Patent ID: 9082819
Filing Date: 2015-07-14
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for thinning an active silicon layer of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate having an insulator layer buried between the active silicon layer and a support, the method comprising: forming a sacrificial silicon oxide layer by sacrificial thermal oxidation of a portion of the active silicon layer; forming a complementary oxide layer on the active silicon layer using an oxidizing plasma, the complementary oxide layer having a thickness profile at least substantially complementary to a thickness profile of the sacrificial silicon oxide layer such that a sum of the thicknesses of the complementary oxide layer and the sacrificial silicon oxide layer are at least substantially constant over the entire surface of the SOI substrate; and removing the sacrificial silicon oxide layer; and removing the complementary oxide layer; wherein the thinned active silicon layer has an at least substantially uniform thickness after forming and removing each of the sacrificial silicon oxide layer and the complementary oxide layer.