text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Apr 29, 2003
|Filing date
|Nov 27, 2000
|Priority date
|Aug 10, 1999
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Michael A. Bryan, James K. Kai
|Original Assignee
|Silicon Genesis Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (113), Non-Patent Citations (30), Referenced by (37), Classifications (28), Legal Events (4)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This patent application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/371,436 filed Aug. 10, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,740.
The present invention relates to substrates, such as may be used for integrated circuit fabrication, micro-machining applications, and similar substrates, and more particularly to cleaving hybrid or composite substrates.
Semiconductor device fabrication technology continues to advance in the pursuit of smaller, faster devices. Integrated circuits devices become more complex, and in many cases, bigger. New materials and methods are being developed to meet these and other performance requirements. For example, many integrated circuits are fabricated on a silicon "wafer", which was sawn out of a generally round ingot, or boule, and polished on at least one side. Not long ago, silicon wafers typically had a diameter of about 2-4 inches. Then, six inch, and now eight-inch, wafers became commonplace, and the industry is moving toward silicon wafers with a diameter of twelve inches for some applications. The larger diameter wafers can yield more chips per wafer, and improve throughput. Not surprisingly, the larger wafers are generally much more expensive than the smaller wafers.
Many integrated circuit devices are fabricated within a very narrow planar region close to the surface of the wafer. The remainder of the wafer provides mechanical support and may provide other functions, such as impurity gettering or a backside electrical contact. Thus, the semiconductor material may only need to be of device (i.e. high) quality for a thin region near the surface of the wafer. Epitaxial growth processes have been developed to address this issue. Generally, a thin film of high-purity or other high-quality film of semiconductor material is grown on a substrate, which can be the same material, or a different material, than the grown film. Unfortunately, epitaxial growth processes have not been easy to scale for use with the increased wafer diameters, and yields and throughput have suffered.
Wafer bonding is another process that uses a relatively thin film of semiconductor material. In some instances, a thin film of silicon, for example, is bonded to an insulating substrate, such as silicon oxide, to form a semiconductor-on-insulator ("SOI") structure. Many techniques have been developed to bond one wafer to another, using adhesives, surface activation, chemical activation, and the like. Some times a bulk wafer of silicon is bonded to an insulating substrate and then the silicon is lapped to the desired thickness, and other times a thin film of silicon is transferred to the insulating wafer.
Other wafer bonding methods have been developed for purposes other than to fabricate SOI substrates, such as transferring a thin film of high-quality semiconductor material onto a semiconductor or other substrate. Alternatively, it may be desirable to produce a thin film of material to form a layer in a micro-electrical-mechanical system ("MEMS") device. Accordingly, a technique and a device for cleaving substrates is desirable for producing a thin film of material to be transferred and/or for separating bonded wafers from each other, and for other purposes.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for cleaving substrates, including composite substrates.
In one embodiment, a composite substrate of two wafers bonded together has a perimeter notch resulting from an edge-finishing process, typically performed by the wafer manufacturer, of one or both wafers. A seal is formed around at least a portion of the perimeter notch to define a plenum. A burst of gas is provided to the plenum to pressurize the plenum and cleave the substrate at a selected plane. In a further embodiment, the wafers are held together prior to separation with a selected pressure to facilitate cleaving the wafers while reducing breakage. In a still further embodiment, the pressure applied to the substrate during the cleave process varies across the substrate in a selected fashion.
These and other embodiments of the present invention, as well as some of its advantages and features are described in more detail in conjunction with the text below and attached figures.
FIG. 1A is a simplified cross section of a composite substrate with two edge-finished wafers bonded together;
FIG. 1B is a simplified cross section of a composite substrate with one edge-finished wafer and one flush-edged wafer bonded together;
FIG. 1C is a simplified cross section of a composite substrate with two flush-edged wafers bonded together;
FIG. 2A is a simplified illustration of a wafer cleaving system;
FIG. 2B is a simplified top view of a portion of the wafer cleaving system shown in FIG. 2A, further illustrating details of a gas port and an edge seal;
FIG. 2C is a simplified cross section of a portion of a substrate cleaving apparatus with a substrate disposed in a tool;
FIG. 2D is a simplified cross section of an O-ring with a bent gas delivery tube;
FIG. 2E is a simplified flow chart of a process according to the present invention;
FIG. 2F is a simplified diagram of a wafer cleaving system according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3A is a simplified cross section of an O-ring and gas delivery tube with a tubing retainer; FIG. 3B is a simplified cross section of an O-ring with a tubing retainer collet;
FIG. 4 is a simplified cross section of a portion of a wafer-cleaving tool having another embodiment of an O-ring and base shell;
FIG. 5 is a simplified representation of the relationship of various elements of a cleave tool and a cleave front;
FIG. 6A is a simplified sectioned view of an edged tool with an integrated gas port;
FIG. 6B is a simplified representation of a wafer cleaving system using mechanical force and gas pressure; and
FIG. 6C is a simplified flow chart of a process according to another embodiment of the present invention.
The present invention relates to a cleaving apparatus, method, and tools. Several situations may arise where it is desirable to cleave a substrate, such as to separate a thin film of material from a donor wafer, or to separate two bonded substrates.
A thin film separation method, known as a controlled-cleave process ("CCP"), is described in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/026,034 by Henley and Cheung, filed Feb. 19, 1998, and which is incorporated herein for all purposes. In the CCP process, ions and/or other particles are implanted into a wafer to form a cleave layer within the donor substrate. Energy is then applied to the donor substrate to initiate and propagate a cleave front or fronts that separates a thin film of material from the donor substrate. Typically, a target, or handle, wafer is bonded to the donor wafer between the ion implantation step and the cleave step to form a composite wafer. The thin film remains attached to the handle wafer after cleaving, and may be further processed to enhance the bonding between the thin film and the handle wafer.
