Method of embedding material in a glass substrate

1. A method of embedding material in a glass substrate, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a glass composition;

providing a mold substrate having a patterned surface defining a recess therein and formed from a material having a higher reflow temperature than the glass composition;

providing a planar sacrificial layer disposed between the mold substrate on one side and a carrier wafer on another side thereof, with the mold substrate and carrier wafer separated by the width of the planar sacrificial layer;

increasing a surface wettability of the patterned surface relative to the glass composition;

heating the glass composition to a reflow temperature such that at least a portion of the glass composition flows into the recess defined by the patterned surface of the mold substrate;

solidifying the glass composition on the patterned surface of the mold substrate to form a glass layer;

removing material from the solidified glass layer until a portion of the underlying patterned surface of the mold substrate is exposed with at least a portion of the mold substrate embedded in the solidified glass layer to form the glass substrate having the material embedded therein; and

releasing the mold substrate and the solidified glass layer from the planar sacrificial layer after said step of flowing the glass composition into the recess.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of increasing the surface wettability of the patterned surface is further defined as roughening the patterned surface.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of increasing the surface wettability of the patterned surface is further defined as dry etching the patterned surface.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of increasing the surface wettability of the patterned surface is further defined as disposing a layer of wetting material on the patterned surface with the wetting material having increased wettability relative to the glass composition as compared to the material of the mold substrate.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the material of the mold substrate is further defined as a semiconductor material comprising silicon.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of removing material from the solidified glass layer is further defined as planarizing the solidified glass layer.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the solidified glass layer is planarized until a surface of the solidified glass layer is flush with a surface of the mold substrate.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of flowing at least a portion of the glass composition into the recess is further defined as heating the glass composition to the reflow temperature with a rapid thermal annealing furnace.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of patterning the surface of the mold substrate to form the patterned surfacing defining the recess therein.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the patterned surface of the mold substrate prior to the step of flowing the glass composition into the recess is defined along at least three parallel planes.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the glass composition is capable of anodic bonding and wherein the glass composition is anodically bonded to the patterned surface of the mold substrate under vacuum prior to the step of flowing the glass composition into the recess.

12. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of flowing at least a portion of the glass composition into the recess comprises the further step of disposing beads of the glass composition on the patterned surface of the mold substrate.

13. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the patterned surface of the mold substrate is free from any recesses having a depth of greater than 1000 μm.

14. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein a total thickness of the glass substrate including the material embedded therein is as low as 25 μm.

15. A glass substrate including the solidified glass layer and material embedded therein formed in accordance with the method of claim 1 .

16. A method of embedding material in a glass substrate, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a glass composition;

providing a mold substrate having a patterned surface defining a recess therein and formed from a semiconductor material having a higher reflow temperature than the glass composition;

increasing a surface wettability of the patterned surface relative to the glass composition;

flowing at least a portion of the glass composition into the recess defined by the patterned surface of the mold substrate;

solidifying the glass composition on the patterned surface of the mold substrate to form a glass layer;

planarizing the solidified glass layer until a surface of the solidified glass layer is flush with a surface of the mold substrate;

planarizing the mold substrate on a surface thereof opposite the patterned surface until a portion of the solidified glass layer is flush with at least a portion of the mold substrate embedded in the solidified glass layer to form the glass substrate having the material embedded therein;

wherein a total thickness of the glass substrate including the material embedded therein is as low as 25 μm.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the step of increasing the surface wettability of the patterned surface is further defined as roughening the patterned surface.

18. A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the step of increasing the surface wettability of the patterned surface is further defined as dry etching the patterned surface.

19. A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the step of increasing the surface wettability of the patterned surface is further defined as disposing a layer of wetting material on the patterned surface with the wetting material having increased wettability relative to the glass composition as compared to the material of the mold substrate.

20. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the planar sacrificial layer is formed from an oxide or nitride.

21. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the reflow temperature is at least 750° C.

22. A method of embedding material in a glass substrate, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a glass composition;

providing a mold substrate having a patterned surface defining a recess therein and formed from a semiconductor material having a higher reflow temperature than the glass composition;

flowing at least a portion of the glass composition into the recess defined by the patterned surface of the mold substrate;

solidifying the glass composition on the patterned surface of the mold substrate to form a glass layer;

planarizing the solidified glass layer until a surface of the solidified glass layer is flush with a surface of the mold substrate;

planarizing the mold substrate on a surface thereof opposite the patterned surface until a portion of the solidified glass layer is flush with at least a portion of the mold substrate embedded in the solidified glass layer to form the glass substrate having the material embedded therein.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the material of the mold substrate is further defined as a semiconductor material comprising silicon.

24. A method as set forth in claim 22 further comprising the step of patterning the surface of the mold substrate to form the patterned surfacing defining the recess therein.

25. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the patterned surface of the mold substrate prior to the step of flowing the glass composition into the recess is defined along at least three parallel planes.

26. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the glass composition is capable of anodic bonding and wherein the glass composition is anodically bonded to the patterned surface of the mold substrate under vacuum prior to the step of flowing the glass composition into the recess.

27. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the step of flowing at least a portion of the glass composition into the recess comprises the further step of disposing beads of the glass composition on the patterned surface of the mold substrate.