado, Richard Alfred Beaupre
  • Patent number: 7510945
    Abstract: A support-side substrate having a thermal oxide film on the major surface is bonded to an active-layer-side substrate having a thermal oxide film on the major surface while making the major surfaces oppose each other. The active-layer-side substrate and part of the oxide film are selectively etched from a surface opposite to the major surface of the active-layer-side substrate to a halfway depth of the buried oxide film formed from the thermal oxide films at the bonding portion. A sidewall insulating film is formed on the etching side surface portion of the active-layer-side substrate. Then, the remaining buried oxide film except that immediately under the active-layer-side substrate is selectively etched. A single-crystal semiconductor layer is formed on the support-side substrate exposed by removing the buried oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hajime Nagano, Shinichi Nitta, Takashi Yamada, Tsutomu Sato, Katsujiro Tanzawa, Ichiro Mizushima
  • Publication number: 20090081844
    Abstract: A plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates are arranged and then the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates which have been arranged are overlapped with a base substrate, so that the base substrate and the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates are bonded to each other. Then, each of the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates is separated to form a plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers over the base substrate. Next, in order to reduce crystal defects in the plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers, the plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers are irradiated with a laser beam. The plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers are thinned by being etched before or after irradiation with a laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20090079025
    Abstract: A plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates having a rectangular shape are disposed on a tray. Depression portions are provided in the tray so that the single crystal semiconductor substrates can fit in. The single crystal semiconductor substrates disposed on the tray are doped with hydrogen ions, so that damaged regions are formed at a desired depth. A bonding layer is formed on surfaces of the single crystal semiconductor substrates. The plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates in each of which the damaged region is formed and on which the bonding layer is formed are disposed on the tray and bonded to the base substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20090079024
    Abstract: To provide a method for manufacturing a large-area semiconductor device, to provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with high efficiency, and to provide a highly-reliable semiconductor device in the case of using a large-area substrate including an impurity element. A plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates are concurrently processed to manufacture an SOI substrate, so that an area of a semiconductor device can be increased and a semiconductor device can be manufactured with improved efficiency. In specific, a series of processes is performed using a tray with which a plurality of semiconductor substrates can be concurrently processed. Here, the tray is provided with at least one depression for holding single crystal semiconductor substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20090081845
    Abstract: A plurality of rectangular single crystal semiconductor substrates are prepared. Each of the single crystal semiconductor substrates is doped with hydrogen ions and a damaged region is formed at a desired depth, and a bonding layer is formed on a surface thereof. The plurality of single crystal substrates with the damaged regions formed therein and the bonding layers formed thereover are arranged on a tray. Depression portions for holding the single crystal semiconductor substrates are formed in the tray. With the single crystal semiconductor substrates arranged on the tray, the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates with the damaged regions formed therein and the bonding layers formed thereover are bonded to a base substrate. By performing heat treatment and dividing the single crystal semiconductor substrates along the damaged regions, the plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers that are sliced are formed over the base substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Makoto FURUNO
  • Publication number: 20090075453
    Abstract: There is provided a method for suppressing the occurrence of defects such as voids or blisters even in the laminated wafer having an oxide film of a thickness thinner than the conventional one, wherein hydrogen ions are implanted into a wafer for active layer having an oxide film of not more than 50 nm in thickness to form a hydrogen ion implanted layer, and ions other than hydrogen are implanted up to a position that a depth from the surface side the hydrogen ion implantation is shallower than the hydrogen ion implanted layer, and the wafer for active layer is laminated onto a wafer for support substrate through the oxide film, and then the wafer for active layer is exfoliated at the hydrogen ion implanted layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi MURAKAMI, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Hideki Nishihata, Akihiko Endo