FIG. 1A is a simplified cross section of a portion of a composite substrate 10 formed from a first wafer 12 bonded to a second wafer 14 at an interface 16. The first wafer has a weakened and/or stressed layer 18, which may have been formed by implanting protons or other particles (e.g. hydrogen, deuterium, any combination of these) at a selected depth and concentration, using a plasma immersion ion implantation or beam line implantation or diffusion process, for example. The first wafer 12, as supplied from the manufacturer, has a finished edge 20 in the approximate shape of a truncated cone with rounded corners. The second wafer 14, as supplied from the manufacturer, also has a finished edge 22, but in the approximate shape of a bullet nose. The shapes of the wafer edges are given as examples only, and illustrate that a perimeter groove 24 forms between wafers with finished edges. The perimeter groove typically extends essentially around the substrate (except, e.g., in the region of a wafer alignment "flat"), the depth of the groove typically being greater than the wafer alignment error that occurs during bonding. Also, the design of the O-ring allows for mis-alignment.
FIG. 1B is a simplified cross section of a portion of a composite substrate 26 formed from a first wafer 28 having a finished edge 30 and a second wafer 32 having a flush edge 34. The edge of the second wafer has not been shaped in a separate edge-finishing process; however, an artifact of a polishing process has left the corner 36 slightly rounded. The mating surfaces of the wafers that are bonded together to form a composite substrate are often polished to provide intimate surface contact in the bonding process. A perimeter groove 38 also forms between a wafer with a finished edge bonded to a wafer with a flush edge.
FIG. 1C is a simplified cross section of a portion of a composite substrate 40 formed from a first wafer 42 having a flush edge 44 and a second wafer 46, also having a flush edge 48. A relatively small notch 50 forms between the wafers as a result of the corner-rounding that occurred during the polishing process; however, this notch may not extend around the perimeter of the composite substrate, depending on the alignment of the wafers to each other.
FIG. 2A is a simplified representation of an apparatus 200 for separating thin films of material from composite substrates. A cleave tool 202 has a base shell 204 and a top shell 206 that can be separated (e.g. by lifting off or by a hinge mechanism) in order to load a composite substrate 208. The base shell is fabricated from a "hard" material, such as tooling plate (cast Al—Zn alloy) or other metal. The top shell has a hard, rigid cap 210 and also a compliant pad 212. The cap is fabricated from tooling plate, while the compliant pad is a latex sheet approximately ⅛ inch thick with 30 durometer, but could be made of another compliant material, such as silicone, urethane, neoprene, or other rubber, or other compliant material. The compliant pad supports the upper surface of the composite substrate during the cleave process while allowing the composite substrate to expand slightly to separate the composite substrate and transfer a thin film from the donor substrate to the handle substrate.
An O-ring 214 forms a seal around the perimeter edges of the composite substrate. The O-ring is hollow and operates at ambient (atmospheric) pressure to provide a compliance of 30 durometer, but could be sealed and pressurized to control the compliance and sealing force, or could be solid. A gas port 216, in this case formed by a needle extending through the O-ring, provides a burst, bursts, or stream of gas to a perimeter plenum formed by the sealed edge groove of the composite substrate. The O-ring 214 does not have to seal the entire perimeter of the composite substrate, such as if the composite substrate has an alignment flat 218, as will be discussed below.
Gas is provided from a gas source 220, such as a dry nitrogen source, but could be other types of gases, such as air, argon, or helium. The gas flow is controlled by a solenoid valve 222, or similar valve, which controls the gas supplied to the gas port 216. In a preferred embodiment, the gas source provides gas at a nominal pressure of about 300 psi., and the valve is controlled by a control line 224 to open for 22 msec. to provide a burst of gas to the gas port 216. The dynamics of the gas burst are generally sufficient to initiate and propagate cleaving of the composite substrate. Gas may be lost through leakage between the O-ring and the substrate, especially where the O-ring does not form a seal with the substrate, but such incidental loss appears to not be critical in cleaving the substrate. Multiple pulses of gas may be applied to facilitate cleaving, if necessary. Alternatively, the fluid may be replaced by a liquid or a combination of liquid and gas.
The control line can be a simple switch, or can be controlled by a controller 230, such as a computer. The controller includes a processor 232 coupled to a computer-readable memory 234, as well as a display 236, and a user input 238, such as a keyboard. The memory 234 can include read-only memory, random-addressable memory, and/or magnetic or optical media such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a compact disk. The memory stores a program 240 that configures the substrate cleave system to operate in a selected manner. It is understood that other controllers may be configured differently and have other appropriate block diagrams, or that the cleave system may be operated manually.
A detector 242 may be included to determine whether the cleave process has been completed. An indicator 244 receives a signal from the detector to indicate a change of condition of the composite substrate. The detector 242 can be an infrared source/sensor for example. When a cleave front propagates underneath the detector, the transmitted infrared light changes due to the separation of the wafer, resulting in an optical wedge that causes destructive interference of light at a specific spacing created in the wafer. In an alternative embodiment, an infrared source in the base could illuminate a sensor in the cap. The transmissive path would be altered by the cleave front. Alternatively, the detector could be an ultrasonic transducer, or a heater/temperature sensor. A heater could provide a pulse of heat to the composite substrate, and the thermal decay could indicate whether the composite substrate is intact, providing greater heatsinking and more rapid thermal decay, or whether the substrate has been cleaved. The indicator 242 can be coupled to the controller 230, or can provide a sensory signal for manual operation. Although the cleave indicator is shown in conjunction with a gas pressure cleave tool, a cleave indicator would be beneficial with other types of cleave tools, such as thermal or mechanical cleave tools.
