A full-wafer SOI process for 3 dimensional integration

A full-wafer silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process using epitaxial lateral overgrowth is demonstrated. Merged selective epitaxial growth of silicon was used to create local area SOI islands. Chemical-mechanical polishing was used to form well-controlled submicrometer-thick single-crystal SOI film using local area nitride as etch stops. Epitaxial lateral growth which was initiated from a vertical seed is demonstrated. The technique produces a generic full-wafer SOI structure. To obtain multiple layers of silicon over oxide, this SOI process can be repeated several times without damage to the previously formed layers and therefore makes three-dimensional integration possible.<>