  • Publication number: 20090061591
    Abstract: A hydrogen ion-implanted layer is formed on the surface side of a first substrate which is a single-crystal silicon substrate. At least one of the surface of a second substrate, which is a transparent insulating substrate, and the surface of the first substrate is subjected to surface activation treatment, and the two substrates are bonded together. The bonded substrate composed of the single-crystal Si substrate and the transparent insulating substrate thus obtained is mounted on a susceptor and is placed under an infrared lamp. Light having a wave number range including an Si—H bond absorption band is irradiated at the bonded substrate for a predetermined length of time to break the Si—H bonds localized within a “microbubble layer” in the hydrogen ion-implanted layer, thereby separating a silicon thin film layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoji Akiyama, Yoshihiro Kubota, Atsuo Ito, Makoto Kawai, Yuuji Tobisaka, Koichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7498235
    Abstract: A method for fabricating germanium-on-insulator (GOI) substrate materials, the GOI substrate materials produced by the method and various structures that can include at least the GOI substrate materials of the present invention are provided. The GOI substrate material include at least a substrate, a buried insulator layer located atop the substrate, and a Ge-containing layer, preferably pure Ge, located atop the buried insulator layer. In the GOI substrate materials of the present invention, the Ge-containing layer may also be referred to as the GOI film. The GOI film is the layer of the inventive substrate material in which devices can be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tze-chiang Chen, Guy M. Cohen, Alexander Reznicek, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam G. Shahidi
  • Publication number: 20090042356
    Abstract: There is provided a peeling method capable of preventing a damage to a layer to be peeled. Thus, not only a layer to be peeled having a small area but also a layer to be peeled having a large area can be peeled over the entire surface at a high yield. Processing for partially reducing contact property between a first material layer (11) and a second material layer (12) (laser light irradiation, pressure application, or the like) is performed before peeling, and then peeling is conducted by physical means. Therefore, sufficient separation can be easily conducted in an inner portion of the second material layer (12) or an interface thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Takayama, Junya Maruyama, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20090032911
    Abstract: A process for treating a structure to prepare it for electronics or optoelectronics applications. The structure includes a bulk substrate, an oxide layer, and a semiconductor layer, and the process includes providing a masking to define on the semiconductor layer a desired pattern, and applying a thermal treatment for removing a controlled thickness of oxide in the regions of the oxide layer corresponding to the desired pattern to assist in preparing the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: S.O.I.TecSilicon on Insulator Technologies Parc Technologique des Fontaines
    Inventor: Oleg Kononchuk
  • Patent number: 7485571
    Abstract: General purpose methods for the fabrication of integrated circuits from flexible membranes formed of very thin low stress dielectric materials, such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, and semiconductor layers. Semiconductor devices are formed in a semiconductor layer of the membrane. The semiconductor membrane layer is initially formed from a substrate of standard thickness, and all but a thin surface layer of the substrate is then etched or polished away. In another version, the flexible membrane is used as support and electrical interconnect for conventional integrated circuit die bonded thereto, with the interconnect formed in multiple layers in the membrane. Multiple die can be connected to one such membrane, which is then packaged as a multi-chip module. Other applications are based on (circuit) membrane processing for bipolar and MOSFET transistor fabrication, low impedance conductor interconnecting fabrication, flat panel displays, maskless (direct write) lithography, and 3D IC fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Elm Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Glenn J Leedy
  • Patent number: 7485541
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a strained silicon film to a silicon on insulation (SOI) wafer. A layer of oxide is deposited onto a wafer that has a stack structure of a first base substrate, a layer of relaxed film=and a second layer of strained film. The SOI wafer has a stack structure of a second base substrate and a layer of oxidized film. The SOI wafer is attached to the wafer and is heated at a first temperature. This causes a silicon dioxide (SiO2) dangling bond to form on the second base substrate of the SOI wafer, transferring the strained film from one wafer to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Doyle, Brian E. Roberds
  • Publication number: 20090023267
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Nicolas Daval, Sebastien Kerdiles, Cecile Aulnette
