Fabrication of ultrathin SOI by SIMOX water bonding (SWB)

Ultrathin silicon-on-insulator (SOI) layers of separation by implantation of oxygen (SIMOX) wafers have been transferred onto thermally oxidized silicon wafers by wafer bonding technology. Due to the technical availability and the complementary nature of SIMOX and wafer bonding approaches, SIMOX wafer bonding (SWB) solves some of the respective major difficulties faced by both SIMOX and wafer bonding for device quality ultrathin SOI mass production: the preparation of adequate buried oxide (including its interfaces) in SIMOX and the uniformly thinning one of the bonded wafers to less than 0.1 μm in wafer bonding. The effect of positive charges in the oxide on bondability of ultrathin SOI films and possible applications of SWB will also be outlined.