Title: Fabrication of thin-film electronic devices with non-destructive wafer reuse

Abstract

Thin-film electronic devices such as LED devices and field effect transistor devices are fabricated using a non-destructive epitaxial lift-off technique that allows indefinite reuse of a growth substrate. The method includes providing an epitaxial protective layer on the growth substrate and a sacrificial release layer between the protective layer and an active device layer. After the device layer is released from the growth substrate, the protective layer is selectively etched to provide a newly exposed surface suitable for epitaxial growth of another device layer. The entire thickness of the growth substrate is preserved, enabling continued reuse. Inorganic thin-film device layers can be transferred to a flexible secondary substrate, enabling formation of curved inorganic optoelectronic devices.

Inventors:

Forrest, Stephen R.; Lee, Kyusang

Issue Date:

Tue Jan 14 00:00:00 EST 2020

Research Org.:

Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1632442

Patent Number(s):

10535685

Application Number:

15/101,287

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

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H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

H01L21/02002 - {Preparing wafers}
H01L21/30604 - {Chemical etching}
H01L21/7806 - {involving the separation of the active layers from a substrate}
H01L21/7813 - {leaving a reusable substrate, e.g. epitaxial lift off}
H01L27/127 - {with a particular formation, treatment or patterning of the active layer specially adapted to the circuit arrangement}
H01L29/66742 - {Thin film unipolar transistors}

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DOE Contract Number:  

SC0001013

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 12/02/2014

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE