Semiconductor Substrate Surface Roughness Reduction via Amorphous Layer Recrystallization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing Semiconductor on Insulator (SeOI) substrates, such as the Smart Cut method, result in residual roughness and damaged zones on the surface, which are difficult to eliminate, especially when using materials like Germanium or composite structures, and high-temperature annealing can cause thermal expansion issues.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves forming an amorphous layer on the thin semiconductor layer, followed by recrystallization to reduce or eliminate residual roughness, using sacrificial oxidation and controlled implantation of species like Si, Ge, Ar, or Xe, and subsequent annealing to restore crystalline quality without causing substrate damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If high-temperature annealing is used to eliminate residual roughness and damaged zones, then surface quality is improved, but thermal expansion differences cause substrate breaking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high-temperature annealing to low-temperature plasma treatment, achieving surface quality improvement without causing thermal expansion damage to the substrate
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal field (annealing) with a plasma field treatment, using low-temperature plasma to achieve surface quality improvement without the thermal expansion issues that cause substrate breaking
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional finishing steps (abrasion, polishing, sacrificial oxidation) are used to eliminate damaged zones, then surface roughness is reduced, but the process becomes complex and may not work for all materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the damaged zone by forming a new crystalline layer that grows selectively, removing the need for multiple sequential finishing steps like abrasion, polishing, and sacrificial oxidation
Solution Approach 2:
The low-temperature plasma treatment method is universally applicable to various semiconductor materials including silicon, germanium, and composite structures, replacing material-specific finishing processes
3Ease of manufacture
If hydrogen species implantation is used to form an implanted layer for finishing, then the process is simple, but the reduction of residual roughness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the plasma treatment parameters (temperature, gas composition, power) to achieve both simple processing and significant roughness reduction, overcoming the limitations of hydrogen implantation
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 method effectively reduces surface roughness to acceptable levels, improving the crystalline quality of the semiconductor layer while being applicable to various materials, including Germanium and composite structures, without the risks associated with high-temperature annealing.
Implementation Method 1
formation of a sacrificial oxidation layer on the thin layer, and then of removing the oxidation layer to reduce roughness of the layer
Implementation Method 2
controlled implantation of species like Si, Ge, Ar, or Xe, and subsequent annealing to restore crystalline quality
Implementation Method 3
forming an amorphous layer in a part of the thin layer, and then recrystallizing the amorphous layer to reduce or eliminate residual roughness
Implementation Method 4
recrystallizing the amorphous layer in order to reduce or eliminate residual roughness on the thin layer
Implementation Method 5
subsequent annealing to restore crystalline quality without causing substrate damage
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a method for producing a substrate by transferring a layer of a material from a donor substrate to a support substrate, and then by removing a part of the layer of material to form the thin layer. The step of removing a part of the layer of material to form the thin layer comprises forming an amorphous layer in a part of the thin layer, and then recrystallizing the amorphous layer.