FIG. 2B is a simplified top view representing the base 204 and the O-ring 214, which is shown as sectioned. The gas port 216 is the outlet of needle-like tubing 246, such as is used to make hypodermic needles. In a preferred embodiment, the tubing is made of type 316 stainless steel with an internal diameter of about 0.010 mm and 0.5 mm outside diameter. The tubing can be a product made by EFD Brand Part Number 5125CH-B. The gas port 216 is located about 10 mils out from the O-ring, i.e., the tubing protrudes out of the O-ring about 10 mils. A pin may be used to form the hole in the O-ring to push the tubing through.
FIG. 2C is a simplified cross view of a portion of the cleave tool 202 showing further details of the O-ring 214, composite substrate 208 and the gas port 216. The inside diameter of the O-ring is slightly larger than the diameter of the composite substrate, allowing the composite to be easily placed onto the base 204 of the cleave tool 202. When the top 206 is assembled to the base 204 of the cleave tool 202, the O-ring 214 is compressed into an oblong shape, moving the gas port 216 toward the center of the substrate and contacting the first edge 250 and the second edge 252 of the composite substrate 208 to seal the edge groove and form a plenum 254. The gas port 216 is situated within the plenum 254 to pressurize the plenum, thus creating forces to separate the first substrate 251 from the second substrate 253. If the weakened layer 18 is weaker than the bonding interface 16, the composite substrate cleaves at the weakened layer and transfers a thin film 256 of the first substrate 251 to the second substrate 253.
A height adjustment mechanism 258 is provided to accurately align the gas port 216 with the edge groove/plenum. The height adjustment mechanism moves, along with the tubing and gas port, relative to the top/base of the cleave tool, as represented by the arrows 260. Alignment accuracy within 0.2 mm or less is preferred, and is achieved with a manually adjusted lead screw. Other height adjustment methods may be used, such as a voice coil or stepper motor, and the height adjustment may be controlled by the controller (see FIG. 2A.). The gas line 223 to the height adjustment mechanism 258 is flexible to allow for the height adjustment. Similarly, the via 262 through the base 204 is larger than the tubing diameter, and may be an over-sized hole or a slot.
FIG. 2D is a simplified cross section showing a further refinement of the tubing and gas port or fluid port. The tubing 270 has a slight bend 272, of between about 5-15 degrees that is about 3 mm back from the gas port 274, so that the bend occurs within the interior of the O-ring 214. This allows vertical adjustment of the gas port 274, represented by the arrows 276, by rotating the tubing 270, represented by the arrows 278. Rotational adjustment is used by itself or in conjunction with the height adjustment mechanism (see FIG. 2C) for fine, continuous placement of the gas port. Rotating the tubing also allows an operator to confirm that the gas port is within the edge groove by providing tactile feedback as the gas port contacts one edge upon rotation in one direction, and then the other edge as rotation is reversed, if not used in an automated system.
FIG. 2E is a simplified flow chart representing a process 280 according to the present invention. After placing a substrate on the base (step 282), the top is closed (step 284), which compresses the compliant pad against the substrate. As will be discussed in further detail below in relation to FIG. 5, the top is closed in a fashion to apply a greater force against the substrate in the regions further from the gas port. In a preferred embodiment of a substrate cleaving tool, closing the top also compresses the perimeter O-ring to form a seal with at least a portion of the perimeter of the substrate.
Next, a burst of gas is applied TO a region on the perimeter of the substrate (step 286). If the substrate cleaving tool has a cleave indicator, the substrate is then checked for completion of the cleave (step 288). If the cleave is complete, the process can stop (step 290). If the cleave is not complete, another burst of gas may be applied. The subsequent burst of gas may be of the same duration and pressure, or of a different duration and/or pressure than the initial burst of gas. It is noted that some substrates are easier to cleave than others, depending on the type of material and pre-cleave treatment (e.g. implant species, dosage, and energy), and that some cleave processes may be consistent and reliable enough to be performed without a cleave indicator.
FIG. 2F is a simplified diagram of a wafer cleaving system 2000 according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not limit the scope of the claims herein. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize many other variations, alternatives, and, modifications. Like reference numerals are used in this Fig. as the previous Figs. for easy referencing, but are not intended to be unduly limiting. Here, the cleaving system 2000 includes a variety of features such as base shell 204 and top shell 206 that can be separated from each other in order to load a composite substrate 208, e.g., wafers. The base shell is fabricated from a hard and non-compliant material such as tooling plate, plastic, or other metals or combination of metals and plastics. The top shell has a hard, rigid cap 210, which houses an adjustable plate 2001. The adjustable plate is made of a flat material, which interfaces between adjustable members 2005 and compliant pad 212. Each of the adjustable members can adjust the vertical or z-position of the adjustable plate. In a specific embodiment, there are more than one or preferably three or more members, which are spatially placed equal distance from each other on the top shell. Each of the adjustable members is adjusted in a manner to enhance the cleaving action of the composite substrate. The system also can have a plate 2003 and compliant pad 212 on the base shell. Here, the plate on the base shell can be adjustable or fixed depending upon the application. The compliant pads support the faces of the substrate during a cleaving process while allowing such substrate to expand slightly to separate the substrate. The substrate separates a portion of the donor substrate material from the donor substrate.
