Particle Beam Layer Transfer for GaN Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for manufacturing semiconductor materials, such as inner diameter sawing and wire sawing, result in significant kerf losses and inefficiencies, leading to high costs and limited throughput in producing high-quality substrates for optoelectronic devices like LEDs and semiconductor lasers.
Innovation Solution
A method using a particle accelerator beam to form thin films by creating a cleave plane in a bulk substrate, allowing for controlled cleaving of semiconductor materials with reduced material loss and improved efficiency, enabling the formation of high-quality substrates for optoelectronic devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If conventional sawing techniques (ID sawing or wire sawing) are used to separate semiconductor wafers from bulk material, then the material can be divided into usable wafers, but significant kerf loss occurs (40-60% material loss)
Solution Approach 1:
The bulk semiconductor material is divided into multiple thin wafers simultaneously using parallel wire saws, rather than separating them one at a time. This segmentation approach allows multiple cuts to occur in parallel, increasing throughput while maintaining precise control over kerf loss through optimized wire thickness and tension.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical blade sawing with wire sawing technology, where thin tensioned wires cut through the semiconductor material. This substitution reduces kerf loss significantly compared to blade sawing, as the wires have much smaller diameter and create narrower cut paths through the material.
2Productivity
If ID sawing is used to separate wafers, then individual wafers can be obtained, but the process is slow and limits throughput
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple wire saws are combined and operated in parallel to cut through the bulk semiconductor material simultaneously, producing multiple wafers in a single operation. This merging of multiple cutting tools into one system dramatically increases throughput compared to sequential ID sawing, while the wires can be tensioned to maintain precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire sawing process allows continuous cutting action through the bulk material without the need to stop and reposition between cuts. The wires maintain constant tension and move continuously through the material, enabling uninterrupted separation of multiple wafers in sequence, thereby reducing total processing time.
3Strength
If thick saw blades are used to ensure structural strength during sawing, then the blade can withstand stress, but more material is lost to kerf
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional thick mechanical saw blades with thin tensioned wire saws. The wires derive their cutting capability from tensile strength rather than blade thickness, allowing them to cut through material with minimal kerf loss while maintaining the necessary strength to withstand cutting forces through proper tensioning and material selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the cutting tool from thick rigid blades to thin flexible wires under tension. By altering the structural parameter (from thickness-based strength to tension-based strength) and the physical state (from rigid to flexible), the system achieves both adequate strength and minimal kerf loss.
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
This approach significantly reduces material loss and enhances efficiency in producing semiconductor substrates, enabling the creation of high-quality materials for optoelectronic devices with reduced costs and improved throughput.
Implementation Method 1
introducing a plurality of particles through the additional material to form a cleave region in the workpiece
Implementation Method 2
applying energy to cleave a detached thickness of workpiece material including the layer of additional material from a remainder of the workpiece
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A~1D
Figure 2
AI summary
Embodiments relate to use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin films of material from a bulk substrate are described. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. In certain embodiments, this bulk substrate may comprise GaN; in other embodiments this bulk substrate may comprise (111) single crystal silicon. Then, a thin film or wafer of material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. In certain embodiments this separated material is incorporated directly into an optoelectronic device, for example a GaN film cleaved from GaN bulk material. In some embodiments, this separated material may be employed as a template for further growth of semiconductor materials (e.g. GaN) that are useful for optoelectronic devices.