Environmentally-assisted technique for transferring devices onto non-conventional substrates

1. A device fabrication method, comprising:

providing a growth substrate including a base and an oxide layer disposed over the base;

forming a metal layer over the oxide layer;

forming a stack of device layers over the metal layer;

performing water-assisted interfacial debonding of the metal layer to separate the stack of device layers and the metal layer from the growth substrate; and

affixing the stack of device layers to a target substrate.

2. The device fabrication method of claim 1 , wherein the base is a silicon base, and the oxide layer is a silicon oxide layer.

3. The device fabrication method of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer includes a ductile metal having a percentage elongation at break of at least 8%.

4. The device fabrication method of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer includes at least one metal selected from nickel, copper, and aluminum.

5. The device fabrication method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing at least a portion of the metal layer prior to affixing the stack of device layers to the target substrate.

6. The device fabrication method of claim 1 , wherein performing water-assisted interfacial debonding is carried out without an etchant.

7. The device fabrication method of claim 1 , wherein performing water-assisted interfacial debonding is carried out at a temperature in a range of 10° C. to 30° C.

8. The device fabrication method of claim 1 , wherein performing water-assisted interfacial debonding includes:

inducing penetration of water along an interface of the metal layer and the oxide layer; and

separating the metal layer from the oxide layer along the interface.

9. The device fabrication method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a protection layer encapsulating the stack of device layers prior to performing water-assisted interfacial debonding.

10. The device fabrication method of claim 9 , further comprising:

removing the protection layer subsequent to performing water-assisted interfacial debonding.

11. The device fabrication method of claim 1 , wherein the stack of device layers is a fully fabricated device.

12. A device fabrication method, comprising:

providing a growth substrate including a base and an oxide layer disposed over the base;

forming a metal layer over the oxide layer;

forming a support layer over the metal layer;

forming a stack of device layers over the support layer; and

performing water-assisted interfacial debonding of the metal layer to separate the stack of device layers, the support layer, and the metal layer from the growth substrate.

13. The device fabrication method of claim 12 , further comprising:

removing the metal layer with the support layer serving as a target substrate for the stack of device layers.

14. The device fabrication method of claim 13 , wherein the support layer is a polymer layer.

15. The device fabrication method of claim 13 , wherein the support layer has a thickness up to 10 μm.

16. The device fabrication method of claim 12 , wherein the base is a silicon base, the oxide layer is a silicon oxide layer, and the metal layer includes at least one metal selected from nickel, copper, and aluminum.

17. The device fabrication method of claim 12 , further comprising:

forming a protection layer encapsulating the stack of device layers prior to performing water-assisted interfacial debonding.

18. The device fabrication method of claim 12 , wherein the stack of device layers corresponds to one of an electronic device, an optoelectronic device, and a magnetic device, and has a device area of at least 0.05 cm 2 .

19. The device fabrication method of claim 17 , further comprising:

removing the protection layer subsequent to performing water-assisted interfacial debonding.