  • Publication number: 20090002589
    Abstract: To provide a structure and a manufacturing method for efficiently forming a transistor to which tensile strain is preferably applied and a transistor to which compressive strain is preferably applied over the same substrate when stress is applied to a semiconductor layer in order to improve mobility of the transistors in a semiconductor device. Plural kinds of transistors which are separated from a single-crystal semiconductor substrate and include single-crystal semiconductor layers bonded to a substrate having an insulating surface with a bonding layer interposed therebetween are provided over the same substrate. One of the transistors uses a single-crystal semiconductor layer as an active layer, to which tensile strain is applied. The other transistors use single-crystal semiconductor layers as active layers, to which compressive strain using part of heat shrink generated by heat treatment of the base substrate after bonding is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi TANADA
  • Publication number: 20090004811
    Abstract: A semiconductor composite apparatus includes a semiconductor thin film and a metal layer formed on a substrate. The semiconductor thin film is bonded to the metal layer formed on the substrate. A region is formed between the semiconductor thin film and the metal surface, and contains an oxide of a metal that forms the metal surface. The metal surface is a surface of a metal layer provided on the substrate. The metal surface contains an element selected from the group consisting of Pd, Ni, Ge, Pt, Ti, Cr, and Au. The metal surface is coated with either a Pd layer or an Ni layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mitsuhiko Ogihara
  • Publication number: 20080315350
    Abstract: It is an object to form single-crystalline semiconductor layers with high mobility over approximately the entire surface of a glass substrate even when the glass substrate is increased in size. A first single-crystalline semiconductor substrate is bonded to a substrate having an insulating surface, the first single-crystalline semiconductor substrate is separated such that a first single-crystalline semiconductor layer is left remaining over the substrate having an insulating surface, a second single-crystalline semiconductor substrate is bonded to the substrate having an insulating surface so as to overlap with at least part of the first single-crystalline semiconductor layer provided over the substrate having an insulating surface, and the second single-crystalline semiconductor substrate is separated such that a second single-crystalline semiconductor layer is left remaining over the substrate having an insulating surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080296724
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor substrate including a crystalline semiconductor layer which is suitable for practical use, even if a material different from that of the semiconductor layer is used for a supporting substrate, and a semiconductor device using the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes a bonding layer which forms a bonding plane, a barrier layer formed of an insulating material containing nitrogen, a relief layer which is formed of an insulating material that includes nitrogen at less than 20 at. % and hydrogen at 1 at. % to 20 at. %, and an insulating layer containing a halogen, between a supporting substrate and a single-crystal semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device includes the above-described structure at least partially, and a gate insulating layer formed by a microwave plasma CVD method using SiH4 and N2O as source gases is in contact with the single-crystal semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Makoto Furuno, Takashi Ohtsuki, Kenichi Okazaki, Tetsuhiro Tanaka, Seiji Yasumoto
  • Publication number: 20080283916
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate in which contamination of a semiconductor layer due to an impurity is prevented and the bonding strength between a support substrate and the semiconductor layer can be increased. An oxide film containing first halogen is formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor substrate is irradiated with ions of second halogen, whereby a separation layer is formed and the second halogen is contained in a semiconductor substrate. Then, heat treatment is performed in a state in which the semiconductor substrate and the support substrate are superposed with an insulating surface containing hydrogen interposed therebetween, whereby part of the semiconductor substrate is separated along the separation layer, so that a semiconductor layer containing the second halogen is provided over the support substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co.,Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20080286910
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an SOI substrate with favorable adherence without high-temperature heat treatment being performed in bonding, and a semiconductor device using the SOI substrate and a manufacturing method thereof are proposed. An SOI substrate and a semiconductor device can be manufactured by forming a single-crystalline silicon substrate with a thickness of 50 ?m or less in which a brittle layer is formed; forming a supporting substrate having an insulating layer over a surface; activating at least one of the surfaces of the single-crystalline silicon substrate and the insulating layer by exposure to a plasma atmosphere or an ion atmosphere; and bonding the single-crystalline silicon substrate and the supporting substrate with the insulating layer interposed therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hideto Ohnuma
