Patent ID: 7709326

Claim:
A method of forming a layer comprising epitaxial silicon, comprising: providing a first material over a monocrystalline material; providing an opening within the first material to decrease a thickness of the first material across a width of the opening; lining opposing sidewalls of the opening with a second material, monocrystalline material being exposed at a base of the second material-lined opening, the opening formed within the first material not extending to the monocrystalline material at anytime prior to said lining of the opposing sidewalls; epitaxially growing a silicon-comprising layer from the exposed monocrystalline material within the second material-lined opening at a temperature greater than 200° C.; and after the growing, removing at least a portion of the second material lining prior to cooling the epitaxially grown silicon-comprising material to a temperature below 200° C.