Patent ID: 7736996

Claim:
A method for transferring of a thin semiconductor layer with damage avoidance comprising: forming a first heterostructure by depositing a non-graded layer of a material of the formula Si 1−x Ge x on a first substrate and thereafter depositing a monocrystalline epitaxial semiconductor layer on the Si 1−x Ge x layer, wherein 0<x<1; introducing hydrogen atoms into the first heterostructure and allowing the hydrogen atoms to diffuse into the non-graded layer of Si 1−x Ge x of the first heterostructure, wherein at least one of the introducing and allowing is carried out in conjunction with at least one damage avoidance measure, wherein the at least one damage avoidance measure comprises using a heated catalyst to crack hydrogen (H 2 ), with zero bias or minimal bias to the first heterostructure, and one of poisoning and treating surfaces of a chamber for use in implementing the hydrogenation to minimize H recombination on the surfaces; bonding the semiconductor layer of the first heterostructure to a second substrate to form a second heterostructure; and splitting the second heterostructure at said Si 1−x Ge x layer, thereby transferring the semiconductor layer from the first heterostructure to the second substrate, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a substantially defect free semiconductor layer in response to the at least one damage avoidance measure.