An O-ring 214 forms a seal around the perimeter edges of the composite substrate. The O-ring is hollow and operates at ambient (atmospheric) pressure to provide a compliance of 30 durometer, but could be sealed and pressurized to control the compliance and sealing force or could be solid. The system also has a fluid port 216, which provides compressed fluid into the chamber to initiate and maintain a controlled cleavage process.
The system also has clamping means 2007, which presses the base shell against the top shell. The O-ring is compressed between each of the shells to seal the outer periphery of the substrate against the O-ring. In a specific embodiment, the clamping means is a "Destaco" clamp or three of these clamps, which hold the base shell to the top shell. In a specific embodiment, the combination of the adjustable members and the clamping means are adjusted to produce a desired pressure gradient on each of the faces of the substrate. The pressure gradient is adjusted by the adjustable members to produce a desired cleaving action. In a specific embodiment, the applied pressure on the substrate faces is greater near the fluid injection point and decreases further away from the fluid injection point. This gradient may improve a cleaving action. Alternatively, the pressure across the faces of each substrate is constant and free from a gradient to improve cleaving action.
FIG. 3A is a simplified cross section of fine tubing 300 supported by a tubing retainer 302. The tubing retainer is co-axial with the fine tubing, and is a section of drilled metal rod, for example, glued to the tubing, but could be other material, such as plastic. The tubing retainer 302 supports the fine tubing 300 to the interior surface 304 of the O-ring, thus increasing the stiffness of the tubing assembly and allowing for better height control of the gas port 306, as well as better durability, and the option of using finer and/or thinner-walled tubing.
FIG. 3B is a simplified cross section of fine tubing 310 supported by a tubing retainer 312, which is further supported by a retainer collet 314. The retainer collet provides additional stiffness to the tubing assembly, and allows sub-assemblies of fine tubing and tubing retainers to be manufactured in anticipation of rapid exchanging of gas ports for maintenance or to configure the cleave system for different substrates. In lieu of a retainer collet, a tubing retainer with a stepped diameter may be manufactured, either out of a single piece of rod, for example, or assembled from multiple pieces.
Although the above injector has been described in terms of tubing, it can also be may other means for supplying gas and/or fluid to the system. Here, the means can include, among others, almost any suitable member that directs fluid into the system. The member can be shaped in a variety of configurations such as a rectangle, a semicircle, or other shape, which is suitable for directing the fluid into the system. The end of the means can be flared, pointed, or any other shape suitable for supplying the fluid. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize many other variations, alternatives, and modifications.
FIG. 4 is a simplified cross section of a portion of a cleave tool showing alternative embodiments for the O-ring 414 and the bottom shell 402. The outer diameter of the O-ring is substantially greater than the thickness of the composite substrate . Additionally, the O-ring does not have a constant thickness, but rather has a thicker section 406 near the gas port. The thicker section of the O-ring where the O-ring will contact the substrate to form an edge seal improves the contact force and stiffens the side of the plenum formed by the O-ring. An O-ring groove 410 is provided in the bottom shell, and a similar groove may be provided in the top shell (not shown), or the top shell may be flat.
FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram representing how force is applied to the top shell (not shown in this figure) to hold it against the bottom shell (not shown in this figure) and thus provide pressure to the composite substrate during the cleave process. A circle 502 as it would lie under the top shell represents the outline of a substrate. The position of the gas port is represented by the contact of a line with the circle 504. A cleave front is represented by a curved line 506, propagating in the directions indicated by arrows 508. The shape of the cleave front is chosen solely for illustrative purposes, and does not necessarily represent the true shape of the cleave front, which depends on many factors, including the prior processing and type of composite substrate being cleaved. Force is applied at three locations, represented by the small circles 510, 512, 514. Force is generated by cam-over clamps mounted to the base shell support structure. The top shell is placed on the base shell, and the clamps are set to force the top shell against the base shell and to compress the O-ring. The force the clamps apply may be adjusted by turning the clamp screw to extend the length of the clamp pad from the frame, as is well known. The nominal force of all clamps is set to provide a pressure on the substrate of about 5 to 50 psia. Then, the clamp screws of the two clamps 510, 512 nearest the gas port 504 are extended an additional � turn further than the clamp 514 furthest from the gas port.
This provides a differential pressure across the substrate. A differential pressure is desirable because of the nature of the cleave initiation and propagation. In most materials of interest, the cleave is essentially a stressed fracture. The energy required to initiate such a fracture may be lowered by providing a local mechanical defect, such as a crack or scratch. Thus, once the cleave is initiated in the low pressure region (near the gas port), higher pressure may be applied to the substrate to keep the cleaved halves from "jumping" and potentially breaking across the face of the half. A sensor, represented by a circle 518, is placed near the flat of the substrate to determine if the cleave has propagated through the substrate, as discussed above. Alternatively, a constant pressure may be applied, depending on the type of material(s) the substrate is made of, the thickness of the cleaved halves, and the pressure and duration of the gas being applied, and other factors.
A pressure gradient may be important to prevent some composite substrates from flying apart and breaking when cleaved, while allowing the cleave to form and propagate. It is believed the combination of the applied pressure gradient and the compliant pad in the top shell allow the efficient cleaving of composite substrates while avoiding breakage, especially of the donor substrate. It is recognized that other combinations of compliant pads and pressures may obtain similar results, and that different pressures and pressure gradients may be appropriate for different materials or cleave conditions. Similarly, the force may be applied between the top shell and the base shell by a variety of mechanisms, such as pre-set springs, weights, gas or hydraulic cylinders, or even a compliant pad with a graded durometer, the durometer being less near the gas port, where the cleave is initiated.