  • Patent number: 7452785
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabricating a composite structure having heat dissipation properties greater than a bulk single crystal silicon structure having the same dimensions. The structure includes a support substrate, a top layer and an oxide layer between the support substrate and the top layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: S.O.I.Tec Silicon on Insulator Technologies
    Inventors: Oleg Kononchuk, Fabrice Letertre, Robert Langer
  • Publication number: 20080280416
    Abstract: Techniques for the fabrication of semiconductor devices are provided. In one aspect, a layer transfer structure is provided. The layer transfer structure comprises a carrier substrate having a porous region with a tuned porosity in combination with an implanted species defining a separation plane therein. In another aspect, a method of forming a layer transfer structure is provided. In yet another aspect, a method of forming a three dimensional integrated structure is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Stephen W. Bedell, Keith Edward Fogel, Bruce Kenneth Furman, Sampath Purushothaman, Devendra K. Sadana, Anna Wanda Topol
  • Patent number: 7442622
    Abstract: A silicon direct bonding (SDB) method by which void formation caused by gases is suppressed. The SDB method includes: preparing two silicon substrates having corresponding bonding surfaces; forming trenches having a predetermined depth in at least one bonding surface of the two silicon substrates; forming gas discharge outlets connected to the trenches on at least one of the two silicon substrates to vertically penetrate the bonding surface; cleaning the two silicon substrates; closely contacting the two silicon substrates to each other; and thermally treating the two substrates to bond them to each other. The trenches are formed along at least a part of a plurality of dicing lines, and both ends of the trenches are clogged. Gases generated during a thermal treatment process can be smoothly and easily discharged through the trenches and the gas discharge outlet such that a void is prevented from being formed in the junctions of the two silicon substrates due to the gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Inventors: Sung-gyu Kang, Seung-mo Lim, Jae-chang Lee, Woon-bae Kim
  • Publication number: 20080261376
    Abstract: To provide an SOI substrate with an SOI layer that can be put into practical use, even when a substrate with a low allowable temperature limit such as a glass substrate is used, and to provide a semiconductor substrate formed using such an SOI substrate. In order to bond a single-crystalline semiconductor substrate to a base substrate such as a glass substrate, a silicon oxide film formed by CVD with organic silane as a source material is used as a bonding layer, for example. Accordingly, an SOI substrate with a strong bond portion can be formed even when a substrate with an allowable temperature limit of less than or equal to 700° C. such as a glass substrate is used. A semiconductor layer separated from the single-crystalline semiconductor substrate is irradiated with a laser beam so that the surface of the semiconductor layer is planarized and the crystallinity thereof is recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Eiji Higa, Yoji Nagano, Tatsuya Mizoi, Akihisa Shimomura
  • Publication number: 20080254591
    Abstract: A method for making a thin-film element includes epitaxially growing a first crystalline layer on a second crystalline layer of a support where the second crystalline layer is a material different from the first crystalline layer, the first crystalline layer having a thickness less than a critical thickness. A dielectric layer is formed on a side of the first crystalline layer opposite to the support to form a donor structure. The donor structure is assembled with a receiver layer and the support is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Chrystel Deguet, Laurent Clavelier
  • Publication number: 20080246022
    Abstract: An electron transport device, including at least one transport layer in which at least one periodic dislocation and/or defect array is produced, and a mechanism for guiding electrons in the transport layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: Commissariat A L'energie Atomique
    Inventors: Joel Eymery, Pascal Gentile
  • Publication number: 20080224254
    Abstract: Semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structures, including large area SOI structures, are provided which have one or more regions composed of a layer of a substantially single-crystal semiconductor (e.g., doped silicon) attached to a support substrate composed of an oxide glass or an oxide glass-ceramic. The oxide glass or oxide glass-ceramic is preferably transparent and preferably has a strain point of less than 1000° C., a resistivity at 250° C. that is less than or equal to 1016 ?-cm, and contains positive ions (e.g., alkali or alkaline-earth ions) which can move within the glass or glass-ceramic in response to an electric field at elevated temperatures (e.g., 300-1000° C.). The bond strength between the semiconductor layer and the support substrate is preferably at least 8 joules/meter2. The semiconductor layer can include a hybrid region in which the semiconductor material has reacted with oxygen ions originating from the glass or glass-ceramic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: James G. Couillard, Kishor P. Gadkaree, Joseph F. Mach
