Process for cutting out a block of material and formation of a thin film

Abstract

A process for cutting out a block of material ( 10 ) comprising the following stages: (a) the formation in the block of a buried zone ( 12 ), embrittled by at least one stage of ion introduction, the buried zone defining at least one superficial part ( 14 ) of the block, (b) the formation at the level of the embrittled zone of at least one separation initiator ( 30, 36 ) by the use of a first means of separation chosen from amongst the insertion of a tool, the injection of a fluid, a thermal treatment and/or implantation of ions of an ionic nature different from that introduced during the preceding stage, and (c) the separation at the level of the embrittled zone of the superficial part ( 14 ) of the block from a remaining part ( 16 ), called the mass part, from the separation initiator ( 30, 36 ) by the use of a second means, different from the first means of separation and chosen from among a thermal treatment and/or the application of mechanical forces acting between the superficial part and the embrittled zone. Application for the manufacture of components for micro-electronics, opto-electronics or micro-mechanics.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . A process for forming and separating a thin film from a substrate, the process comprising: 
 providing a first substrate and introducing ions into the first substrate to form a buried embrittled zone in the first substrate and to define the thin film in the first substrate;    applying a first separation method to the embrittled zone to release a separation initiator that spreads into the embrittled zone; and    applying a second separation method, different from the first separation method, to separate the thin film from the first substrate,    wherein the thin film has an RMS surface roughness, and    wherein introducing ions into the embrittled zone comprises introducing ions at total dose that does not substantially alter the RMS surface roughness of the thin film.    
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 13  further comprising providing a second substrate and bonding the second substrate to a face surface of the first substrate  
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein providing a substrate comprises providing a substrate having a face surface with an RMS surface roughness of no more than about 10 nm, and wherein introducing ions into the substrate to form a buried embrittled zone comprises implantation through the face surface at total dose that does not alter the RMS surface roughness.  
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein applying a first separation method comprises introducing ions into the embrittled zone at a total dose greater than a dose of ions used to form the embrittled zone.  
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein introducing ions into the substrate to form a buried embrittled zone comprises introducing a first species of ions, and wherein applying a first separation method comprises introducing a second species of ions different from the first species.  
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein applying a first separation method comprises a localized implantation of ions into the embrittled zone at an implantation dose above a saturation dose of the substrate.  
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 13  further comprising applying a thermal treatment after applying the first separation method and before applying the second separation method to weaken the buried embrittled zone.  
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein applying a first separation method comprises applying mechanical forces.  
   
   
       21 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein applying a first separation method comprises localized fluid injection.  
   
   
       22 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein applying a second separation method comprises bonding a second substrate to the thin film and applying thermal energy or mechanical forces, or a combination of thermal energy or mechanical forces.  
   
   
       23 . A process for forming and separating a thin film from a substrate, the process comprising: 
 providing a first substrate and introducing a first dose of ions of a first species into a face surface of the substrate to form a buried embrittled zone in the substrate and to define the thin film extending from the face surface into the substrate;    introducing a second dose of ions of a second species into the embrittled zone to release a separation initiator that spreads into the embrittled zone,    wherein the second dose is greater than the first dose;    providing a second substrate;    bonding the second substrate to the face surface of the first substrate; and    separating the thin film from the first substrate.    
   
   
       24 . The process of  claim 23 , wherein separating the thin film from the first substrate comprises separating a thin film having an RMS surface roughness, and wherein introducing a second dose of ions of a second species into the embrittled zone comprises introducing ions at total dose that does not substantially alter the RMS surface roughness of the thin film.  
   
   
       25 . The process of  claim 23 , wherein providing a first substrate comprises providing a first substrate having a face surface with an RMS surface roughness of no more than about 10 nm, and wherein introducing a first dose of ions of a first species into the first substrate to form a buried embrittled zone comprises implantation through the face surface at total dose that does not alter the RMS surface roughness.  
   
   
       26 . The process of  claim 23 , wherein introducing a second dose of ions of a second species into the embrittled zone comprises a localized implantation of ions into the embrittled zone at an implantation dose above a saturation dose of the first substrate.  
   
   
       27 . The process of  claim 23 , wherein providing a second substrate comprises providing a second substrate having a dielectric layer thereon, and wherein bonding the second substrate to the face surface of the first substrate comprises bonding the dielectric layer to the face surface of the first substrate.  
   
   
       28 . A process for forming and separating a thin film from a substrate, the process comprising: 
 providing a first substrate and introducing a first dose of ions of a first species into a face surface of the substrate to form a buried embrittled zone in the substrate and to define the thin film extending from the face surface into the substrate;    applying thermal energy to the first substrate to increase the embrittlement of the buried embrittled zone;    introducing ions of a second species, different from the first species, into the embrittled zone to release a separation initiator that spreads into the embrittled zone;    providing a second substrate;    bonding the second substrate to the face surface of the first substrate; and    separating the thin film from the first substrate.    
   
   
       29 . The process of  claim 28  wherein releasing a separation initiator further comprises one of inserting a tool, injecting a fluid, or a thermal treatment.  
   
   
       30 . The process of  claim 28 , wherein separating the thin film from the first substrate comprises applying a thermal treatment or mechanical forces acting between the embrittled zone and the substrate.  
   
   
       31 . The process of  claim 28  wherein introducing ions of a second species into the embrittled zone comprises a localized implantation of ions into the embrittled zone at an implantation dose above a saturation dose of the first substrate.  
   
   
       32 . The process of  claim 28 , wherein separating the thin film from the first substrate comprises separating a thin film having an RMS surface roughness, and wherein introducing ions of a second species into the embrittled zone comprises introducing ions at total dose that does not substantially alter the RMS surface roughness of the thin film.  
   
   
       33 . A process for forming and separating a thin film from a substrate, the process comprising: 
 providing a first substrate and introducing ions into the first substrate to form a buried embrittled zone in the first substrate at a depth in the first substrate corresponding to a desired thin film;    providing at least one localized separation initiator at the level of the buried embrittled zone applying; and thereafter    applying thermal treatment to the buried embrittled zone for separation of the thin film from the reminder of the substrate.    
   
   
       34 . The process pf  claim 33 , wherein the localized separation initiator is in an edge region of the substrate.  
   
   
       35 . The process pf  claim 33 , wherein the localized separation initiator is spaced from the edge of the substrate.  
   
   
       36 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein providing the localized separation initiator comprises a localized implantation of ions into the embrittled zone.  
   
   
       37 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein the localized implantation of ions is at an implantation dose above a saturated dose for the substrate.  
   
   
       38 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein providing the localized separation initiator comprises applying localized mechanical force.  
   
   
       39 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein providing the localized separation initiator comprises applying localized fluid injection.  
   
   
       40 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein the thermal treatment is associated with the application of additional mechanical force.  
   
   
       41 . The process of  claim 36 , wherein a first species of ions is introduced into the substrate to form the buried embrittled zone and a second species of ions is used for localized implantation.  
   
   
       42 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein the desired thin film d put into contact with a stiffener prior to the application of thermal treatment.  
   
   
       43 . The process of  claim 42 , wherein the stiffener includes at least layer of material deposited on the thin film.