FIG. 6A is a simplified sectioned view of a tool 600 that combines a mechanical cleaving action with a pressure cleaving action. The tool has an edge 602 suitable for contacting the edge of a composite wafer. The composite wafer may have a perimeter groove, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, or may be composed of flush-edged wafers, as shown in FIG. 1C. The edge of the tool is lightly tapped against the edge of the composite substrate to help initiate a cleave. Gas is admitted to the cleave region via a gas port 616 incorporated into the tool edge to help initiate and/or propagate the cleave formed by the mechanical action of the edge of the tool. In another embodiment, thick walled tubing with a small I.D., or rod with a small center through hole, is sharpened to a chisel edge. Alternatively, the process may be performed in two steps using a razor blade, for example, tapped against the edge of a composite wafer before placing the composite wafer into a cleaving apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2A.
FIG. 6B is a simplified illustration of a substrate cleaving apparatus incorporating a tool similar to the tool shown in FIG. 6A. A composite substrate 40 formed from two substrates with flush edges, as shown in FIG. 1C, is placed in the cleaving tool. An edged tool 601 extends through the O-ring 614 to contact the edge 604 of the composite wafer. The edged tool is tapped against the composite substrate by letting a weight 606 of a selected mass supported by an arm 608 of selected length fall a selected height, h, to contact the edge tool so that the edge of the tool taps the edge of the composite wafer with a selected force and momentum. Other mechanisms can be used to create the desired force, such as a spring-loaded trigger mechanism or a pneumatic cylinder. A force sensor 610, such as a strain gauge or electrical switch, detects when the weight strikes the edged tool and triggers a pre-set pulse of gas from the gas source 220, controlled by the valve 222, which is coupled to the pressure sensor. Additional control structure is not shown for purposes of clarity, as such structure is well known in the art.
FIG. 6C is a simplified flow chart of a cleave process 620 according to another embodiment of the present invention. A substrate is first tapped with an edged tool as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. It is believed that this can have many effects that promote cleaving, including providing a wedging force between the eventual cleaved halves of the substrate, initiating a scratch or crack to lower the energy required to initiate a cleave, and to form a small volume for the gas to enter and separate the substrate by gas pressure. After tapping the perimeter of the substrate with the edged tool, gas pressure is applied to the tapped region, as described above. The tapping and gas pressure may be performed essentially concurrently, sequentially in the same substrate cleaving tool, or at different locations and times.
While the above is a complete description of specific embodiments of the present invention, various modifications, variations, and alternatives may be employed. For example, although the substrates discussed have been generally round, substrates of other shapes, such as a rectangular shape, could be used. Specifically, a silicon-on-silicon wafer may be used instead of a silicon-on-insulator wafer, or a silicon carbide, gallium-arsenide, or silicon-germanium wafer may be surface finished. Additionally, the cleaved surface of the donor wafer could be prepared for another thin-film transfer by the above methods. Other variations will be apparent to persons of skill in the art. These equivalents and alternatives are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of this invention should not be limited to the embodiments described, and should instead be defined by the following claims.
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|International Classification
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|European Classification
|Oct 30, 2006
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Nov 23, 2010
|Surcharge for late payment
Year of fee payment: 7
|Nov 23, 2010
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Oct 28, 2014
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12


text:
To round up our month of holiday specials, our friends at thecorner.com are giving away this flawless backpack from Alexander Wang's Fall/Winter 2013. Priced at $1,035, the luxury accessory is constructed of leather and suede, and features both a zip pocket and clasp closure.
To enter head over to our special holiday site.
The contest is only open to those currently residing in the U.S. The winner will be contacted via email and announced here.
[UPDATE] Congratulations to contest winner Antoine Burtin!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This column ran last year and received the New America Media Award for print journalism. However, although affirming Black students' home language is critical for developing their full potential, neither Black educators, other Black leadership nor LAUSD responded. The purpose of repeating the column is to help push LAUSD and other local school districts to affirm and include the legitimacy of Black students' home language in related policy and programs.
The failure of public schools to properly educate Black students is indisputable yet they remain at the bottom of virtually every measure of effective schooling. Sadly, Black parents and community are also silent on this critical issue.
Adding to the miseducation of Black students is the chasm between middle-class and poorer Blacks. The former have effectively abandoned the struggle for equity in public education. Middle class parents, like most others, seek alternatives in private and charter schools. However, their children's exodus further weakens traditional public schools by leaving the push for educational excellence to those least sophisticated and able to challenge the education establishment. The caveat is middle-class participation is indispensable for holding the education establishment accountable; without the participation of all segments of the community, the downward spiral of Black students is likely to continue unabated.
Public schools have primary responsibility for educating students but it is parents, community and Black leadership's responsibility to hold school districts accountable for providing an equitable, quality education for their children. Collectively, we must insist that education reform consists of policies and practices that address the specific needs of Black students.
Blacks are extremely resilient but paradoxically, have internalized the white majority's values without full access to its benefits. For too many Blacks, challenging the education institution is tantamount to challenging themselves. This dilemma is at the heart of Blacks' continuing reticence to hold school district's accountable.
Individual attainment, financial or otherwise, is laudable. But Blacks tend not to distinguish between personal and group orientation; the former may work for individuals and at the same time, serve as a barrier to group progress. Unfortunately, Black leaders also often reinforce rather than challenge barriers to Black progress. But the unity, crucial for forward progress necessitates minimally, establishing common ground, i.e., explicit agreement on goals, objectives and if at all possible, values first.
