Relaxation of strained layers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for relaxing a strained material layer by depositing a first low-viscosity layer on a first face of a strained-material layer; bonding a first substrate to the first low-viscosity layer to form a first composite structure; subjecting the composite structure to heat treatment sufficient to cause reflow of the first low-viscosity layer so as to at least partly relax the strained-material layer; and applying a mechanical pressure to a second face of the strained material layer which is opposite to the first face. The mechanical pressure is applied perpendicularly to the strained material layer during at least part of the heat treatment.

1 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method for relaxing a layer of a strained material which comprises:
 depositing a first low-viscosity layer on a first face of a strained-material layer;   bonding a first substrate to the first low-viscosity layer to form a first composite structure;   subjecting the composite structure to heat treatment sufficient to cause reflow of the first low-viscosity layer so as to at least partly relax the strained-material layer; and   applying a mechanical pressure to a second face of the strained material layer wherein the second face is opposite to the first face and with the mechanical pressure applied perpendicularly to the strained material layer during at least part of the heat treatment.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , which further comprises depositing a second low-viscosity layer on a second face of the strained-material layer to form a sandwich structure. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the composite structure is subjected to the heat treatment to cause reflow of both the first and second low-viscosity layers so as to at least partly relax the strained-material layer within the first sandwich structure. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the mechanical pressure is applied inhomogeneously across the first sandwiched structure. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the mechanical pressure is applied to vary linearly from one side of the other of the first and second low-viscosity layers to the other side. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the mechanical pressure is applied to be higher in the center of the other of the first and second low-viscosity layers than at the edges. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 21 , which further comprises bonding a second substrate to the second low-viscosity layer to form a second composite structure, and wherein the mechanical pressure is applied by a piston having a contact surface for contacting the first or second substrates. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , which further comprises providing the contact surface of the piston or the second face of the strained layer with a surface roughness above 1 nm on a 1 by 1 micron scan. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 20 , which further comprises depositing a second low-viscosity layer on at least one surface of a second substrate, arranging the second low viscosity layer to face the second face of the strained-material layer, and applying a second mechanical pressure to the second substrate in a direction that is opposite to that of the first mechanical pressure with the second mechanical pressure applied perpendicularly to the strained material layer during at least part of the heat treatment. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein either of the first and second mechanical pressures, or both, are applied by a piston having a contact surface for contacting the first substrate or second substrate, and the method further comprises providing the contact surface of one or both pistons or the first or second substrate with a surface roughness above 1 nm on a 1 by 1 micron scan. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 20 , which further comprises depositing a second low-viscosity layer on a stiffener that is arranged over a face of the strained layer but not bonded thereto, and applying a second mechanical pressure to the stiffener in a direction that is opposite to that of the first mechanical pressure with the second mechanical pressure applied perpendicularly to the strained material layer during at least part of the heat treatment. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein either of the first and second mechanical pressures, or both, are applied by a piston having a contact surface for contacting the first substrate or stiffener, and the method further comprises providing the contact surface of one or both pistons or the stiffener with a surface roughness above 1 nm on a 1 by 1 micron scan. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 20 , which further comprises depositing a second low-viscosity layer on a stiffener that is arranged over a face of the strained layer but not bonded thereto; and applying the mechanical pressure to the stiffener in a direction perpendicular to the face of the strained material layer during at least part of the heat treatment. 
     
     
         33 . A method for relaxing a layer of a strained material which comprises:
 depositing a first low-viscosity layer on a first face of a strained-material layer;   depositing a second low-viscosity layer on a second face of the strained-material layer to form a sandwich structure;   bonding a first substrate to one of the first or the second low-viscosity layers to form a composite structure;   subjecting the composite structure to heat treatment sufficient to cause reflow of one or both of the first and the second low-viscosity layers so as to at least partly relax the strained-material layer within the first sandwich structure; and   applying a mechanical pressure to the other of the first and second low-viscosity layers in a direction perpendicular to the strained material layer during at least part of the heat treatment.   
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33  which further comprises bonding a second substrate to the second low-viscosity layer to form a second composite structure, wherein the first and the second substrates have coefficients of thermal expansion that differ from each other by less than 10%. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34  which further comprises, after performing the heat treatment, detaching at least one of the first and second substrates and the low-viscosity layer that is bonded thereto in order to expose at least one surface of the at least partly relaxed strained-material layer. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein one or both of the low-viscosity layers comprise an absorption layer suitable for promoting the detachment of the substrate bonded thereto. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 33  which further comprises, before performing the heat treatment, patterning the strained-material layer so as to form separated islands of strained-material at least a majority of which have lateral dimensions larger than 0.25 mm 2 . 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein patterning is performed prior to depositing the second low-viscosity layer. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein patterning is performed subsequent to depositing the second low-viscosity layer on the strained-material layer, and wherein both the strained-material layer and the second low-viscosity layer are jointly patterned. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the strained-material layer comprises a Group III-nitride material or an alloy or mixture thereof; one or both of the low-viscosity layers comprise a composition or mixture including SiO 2  and one or both of boron and phosphorous with the composition comprising less than 5% by weight of boron. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein at least a portion of the heat treatment is performed at a temperature of 850° C. or greater.