Donor Substrate Smoothing Oxide for Reuse After Delamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for preparing donor substrates after thin layer transfer are complex, expensive, and result in significant material loss, particularly due to the need for double-sided polishing.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the deposition of a smoothing oxide on the donor substrate's main face to fill and cover the annular step, followed by heat treatment to densify the oxide, reducing material loss and achieving a smooth surface suitable for reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional methods (double-sided polishing, chemical polishing) are used to prepare the remainder, then the surface quality is improved, but the manufacturing cost and process complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical polishing processes with a chemical deposition process. A glassy oxide layer is deposited onto the annular step to fill it and create a planar surface, eliminating the need for mechanical double-sided polishing and chemical polishing steps while achieving the required surface quality for substrate reuse
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the surface treatment process by using vapor-phase deposition of glassy oxide at controlled temperatures (200-900°C). This parameter change transforms the approach from mechanical removal to chemical deposition, simplifying the overall process while maintaining surface quality requirements
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional methods (double-sided polishing) are used to prepare the remainder, then the surface quality is improved, but the material loss increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical polishing with chemical vapor deposition of glassy oxide. This substitution eliminates material removal entirely, as the oxide layer is deposited to fill the annular step rather than mechanically removing material, thereby significantly reducing material loss while achieving the required surface quality
Solution Approach 2:
The glassy oxide layer acts as an intermediary material that fills the annular step and provides the required planar surface. This intermediary approach allows the rough, stepped surface to be transformed into a smooth, usable surface without removing the underlying substrate material, thus preventing material loss
3Adaptability or versatility
If the annular step is completely removed to prepare the remainder for reuse, then the substrate reusability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming mechanical polishing and chemical etching processes with a single vapor-phase deposition process. The glassy oxide is deposited and then densified through heat treatment, creating a planar surface suitable for substrate reuse in a streamlined process that significantly reduces preparation time while maintaining substrate reusability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary densification heat treatment of the deposited glassy oxide layer to prepare the surface for subsequent substrate assembly. This preliminary action ensures the oxide layer has the required mechanical and chemical properties for reuse applications, enabling the remainder to be directly assembled with new substrates without requiring complete step removal
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method significantly reduces material loss and cost while providing a smooth, reusable substrate surface, eliminating the need for double-sided polishing and enabling efficient assembly with a donor substrate for SOI structure formation.
Implementation Method 1
the deposition of a smoothing oxide on the main face of the remainder in order to fill the inner space defined by the annular step and to cover at least part of the annular step
Implementation Method 2
heat treatment for densification of the smoothing oxide
Implementation Method 3
heat treatment for densification of the smoothing oxide
Data Source
AI summary
A method is used to prepare the remainder of a donor substrate, from which a layer has been removed by delamination in a plane weakened by ion implantation. The remainder comprises, on a main face, an annular step corresponding to a non-removed part of the donor substrate. The method comprises the deposition of a smoothing oxide on the main face of the remainder in order to fill the inner space defined by the annular step and to cover at least part of the annular step, as well as heat treatment for densification of the smoothing oxide. A substrate is produced by the method, and the substrate may be used in subsequent processes.