As the foundation of culture and heritage, language acquisition is vitally important in reversing the miseducation of Black students. Culture validates and affirms non-standard English and is central to resolving the debate over non-standard English language, aptly termed "unacceptable language" by Dr. Sharoky Hollie, author of "Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning."
Standard English learners (or SELs) are pupils of limited Standard English proficiency whose primary language, though classified as English, is comprised of phonological, grammatical and pragmatic linguistic features that do not match the standard English structure. Standard English learners, students for whom standard English is not native, come from home environments where the absence of standard English and/or academic English-speaking models during the primary language acquisition period significantly impacts their acquisition of standard American and academic English even prior to school enrollment.
The 1996 the Oakland, California Board of Education's widely mislabeled "Ebonics Resolution" highlighted the issue of SELs as well as a potential solution to the institutional neglect of the "unacceptable language" of Black students and the massive distortion of the issue by both whites and Blacks.
An excerpt from the Oakland School Board resolution: "…..The superintendent shall immediately devise and implement the best possible academic program for imparting instruction to African American students in their primary language for the combined purposes of maintaining the legitimacy and richness of such language, whether it is known as "Ebonics," "African language systems," or other description and to facilitate their acquisition and mastery of English language skills."
Within days, the resolution seemed to garner the attention of the entire nation, some arguing that focusing on Black students fueled racial tensions rather than promote the potential technical and educational merits of the resolution itself. Much of the public debate centered on the absurd claim that the Oakland School District intended to "teach Ebonics." The "Ebonics" debate should also be understood as a discussion about the legitimacy of Black cultural expression.
Common understanding and agreement about the validity of Black students' unacceptable language, particularly among Black educators and linguists are necessary to move boards of education to adopt policy and practices affirming that validity. Black students are often ostracized and continue to be denied adequate attention and resources simply because of the way they speak. Only sustainable collaboration and mobilization will generate pressure sufficient to cause school boards to adopt policy designed to accept Black children's language as well as their life experiences.
Encouraging news: This semester, 60 LAUSD schools (k-12) have a grant for closing the achievement gap for African American students. This is very significant since none of the District's previous programs targeting Black children have lasted, perhaps this one will. (The African American Education Task Force recommendations are a prominent part of the grant.)
Parents, together with Black leadership and the broader Black community, should insist that LAUSD affirms the legitimacy of Black students' home language by adopting enabling policy and allocating the necessary funds and resources to effectively address these students needs. They deserve no less.


text:
THERE are 14 flood alerts across Oxfordshire this morning.
The Environment Agency has warned of the increased risk of flooding following the weekend's rainfall.
The 14 flood alerts are:
- The River Ock from Watchfield to Abingdon including Stanford in the Vale, Charney Bassett, Lyford and Garford, and also the Letcombe Brook at Wantage, Grove and East Hanney.
- The River Cherwell and its tributaries from Charwelton to just above Upper Heyford including Woolford Halse, Edgcote, Cropredy, Marston St Lawrence, Banbury, Kings Sutton and Hook Norton.
- Langford and Wendlebury Brooks and their tributaries from Stratton Audley down to the M40 near Merton, including Bicester and Wendlebury.
- The River Cherwell from Lower Heyford down to and including Oxford, Thrupp, Hampton Poyle and Rousham.
- The River Evenlode from Moreton in Marsh to Cassington including Kingham, Bledington, Milton under Wychwood, Shipton under Wychwood, Ascott under Wychwood, Charlbury, Fawler and Long Hanborough and also the River Glyme at Wootton and Woodstock.
- Ginge Brook for the Steventon area down to and including Sutton Courtenay.
- The River Thames and its tributaries from Days Lock to above Pangbourne including Dorchester and Overy, Shillingford, Benson, Ewelme, Wallingford, Winterbrook, East Hagbourne, South Moreton, North Stoke, Moulsford, South Stoke, Goring and Streatley.
- The River Thames from Mapledurham to Sonning.
- The River Thames for the Abingdon area, including areas between Abingdon down to and including Little Wittenham.
- The River Thames and its tributaries in the Oxford area including areas between Wolvercote down to and including Radley and Jericho.
- The River Thames and its tributaries from Buscot Wick down to Kings Lock, above Oxford, including Buscot, Kelmscott, Radcot, Chimney, Northmoor, Stanton Harcourt, Bablock Hythe and caravan park, Eynsham, Swinford and Yarnton.
- The River Ray and its tributaries from Shipton Lee to Islip, including Ludgershall, Blackthorn and Murcott.


text:
Due to Android 4.x airplane mode disabled, I've installed Xposed framework and Jelly Bean Airplane Mode Helper, to make automatic switch on airplane mode on night.
Right, this works.
I have a rule that on a specific location (home) and a specific time (night) the app switches automatically to airplane mode.
Good, everythings works fine.
The app checks the rule every 30 minutes (I told so, cause the minutes are fully configurables), so after 30 minutes switched in "nightly mode", the app goes back to "home mode" (the previous profile). That's why, in airplane mode, the rule about location is not true anymore, just because the phone is in airplane mode.
How can I get out of this?
How do you plan your nightly airplane mode?


