S.o.i. Tec Silicon on Insulator Technologies, S.a.

S.o.i.tec Silicon on Insulator Technologies

Jean-Marc Waechter

Walter Schwarzenbach

Bruno Ghyselen

Thierry Barge

Thuan Truong

The invention relates to a method of splitting apart a substrate of two adjoining wafers defining between them a cleavage plane, by bringing each substrate into a substrate-receiving space; and clamping first and second jaw portions onto each substrate in such a manner as to hold each substrate and urge apart the two wafers of each substrate by co-operation between the shapes of housings in first and second portions of the two jaws, respectively. The invention also relates to a splitting method that includes bringing each substrate into a substrate-reception space; clamping together separator portions onto each substrate so as to split apart the two wafers of each substrate; and clamping the split-apart substrate wafers so as to hold the wafers together. An automated system for processing multiple substrates is also provided.

Apparatus and method for splitting substrates

A device for use in a thermal annealing process for a wafer (T) of material chosen among the semiconductor materials for the purpose of detaching a layer from the wafer at an weakened zone. During annealing, the device applies (1) a basic thermal budget to the wafer, with the basic thermal budget being slightly inferior to the budget necessary to detach the layer, this budget being distributed in an even manner over the weakened zone; and (2) an additional thermal budget is also applied to the wafer locally in a set region of the weakened zone so as to initiate the detachment of the layer in this region.

Annealing process and device of semiconductor wafer

A method for heat treatment of a semiconductor wafer placed on a support. The method includes subjecting the wafer to a heat treatment with a slow temperature rise from an initial temperature to a treatment ending temperature, and minimizing slip lines that would otherwise result in the wafer from the heat treatment by introducing at least one temperature plateau of constant temperature and of predetermined duration in the heat treatment before reaching the treatment ending temperature. The method reduces the temperature gradients on the wafer to minimize slip lines in the wafer resulting from the heat treatment.

Method for heat treating a semiconductor wafer

A device and method for annealing a wafer. The preferred embodiment includes applying a basic thermal budget to a weakened zone of a wafer, substantially evenly over the weakened zone. The basic thermal budget is insufficient to detach a detachment layer from a remainder of the wafer at the weakened zone. An additional thermal budget is applied locally in an initiation region of the weakened zone to initiate the detachment of the detachment layer at the weakened zone.

The invention provides an apparatus for splitting a substrate apart, the substrate comprising two adjoining wafers defining between them a cleavage plane, the apparatus being characterized in that it comprises:

Growing community of inventors

Saint Vincent de Mercuze, France

Jean-Marc Waechter