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Laser-assisted spalling of large-area semiconductor and solid state substrates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 February 2018

Felix Kaule
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP, Otto-Eissfeldt-Str. 12, 06120 Halle, Germany
Marko Swoboda
Affiliation:
Siltectra GmbH, Manfred-von-Ardenne-Ring 20, 01099 Dresden, Germany
Christian Beyer
Affiliation:
Siltectra GmbH, Manfred-von-Ardenne-Ring 20, 01099 Dresden, Germany
Ralf Rieske
Affiliation:
Siltectra GmbH, Manfred-von-Ardenne-Ring 20, 01099 Dresden, Germany
Anas Ajaj
Affiliation:
Siltectra GmbH, Manfred-von-Ardenne-Ring 20, 01099 Dresden, Germany
Wolfram D. Drescher
Affiliation:
Siltectra GmbH, Manfred-von-Ardenne-Ring 20, 01099 Dresden, Germany
Stephan Schoenfelder
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP, Otto-Eissfeldt-Str. 12, 06120 Halle, Germany Leipzig University for Applied Science, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 132, 04277 Leipzig, Germany
Jan Richter*
Affiliation:
Siltectra GmbH, Manfred-von-Ardenne-Ring 20, 01099 Dresden, Germany
*
Address all correspondence to Jan Richter at jan.richter@siltectra.com
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Abstract

Using kerf-free wafering technologies material losses in semiconductor manufacturing processes can be reduced drastically. By the use of externally applied stress, crystalline materials can be separated along crystal planes with clearly defined thickness. Nevertheless, during this process striations caused by the crack propagation occur. These crack growth features are river and Wallner lines. In this work, we demonstrate a process for spalling that scales favorably for large-area semiconductor substrates with a diameter up to 300 mm. To get rid of the crack growth features, a laser-conditioning process with a high numerical aperture at photon energies below the material bandgap energy, using multi-photon effects is utilized. The process affords a surface roughness Ra after spalling of <1 µm.

Type
Research Letters
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2018 

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