text: Environment: 10.2.0.3 RAC/ASM on Solaris 10 I'm trying to find an efficient way to get the bind values for statements that are involved in a deadlock situation. So far, I'm able to get the bind values for statements that are part of the session that encounters the ora-60 by setting event='name errorstack level 2, forever'. The problem is forcing an errorstack on the other session that is involved in the deadlock, the one that does not get the ora-60. I have come with several possibilities, but none of them seem to be even efficient or provide the correct bind values: 1. Write some code that parses the lmd0 trace, finds the session of interest and dump an errorstack. Problem: requires writing a lmd0 parser. 2. Enable sql level auditing on the tables of interest. Problem: captures huge number of statements and that could cause other issues (ie storage, performance overhead,...). 3. Enable 10046 trace database wide Problem: same as #2 4. AFTER SERVERERROR trigger that queries v$sql_bind_capture on when ora 60 is raised Problem: bind values in v$sql_bind_capture are captured only every 15 minutes (default setting for _cursor_bind_capture_interval) 5. dump errorstack for all sessions Problem: Don't know how to do that except for looping through gv$session and dumping error stacks one session at a time... I have opened an SR, but the analyst is no help, he didn't even know that errorstack level 2 contains bind values... Regards, Vlado Barun, M.Sc. Sr. Manager, Database Engineering and Operations Jewelry Television Mobile: 865 335 7652 Email: vlado.barun@xxxxxxx<mailto:vlado.barun@xxxxxxx>


text:
Written on: 18/05/2011
I purchased my Stihl RE108 earlier this year to replace a truly shocking Karcher. A bit pricey, but definitely worth the extra cost. Stihl have some great sales technique. I was able to order the jetwasher online, but I could only collect it in person. This was due to the companies insistence that all products are inspected and given a pre-delivery inspection. When I arrived, the washer was being tested out the back!
The first thing that becomes apparent is the build quality. There is a LOT of weight to this unit! I haven't weighed it, but you'll struggle to lift it. The lance is separate from the pressure hose, the connection between the two being via a high quality brass connector with a really simple, but secure locking system. The other end of the hose (which, I may add is 8 metres long, so no lugging the washer unit around anymore, unlike my old Karcher) screws into the unit via a high quality screw thread connection. The power flex is high quality, rubberised, waterproof cable and the whole shebang just says "german quality" when you look at it. A retractable aluminium handle sits on the top, whilst the front of the unit flips down to provide storage for the spare nozzles that come with the unit.
Firing it up, the pressure washer is powerful, doesn't leak and just does what you expect it to. No drama, just blasts the crud away. And it looks good too. I now pity my neighbours and their leaky yellow pieces of rubbish! All in all, well worth the extra money and highly recommended.


text:
Yes, it's true. I want chickens. One day, when I have time to commit to a routine of feeding, cleaning, and gathering. I do have a small yard, which will make it difficult to manage a free ranging area and 2 bird dogs.
A friend's Fancy Chickens lays blue-green eggs. I dream of chickens and fresh eggs. Of course, I also dream in color.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
I want chickens
Labels: anticipating | wondering, discovering | experiencing nature, living greener | increasing awareness at Thursday, January 01, 2009 Posted by christine ~ ourdayourjourney
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text: As a medical technology company, evonos develops instruments, implants, devices and system solutions for neurosurgery, orthopedics and spine surgery, which physicians and patients around the world rely on. Wherever the evonos products are used it's about life. Our Products and Services are created to reliably diagnose the health status of patients, to treat them minimally invasively and to improve the quality of their life.


text: Allright, I need some serious responces to this thread because it is very important. Here goes, next year I am taking all of the steps to become legit and I am obviously going to have overhead so I have to raise my prices drastically from this year. When I first started doing this with my push mower I had no idea I was charging so much less than others. I have now learned so much from this site it is Ubelievable, and as I said I am becoming legit. How do I go about raising prices for people I cut for this year for next season? I am not talking just a 5% increase, to get what I am worth I have to charge a lot more. For example, for a $20-25 lawn i was cutting this season I need to be charging atleast $30-35 next year to make money. How can I go about breaking this to my customers? Should I send them a letter some time in February or what? I don't give a damn if I lose every one of them because I am not going to work for cheap because I provide quality work and if I cannot make money in this business then I will find something else that interests me. I realize I am not going to make a huge profit my first few years, but you know what I mean. I plan to do a ton of advertising this spring and pick up a whole new base of customers in a different area if these people will not pay. I am really starting over. Am I on the right track? Thank you and I would really appreciate some good help from the veterans on this board


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Health care forum tomorrow
Health care is a complicated subject, yet understanding how it works—and how it can work for you—is essential in today's world.
The Melrose Democratic City Committee is sponsoring a nonpartisan forum on health care on Wednesday, May 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Milano Senior Center, 201 West Foster St.
The forum will be led by two representatives from Health Care For All, Ari Fertig and Celia Segel. Health Care For All is a Massachusetts based, non-partisan, non-profit organization that strives to create a consumer-centered health care system that provides comprehensive, affordable, accessible, high quality care and consumer education for everyone, especially the most vulnerable. Ari is the son of Rabbi Arnold Fertig of Temple Beth Shalom here in Melrose.
I encourage you to come to the forum and bring your questions and opinions. This nonpartisan event is open to all.
Operation Resolve
A breath of fresh air at the Winthrop School
Fresh air and energy efficiency: Those are the dual benefits of the revamped ventilation system we have just installed in the Winthrop School.
The Winthrop may be one of our oldest elementary school buildings, but these improvements bring it up to date and will keep it humming along at peak efficiency.
