Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
There are various methods for producing device-worthy Silicon-on-Insulator films, most, however, are unsuitable for fabrication of 3D integrated structures. The laser recrystallization technique is currently the only one which has produced single-crystal devices for 3D ICs. Improvements on this technique have been such that defects such as grain boundaries can be localized and even eliminated. High speed CMOS circuits with VLSI features have been realized as well as new devices which take advantage of the 3D arrangement of vertically integrated structures. Although 3D integration is still in the early stages of development, it has already opened up new perspectives for applications such as high speed circuits, dense memories, and sensors.