Patent attributes
A method for fabricating an epitaxial substrate. The technique includes providing a crystalline or mono-crystalline base substrate, implanting atomic species into a front face of the base substrate to a controlled mean implantation depth to form a zone of weakness within the base substrate that defines a sub-layer, and growing a stiffening layer on a front face of the base substrate by using a thermal treatment in a first temperature range. The stiffening layer has a thickness sufficient to form an epitaxial substrate. In addition, the method includes detaching the stiffening layer and the sub-layer from the base substrate by using a thermal treatment in a second temperature range higher than the first temperature range. An epitaxial substrate and a remainder of the base substrate are obtained. The epitaxial substrate is suitable for use in growing high quality homoepitaxial or heteroepitaxial films thereon.