Methods of manipulating stressed epistructures
A method of processing an epistructure or processing a semiconductor device including associating a conformal and flexible handle with the epistructure and removing the epistructure and handle as a unit from the parent substrate. The method further includes causing the epistructure and handle unit to conform to a shape that differs from the shape the epistructure otherwise inherently assumes upon removal from the parent substrate. A device prepared according to the disclosed methods.
1. A method of processing an epistructure comprising:
growing an epistructure upon a parent substrate;
associating a conformal and flexible handle with the epistructure, wherein the handle comprises at least one of a flexible and conformal metal layer, a flexible and conformal plastic layer, a flexible and conformal dielectric layer, a flexible and conformal polymer layer, a flexible and conformal resin layer and a flexible and conformal semiconductor layer;
removing the epistructure and handle as a unit from the parent substrate; and
causing the epistructure and handle unit to conform to a shape that differs from the shape said epistructure otherwise inherently assumes upon removal from the parent substrate.
2. The method of processing an epistructure of claim 1 further comprising flattening the epistructure and handle unit.
3. The method of processing an epistructure of claim 2 further comprising flattening the epistructure and handle unit on a vacuum chuck.
4. The method of processing an epistructure of claim 2 further comprising associating the epistructure and handle unit with a flat secondary substrate or superstrate.
5. The method of processing an epistructure of claim 1 further comprising associating the handle with the epistructure with an intermediate bonding material.
6. The method of processing an epistructure of claim 1 wherein the epistructure comprises at least one layer of semiconductor material which is substantially lattice mismatched with the parent substrate.
7. The method of processing an epistructure of claim 1 wherein the epistructure comprises at least two layers of semiconductor material which are substantially lattice mismatched with each other.
8. The method of processing an epistructure of claim 1 wherein the epistructure comprises at least one layer of a selected Group III-V semiconductor alloy.
9. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising:
growing an epistructure upon a parent substrate;
associating a conformal and flexible handle with the epistructure, wherein the handle comprises at least one of a flexible and conformal metal layer, a flexible and conformal plastic layer, a flexible and conformal dielectric layer, a flexible and conformal polymer layer, a flexible and conformal resin layer and a flexible and conformal semiconductor layer;
removing the epistructure and handle as a unit from the parent substrate; and
associating the epistructure and handle unit with a surface of one of a secondary substrate and a secondary superstrate wherein the surface has a selected shape which is different from a shape said epistructure otherwise inherently assumes upon removal from the parent substrate.
10. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device of claim 9 further comprising flattening the epistructure and handle unit.
11. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device of claim 9 further comprising associating the handle with the epistructure with an intermediate bonding material.
12. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device of claim 9 wherein the epistructure comprises at least one layer of semiconductor material which is substantially lattice mismatched with the parent substrate.
13. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device of claim 9 wherein the epistructure comprises at least two layers of semiconductor materials which are substantially lattice mismatched with each other.
14. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device of claim 9 further comprising removing the epistructure and handle from the parent substrate by at least one of chemical etching, lapping, a combination of lapping and etching, and ELO.
15. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device of claim 9 further comprising:
associating the epistructure and handle unit with an intermediate surface after removal from the parent substrate and before attaching the epistructure to a secondary substrate or superstrate, which intermediate surface has a shape which is different from the shape said epistructure otherwise inherently assumes upon removal from the parent substrate; and
performing a processing step upon the epistructure while the epistructure is associated with the intermediate surface.
16. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device of claim 15 wherein the intermediate surface is a vacuum chuck.
17. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device of claim 15 further comprising flattening the epistructure and handle unit on the intermediate surface.
18. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device of claim 9 wherein the epistructure comprises at least one layer of a selected Group III-V semiconductor alloy.
19. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device of claim 9 wherein the device is a photovoltaic cell.