Single Crystal Silicon Thin Film on Polymer Substrate by Double Layer Transfer Method

We report discovery of new method to transfer a single crystal silicon thin film onto a bendable polymer substrate by using layer transfer process. The method includes creation of mechanically weakened layer 100 nm - 600 nm below the Si wafer surface using boron and hydrogen ion implantations. Silicon mother wafer is then pre-bonded to glass and exfoliated. Exfoliation divides the glass-silicon assembly into weakly bound Si thin film on glass and leftover mother Si wafer. Then the silicon thin film was transferred from glass substrate into a polymer substrate.