Low temperature Si layer transfer by direct bonding and mechanical ion cut

Edge initiated crack propagation was employed to transfer a thin Si layer from a hydrogen implanted donor wafer to Si and oxidized Si receptor wafers. Referred to as mechanical ion cut, successful Si layer transfer was achieved after directly bonding a Si donor wafer implanted with a hydrogen dose of 8×1016/cm2 at H+ energy of 28 keV with Si and SiO2 receptor wafers and annealing above 105 and 170 °C, respectively. The mechanical cut enables Si layer transfer without annealing at 400–600 °C as in thermal ion cut. Our data verify the condition for successful layer transfer to be that mechanical strength of the bonding interface is greater than that of the cutting interface.