Kerf-less layer transfer of monocrystalline silicon used by hydrogen implantation

In this study, we performed a quantitative analysis of the kerfless layer transfer behavior of silicon resulting from hydrogen implantation. To determine the optimum implantation energy, a Monte Carlo simulation tool called Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) was employed. Based on the simulation results, experimental methods that reflected the calculated SRIM values were adopted. The effect of hydrogen implantation in single crystalline silicon was investigated at 2.0 MeV, which corresponds to a maximum hydrogen concentration depth of 48.7 μm. Exfoliation behaviors were also compared as a function of both ion implantation and the crystallographic orientation of silicon. We conclude that 6 × 10¹⁶ atoms/cm² are required for separating samples in '111'-oriented silicon, and that 9 × 10¹⁶ atoms/cm² are required for the '100' direction. An electron probe X-ray microanalyzer (EPMA) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to determine the mean projection range and analyze the crack distribution initiated by hydrogen diffusion.