Granted Patent B1

US 12,412,757 · App. 19/200,034 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Inventors: Ravi Iyengar (Milpitas, CA); Kaustav Banerjee (Goleta, OR); Brian Cronquist (Klamath Falls, OR)

Assignee: Destination 2D Inc.

H01L21/67092H01L21/02115H01L21/02304

Abstract

Claims (100)

1. A diffusion-couple synthesis method using a graphene synthesis tool, the method comprising:

providing greater than one substrate load,

wherein each of said greater than one substrate load comprises at least a first prepared substrate and a second prepared substrate,

wherein said first prepared substrate comprises a first carbon source, a first sacrificial diffusion layer, and a first device level,

wherein a first dielectric layer is disposed atop said first device level,

wherein said first device level comprises first transistors,

wherein said first sacrificial diffusion layer is disposed directly atop said first dielectric layer,

wherein said first carbon source is disposed directly atop said first sacrificial diffusion layer, and

wherein said second prepared substrate comprises a second carbon source, a second sacrificial diffusion layer, and a second device level,

wherein a second dielectric layer is disposed atop said second device level,

wherein said second device level comprises second transistors,

wherein said second sacrificial diffusion layer is disposed directly atop said second dielectric layer,

wherein said second carbon source is disposed directly atop said second sacrificial diffusion layer;

providing a graphene synthesis tool,

wherein said graphene synthesis tool is capable of applying pressure and temperature simultaneously to said greater than one substrate load within a process chamber;

placing said greater than one substrate load within said process chamber;

applying said pressure and said temperature to said greater than one substrate load,

wherein said second prepared substrate is inverted and disposed above said first prepared substrate,

wherein said first carbon source is in direct contact with said second carbon source; and

forming graphene at a first interface between said first dielectric layer and said first sacrificial diffusion layer and at a second interface between said second dielectric layer and said second sacrificial diffusion layer,

wherein first carbon of said first carbon source diffuses in a net opposite direction to second carbon of said second carbon source,

wherein each substrate load of said greater than one substrate load is disposed next to each other.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said first sacrificial diffusion layer and said second sacrificial diffusion layer comprise nickel or cobalt.

3. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said first sacrificial diffusion layer and said second sacrificial diffusion layer comprise nickel or cobalt, and

wherein said first carbon source and said second carbon source comprise amorphous carbon or a graphitic powder.

4. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said first prepared substrate and said second prepared substrate each comprise a silicon wafer of a 450 mm diameter, a 300 mm diameter, a 200 mm diameter, or a 150 mm diameter.

5. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said first dielectric layer and said second dielectric layer comprise silicon dioxide or HBN (hexagonal boron nitride).

6. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said graphene is a high-quality atomically-thin film, and

wherein high quality is a Raman g/d peak ratio greater than 1.0.

7. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said substrate load comprises at least one transition plate.

8. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said graphene is integrated in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) microelectronics device.

9. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said pressure is 30 psi to 1000 psi applied to said substrate load, and

wherein said temperature is greater than 25° C. and less than 500° C.

10. A diffusion-couple synthesis method using a graphene synthesis tool, the method comprising:

providing greater than one substrate load,

wherein each of said greater than one substrate load comprises at least a first prepared substrate and a second prepared substrate,

wherein said first prepared substrate comprises a first carbon source, a first sacrificial diffusion layer, and a first device level,

wherein a first dielectric layer is disposed atop said first device level,

wherein said first device level comprises first transistors,

wherein said first sacrificial diffusion layer is disposed directly atop said first dielectric layer,

wherein said first carbon source is disposed directly atop said first sacrificial diffusion layer, and

wherein said second prepared substrate comprises a second sacrificial diffusion layer and a second device level,

wherein a second dielectric layer is disposed atop said second device level,

wherein said second device level comprises second transistors,

wherein said second sacrificial diffusion layer is disposed directly atop said second dielectric layer;

providing a graphene synthesis tool,

wherein said graphene synthesis tool is capable of applying pressure and temperature simultaneously to said greater than one substrate load within a process chamber;

placing said greater than one substrate load within said process chamber;

applying said pressure and said temperature to said greater than one substrate load,

wherein said second prepared substrate is inverted and disposed above said first prepared substrate,

wherein said first carbon source is in direct contact with said second sacrificial diffusion layer; and

diffusing carbon of said first carbon source in a first direction to thereby form graphene at a first interface between said first dielectric layer and said first sacrificial diffusion layer; and simultaneously

diffusing said carbon of said first carbon source in a second direction to thereby form graphene at a second interface between said second dielectric layer and said second sacrificial diffusion,

wherein each substrate load of said greater than one substrate load is disposed next to each other.

11. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein said first sacrificial diffusion layer and said second sacrificial diffusion layer comprise nickel or cobalt.

12. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein said first sacrificial diffusion layer and said second sacrificial diffusion layer comprise nickel or cobalt, and

wherein said first carbon source comprises amorphous carbon or a graphitic powder.

13. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein said first prepared substrate and said second prepared substrate each comprise a silicon wafer of a 450 mm diameter, a 300 mm diameter, a 200 mm diameter, or a 150 mm diameter.

14. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein said first dielectric layer and said second dielectric layer comprise silicon dioxide or HBN (hexagonal boron nitride).

15. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein said graphene is a high-quality atomically-thin film, and

wherein high quality is a Raman spectra g/d peak ratio greater than 1.0.

16. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein said graphene synthesis tool comprises a scaled-up diffusion-couple apparatus, a wafer bonding tool, a hot-press based isostatic sintering system, a hot isostatic press (HIP), or a hot pressure vessel, and

wherein said graphene synthesis tool is modified or unmodified from its original design.

17. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein said first direction is in a net opposite direction to that of said second direction.

18. The method of claim 10 ,

wherein said pressure is 30 psi to 1000 psi applied to said substrate load, and

wherein said temperature is greater than 25° C. and less than 500° C.

19. A diffusion-couple synthesis method using a graphene synthesis tool, the method comprising:

providing greater than one substrate load,

wherein each of said greater than one substrate load comprises a prepared substrate;

providing a graphene synthesis tool,

wherein said graphene synthesis tool is capable of applying pressure and temperature simultaneously to said greater than one substrate load within a process chamber;

placing said greater than one substrate load within said process chamber;

applying said pressure and said temperature to said greater than one substrate load,

wherein said prepared substrate comprises a diffusion layer and a device level,

wherein said device level comprises a plurality of transistors,

wherein a dielectric layer is disposed atop said device level,

wherein said diffusion layer is disposed directly atop said dielectric layer,

wherein a single layer of carbon source is disposed directly atop said diffusion layer of said prepared substrate,

wherein said single layer of carbon source is in direct contact with said sacrificial diffusion layer of said prepared substrate; and

forming graphene at an interface between said dielectric layer and said diffusion layer of said prepared substrate,

wherein each substrate load of said greater than one substrate load is disposed next to each other.

20. The method of claim 19 ,

wherein said graphene synthesis tool comprises a scaled-up diffusion-couple apparatus, a wafer bonding tool, a hot-press based isostatic sintering system, a hot isostatic press (HIP), or a hot pressure vessel, and

wherein said graphene synthesis tool is modified or unmodified from its original design.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (28)