In various embodiments, a method of processing a monocrystalline substrate is provided. The method may include severing the substrate along a main processing side into at least two monocrystalline substrate segments, and forming a micromechanical structure comprising at least one monocrystalline substrate segment of the at least two substrate segments.

Methods and systems are provided for the split and separation of a layer of desired thickness of crystalline semiconductor material containing optical, photovoltaic, electronic, micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS), or optoelectronic devices, from a thicker donor wafer using laser irradiation.

Methods of forming semiconductor structures comprising one or more cavities (106), which may be used in the formation of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) transducers, involve forming one or more cavities in a first substrate (100), providing a sacrificial material (110) within the one or more cavities, bonding a second substrate (120) over the a surface of the first substrate, forming one or more apertures (140) through a portion of the first substrate to the sacrificial material, and removing the sacrificial material from within the one or more cavities. Structures and devices are fabricated using such methods.

Methods of forming semiconductor structures comprising one or more cavities, which may be used in the formation of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) transducers, involve forming one or more cavities in a first substrate, providing a sacrificial material within the one or more cavities, bonding a second substrate over a surface of the first substrate, forming one or more apertures through a portion of the first substrate to the sacrificial material, and removing the sacrificial material from within the one or more cavities. Structures and devices are fabricated using such methods.

A method includes forming a dielectric layer on a carrier wafer with a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface is positioned opposite to the bottom surface. The method includes forming a cleave layer on the dielectric layer that covers the top surface of the carrier wafer. Method includes forming a silicon Oxide layer (SiO.sub.2) over the cleave layer and coupling the Si layer to a handle wafer, wherein the handle wafer comprises silicon and wherein the handle wafer includes at least one cavity, wherein the Si layer encloses the at least one cavity. The method includes separating the carrier wafer from the handle wafer, wherein the separating forms a first wafer and a second wafer, wherein the first wafer comprises the handle wafer and the Si layer and a portion of the cleave layer, and wherein the second wafer is a reusable carrier wafer.

A method for producing a device comprising a membrane of piezoelectric nature above at least one cavity comprises: a) providing a carrier substrate having a cavity opening out onto its front face, the cavity having a lateral dimension larger than 30 m; b) providing a donor substrate having a buried weakened plane delimiting a surface layer; c) depositing, on the front face of the donor substrate, a stiffening layer made of piezoelectric material having a thickness greater than 500 nanometers; d) joining the carrier substrate and donor substrate; and e) splitting the donor substrate at the buried weakened plane so as to transfer the membrane comprising the surface layer and the stiffening layer to the carrier substrate.

A method for producing a stacked structure comprises: a) providing a carrier substrate and an initial substrate, each having a front face and a back face, b) forming a buried weakened plane in the carrier substrate or in the initial substrate, by implanting light ions through the front face of either of the substrates, c) joining the carrier substrate and the initial substrate via their respective front faces, d) thinning the initial substrate via its back face to form a donor substrate e) providing a receiver substrate having a front face and a back face, f) joining the donor substrate and the receiver substrate via their respective front faces, and g) separating along the buried weakened plane, so as to form the stacked structure comprising the receiver substrate and a surface film including all or part of a donor layer originating from the initial substrate.

A method is used to prepare the remainder of a donor substrate, from which a layer has been removed by delamination in a plane weakened by ion implantation. The remainder comprises, on a main face, an annular step corresponding to a non-removed part of the donor substrate. The method comprises the deposition of a smoothing oxide on the main face of the remainder in order to fill the inner space defined by the annular step and to cover at least part of the annular step, as well as heat treatment for densification of the smoothing oxide. A substrate is produced by the method, and the substrate may be used in subsequent processes.

A method for producing a device comprising a piezoelectric membrane adjacent at least one cavity includes providing a carrier substrate having surfaces defining the at least one cavity extending into the carrier substrate at a first face of the carrier substrate. A layer of piezoelectric material is deposited on a face of a donor substrate. The layer of piezoelectric material is bonded to the carrier substrate to join the donor substrate and the carrier substrate, and after the bonding, the donor substrate is split along a plane within the donor substrate so as to transfer a membrane comprising the layer of piezoelectric material to the carrier substrate adjacent the at least one cavity. A donor substrate for use in such a method includes a fragile plane therein delimiting a surface layer, and a layer of piezoelectric material having a thickness greater than 500 nm on the surface layer.

The invention provides a microfluidic device (1), specifically a nozzle for an inhalation device, comprising at least two microfluidic structures (2A, 2A), each of said structures (2A, 2A) is located at a front end (1B) of the microfluidic device; characterized in that the microfluidic device (1) is made at least in part from a mono-crystalline material and wherein said front end (1B) of the microfluidic device (1) and the microfluidic structures (2A, 2A) are aligned with the crystal orientation line and methods producing said devices and uses thereof.