Patent ID: 7485545

Claim:
A method for configuring a process for treating a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising: selecting a target thickness to be obtained for a processed semiconductor layer of the semiconductor wafer, which semiconductor layer is to be transferred from a donor substrate; selecting a target maximum density of through holes to extend completely through the processed semiconductor layer; selecting a finishing sequence of operations to be conducted on the semiconductor layer after transfer thereof in order to improve surface quality of the transferred semiconductor layer to provide the processed semiconductor layer wherein the selected finishing sequence includes at least one shallow-hole reducing operation that reduces depth of shallow holes that are present in the transferred layer, which shallow holes extend less than completely through the transferred layer; and determining a minimum layer thickness of the transferred layer to be provided by: providing the donor substrate that comprises the semiconductor layer and a region of weakness that is configured to facilitate detachment of the semiconductor layer from a remainder portion of the donor substrate, which semiconductor layer and remainder portion are disposed on opposite sides of the region of weakness, associating semiconductor layer with a support substrate, and detaching the semiconductor layer at the region of weakness from the remainder portion to transfer the semiconductor layer to the support substrate to provide the semiconductor wafer, such that the transferred semiconductor layer has at least said minimum layer thickness; wherein said minimum thickness is determined such that the density of through holes is below said target maximum density after each operation in the finishing sequence, and such that the target thickness is achieved when the finishing sequence is complete.