Large etch-selectivity enhancement in the epitaxial liftoff of single-crystal LiNbO3 films

We report on a large etch selectivity enhancement in the epitaxial liftoff of He+-implanted single-crystal lithium niobate (LiNbO3) films upon rapid t hermal annealing. A buried sacrificial layer is formed by ion implantation. Heat treatment is found to reduce the time needed for film detachment by a factor as large as 100. Implant damage and postanneal stress-induced etch selectivity become nearly independent of implantation energy upon annealing . Large (0.5 X 1 cm(2)) 5-10-mu m-thick single-crystal LiNbO3 films of exce llent quality are detached in just a matter of a few hours. (C) 1999 Americ an Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)02321-9].