Wafer bonding for microsystems technologies

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. A, Physical Vol. 74; no. 1; pp. 161 - 168
• Main Authors: Gösele, U., Tong, Q.-Y., Schumacher, A., Kräuter, G., Reiche, M., Plößl, A., Kopperschmidt, P., Lee, T.-H., Kim, W.-J.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 20-04-1999; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fusion bonding; General equipment and techniques; Hydrophilic bonding; Hydrophobic bonding; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Integrated circuits; Interface reactions; Microelectronics: LSI, VLSI, ULSI; integrated circuit fabrication technology; Physics; Pressure sensors; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing; Wafer bonding; Wafer bonding; Pressure sensors; Hydrophobic bonding; Fusion bonding; Interface reactions; Hydrophilic bonding; Hydrophobization; Fusion welding; Interface reaction; Experimental study; Heat treatments; Hydrophily
• ISSN: 0924-4247; 1873-3069
• DOI: 10.1016/S0924-4247(98)00310-0

In microsystems technologies, frequently complex structures consisting of structured or plain silicon or other wafers have to be joined to one mechanically stable configuration. In many cases, wafer bonding, also termed fusion bonding, allows to achieve this objective. The present overview will introduce the different requirements surfaces have to fulfill for successful bonding especially in the case of silicon wafers. Special emphasis is put on understanding the atomistic reactions at the bonding interface. This understanding has allowed the development of a simple low temperature bonding approach which allows to reach high bonding energies at temperatures as low as 150°C. Implications for pressure sensors will be discussed as well as various thinning approaches and bonding of dissimilar materials.