Enhancement of bonding strength for low temperature Si3N4/Si3N4 direct wafer bonding by nitrogen-plasma activation and hydrofluoric pre-dip

F. S. Lo, C. C. Chiang, C. Li, T. H. Lee

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Prior to exposing to plasma for surface activation, dipping the silicon nitride (Si3N4) surfaces on one pair of silicon wafers in diluted hydrofluoric (HF) solution is for the sake of low temperature wafer bonding. We found the bonding strength reaches the level of silicon fracture (2,500 mJ/m2) through a 200°C annealing less than 24 hours compared with 400 hours done by HF-dip merely. We suggest the bonding mechanism as following: the HF-dip treatment passivated the Si dangling Si bonds on the broken Si-N network of the Si3N4 surface to form sufficient high density of Si-H bonds. And then the application of N2 plasma treatment can increase the density of Si-H-N bonds for forming hydrogen bonds between the two mating surfaces to bridge the two bonding surfaces resulting in high bonding strength after annealing.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSemiconductor Wafer Bonding 13
Subtitle of host publicationScience, Technology, and Applications
EditorsT. Suga, M. S. Goorsky, R. Knechtel, H. Moriceau, H. Baumgart, C. S. Tan, K. D. Hobart
PublisherElectrochemical Society Inc.
Pages111-117
Number of pages7
Edition5
ISBN (Electronic)9781607685395
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014
Event13th International Symposium on Semiconductor Wafer Bonding: Science, Technology and Applications - 2014 ECS and SMEQ Joint International Meeting - Cancun, Mexico
Duration: 5 Oct 20149 Oct 2014

Publication series

NameECS Transactions
Number5
Volume64
ISSN (Print)1938-6737
ISSN (Electronic)1938-5862

Conference

Conference13th International Symposium on Semiconductor Wafer Bonding: Science, Technology and Applications - 2014 ECS and SMEQ Joint International Meeting
Country/TerritoryMexico
CityCancun
Period5/10/149/10/14

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