  • Patent number: 7422957
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating final substrates for use in optics, electronics, or optoelectronics are described. The method includes forming a zone of weakness beneath a surface of a source substrate to define a transfer layer; detaching the transfer layer from the source substrate along the zone of weakness; depositing a useful layer upon the transfer layer; and depositing a support material on the useful layer to form the final substrate. The useful layer may be deposited on the transfer layer before or after detaching the transfer layer from the source substrate. The useful layer is typically made of a material having a large band gap, and comprises at least one of gallium nitride, or aluminum nitride, or of compounds of at least two elements including at least one element of aluminum, indium, and gallium. The zone of weakness may advantageously be formed by implanting atomic species into the source substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: S.O.I.Tec Silicon on Insulator Technologies
    Inventors: Bruno Ghyselen, Fabrice Letertre
  • Patent number: 7422956
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a substrate having a first crystal orientation is provided. A first insulating layer overlies the substrate and a plurality of silicon layers overlie the first insulating layer. A first silicon layer comprises silicon having a second crystal orientation and a crystal plane. A second silicon layer comprises silicon having the second crystal orientation and a crystal plane that is substantially orthogonal to the crystal plane of the first silicon layer. Because holes have higher mobility in the (110) plane than the (100) plane, while electrons have higher mobility in (100) plane than the (110) plane, semiconductor device performance can be enhanced by the selection of silicon layers with certain crystal plane orientations. In addition, a method of forming a semiconductor device is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Michael Waite, Jon D. Cheek
  • Patent number: 7422958
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a mixed substrate that include insulating material layer portions buried in a substrate of semiconductor material. The method includes providing a support substrate made of semiconductor material and having a front face that includes open cavities; providing a layer of an insulating material upon the front face of the support substrate and into the cavities; polishing the layer to provide a perfectly planar surface; bonding a source substrate to the planar surface of the support substrate; withdrawing a portion of the source substrate to provide an assembly having a thin useful or active layer upon the insulating layer of the support substrate; and heat treating the assembly in a selected atmosphere at a temperature and for a time sufficient to diffuse atoms from the insulating layer and through the thin layer to reduce the thickness of the insulating layer while retaining the insulating material in the cavities of the support substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignees: S.O.I.Tec Silicon on Insulator Technologies, Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Marek Kostrzewa, Fabrice Letertre
  • Publication number: 20080191310
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit structure includes a first wafer and a second wafer, each comprising a substrate having devices formed thereon and an interconnect structure over the substrate; a composite layer comprising a first dielectric layer bonded to a second dielectric layer, wherein the composite layer is bonded to the first and the second wafers; a first plurality of openings extending from an interface of the first and the second dielectric layers into the first dielectric layer, wherein each opening of the first plurality of openings is in scribe lines of the first wafer; and vias connecting devices in the first and the second wafers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Weng-Jin Wu, Wen-Chih Chiou, Chen-Hua Yu
  • Patent number: 7407863
    Abstract: Amorphous and polycrystalline III-V semiconductor including (Ga,As), (Al,As), (In,As), (Ga,N), and (Ga,P) materials were grown at low temperatures on semiconductor substrates. After growth, different substrates containing the low temperature grown material were pressed together in a pressure jig before being annealed. The annealing temperatures ranged from about 300° C. to 800° C. for annealing times between 30 minutes and 10 hours, depending on the bonding materials. The structures remained pressed together throughout the course of the annealing. Strong bonds were obtained for bonding layers between different substrates that were as thin as 3 nm and as thick as 600 nm. The bonds were ohmic with a relatively small resistance, optically transparent, and independent of the orientation of the underlying structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Kuang Chien Hsieh, Keh-Yung Cheng, Kuo-Lih Chang, John H. Epple, Gregory Pickrell