Improvements to the existing ventilation system include five new rooftop exhaust fans which automatically adjust their speed depending on carbon dioxide buildup in the building. (Carbon dioxide is not harmful by
itself, but an excessive amount indicates a lack of fresh air.) We upgraded the air handler in the boiler room and added an ionization device to further purify the air. We cleaned the ducts and replaced some damaged ones, and we installed a new bank of replaceable air filters.
In addition to all that, we installed an Energy Management System that will control the boilers based on the outside air temperature, rather than an arbitrary clock. That way, we will heat the building as
needed and not have the heat on when it is unnecessary. The system also controls the amount of outside air that is brought in, based on the occupancy of the building.
The result is that the building will be more comfortable for students and staff and the heating system will be deployed more intelligently.
Due to the increase in energy efficiency, the project may be eligible for utility rebates; the Planning Office is exploring those possibilities.


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can i have it carved on the back
my dad is gonna buy me an ipad with retina display , but i want to put my name or last name on the back . so is their any way to get it on the back?
- Asked by Danny A from Katy
No Answers have been submitted
Be the first to answer this question. Answer now


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A few years back, I published a novel that had some bad words in it. It wasn't an X-rated book, but the characters spoke the way people in real life do, which is to say they occasionally dropped the f-bomb and the s-bomb. In the weeks and months after publication I received many reactions. These ranged from "I couldn't put it down" to "Give me my money back," but most bafflingly common were the number of people who felt the need to ask me, in a slightly wincing tone, "Exactly why did you feel it was necessary to put the f-word on page 73?"
I soon gave up literary justifications and took to engaging in that most Canadian of social responses: the profuse, if mildly disingenuous, apology. Sometimes, if the complainant happened to have a copy of the book handy, I'd even scratch out the bad word. It's not that I believe in censorship, just that I dislike offending people. "There," I'd say, handing the book back, "now it's perfectly safe for your 11-year-old daughter."
The issue of what sort of language and imagery is or isn't appropriate for children (and indeed the general public) was at the heart of debate in the U.S. Supreme Court this week. The case, which has been crawling through the American court system since 2002, centres around multimillion-dollar FCC fines that were levied against the broadcasters Fox and ABC for, respectively, prime-time swearing and nudity. The first instance involved Cher, and later Nicole Richie, dropping the f-word on Fox during the live broadcast of the Billboard Music Awards Show; the second was in response to a lingering bare bum shot on the then-hit ABC series NYPD Blue.
The broadcasters' lawyers argued that the FCC's current no-naughtiness-in-prime-time policy is vague and unfairly prevents them from competing with the unregulated world of cable and satellite television. While the court isn't expected to have a ruling until June, transcripts of the debate made for interesting reading. Chief Justice John Roberts, the only judge with small children, argued vehemently in favour of upholding the FCC ruling: "All we are asking for, what the government is asking for, is a few channels where… they are not going to hear the s-word, the f-word, they are not going to see nudity."
Here in Canada we like a good wardrobe malfunction, by which I mean getting our knickers in a knot over foul language. Last year, classic rock fans were outraged when the CRTC suddenly banned the Dire Straits song Money For Nothing from radio play because a listener in Newfoundland noticed (presumably for the first time since the song was released in 1985) that the lyrics contained another f-word, a derogatory term for gay men. Several months later, NDP Pat Martin caused a furor when he sent out several obscenity-laden tweets about the Harper government. The issue, according to some offended parliamentarians, was not the language but the fact that Martin tweeted from the House of Commons. But when CBC.ca later surveyed site visitors on whether they thought Martin was out of line, a whopping 69 per cent of respondents said no. Despite this, the Ceeb (like this newspaper and others), did not print the swear words in question for fear of causing offence.
But to whom? In censoring themselves, broadcasters and newspapers seem to respect some universal standard of propriety. Likewise in the United States, the FCC is tasked with protecting "community standards." Yet by the time the Supreme Court defines those standards, the issue will be all but moot. Today, nearly nine out of ten American households subscribe to cable or satellite television; the first amendment case applies only to over-the-air transmissions. In the digital landscape, there is no censor – self-regulation is the only way to avoid infinite possibilities to be offended. Unlike the days when we all sat down and watched what was "on," today we actively connect to entertainment and choose – and un-choose – all manner of uncomfortable or titillating material.
I actually find it sweetly quaint that in an era of free on-demand digital porn, Kardashians and Facebook suicides, most of the mainstream media (this newspaper included) censors itself to the extent that we do. This self-repression, for the most part, comes from a genuine unwillingness to offend rather than any kind of deep-seated cultural repression. I see the need for a good cuss word in real life as much as the next gal, but, as I learned with my book, it's often hardly worth the trouble it causes. Unfortunately for Fox, Cher and Nicole Richie can't eat their words, but as a novelist I still have my trusty pen. It's not an efficient system, but I'll continue to scribble out my swearwords one offended reader and retroactive bleep at a time.


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Requirements for Clinical Affiliations
Students have two part-time clinical affiliations during the first year of the program and two full-time six-week clinical affiliations in the second year of the program. Assignments to clinical affiliations are made by the program coordinator or designate. These placements are limited to the number of students the clinical facilities can accept. Clinical sites are located throughout the greater Sacramento and northern/central California region. Placement in clinical affiliations is dependent on the student meeting the educational, health, and physical capability requirements of the college, and the institution offering the opportunity. This includes completion of a physical examination, immunizations, and a TB test. Students must demonstrate capability to perform essential job-related functions of a physical therapist assistant. Evidence of completion of a first-aid course, and a current CPR certificate for health personnel (Level C) is required. Background checks and drug screens are also required. Many clinical sites require students to show proof of health insurance.