DIRECT BONDING METHODS AND STRUCTURES

1 . A bonding method comprising:

activating a first bonding layer of a first element for direct bonding to a second bonding layer of a second element; and

after the activating, providing a protective layer over the activated first bonding layer of the first element.

2 . The bonding method of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer comprises an organic layer.

3 . The bonding method of claim 2 , wherein the protective layer comprises a photoresist.

4 . The bonding method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the protective layer.

5 . The bonding method of claim 4 , wherein the first element is in the form of wafer before providing the protective layer, the method further comprising, before removing the protective layer, singulating the first element in wafer form to form a plurality of singulated first elements.

6 . The bonding method of claim 4 , further comprising, after removing the protective layer, directly bonding the first bonding layer of the first element to the second bonding layer of the second element without an intervening adhesive.

7 . The bonding method of claim 6 , further comprising rinsing at least one of the first and second bonding layers with deionized water (DIW) before the directly bonding.

8 . The bonding method of claim 6 , wherein, before the directly bonding, the first element is in the form of a singulated integrated device die and the second element is in the form of a wafer.

9 . The bonding method of claim 6 , wherein the first bonding layer comprises a first plurality of conductive contact pads and a first non-conductive bonding region, wherein the second bonding layer comprises a second plurality of conductive contact pads and a second non-conductive bonding region, and wherein directly bonding comprise directly bonding the first and second pluralities of conductive contact pads to one another without an adhesive and directly bonding the first and second non-conductive bonding regions to one another without an adhesive.

10 . The bonding method of claim 9 , wherein the conductive contact pads comprise copper or copper alloy.

11 . The bonding method of claim 9 , wherein the non-conductive bonding region comprises a silicon-containing dielectric layer.

12 . The bonding method of claim 9 , wherein the non-conductive bonding region comprises a non-silicon dielectric layer that does not include silicon.

13 . The bonding method of claim 9 , further comprising activating the second bonding layer before directly bonding.

14 . The bonding method of claim 6 , wherein activating the first bonding layer and providing the protective layer are performed in a first facility, and wherein directly bonding is performed at a second facility that is in a different location from the first facility.

15 . The bonding method of claim 6 , wherein directly bonding is performed more than twenty-four (24) hours after activating the first bonding layer.

16 . The bonding method of claim 1 , wherein activating the first bonding layer comprises plasma activating the first bonding layer.

17 . The bonding method of claim 16 , wherein plasma activating the first bonding layer comprises exposing the first bonding layer to a nitrogen-containing plasma.

18 . The bonding method of claim 17 , wherein the first bonding layer comprises silicon oxide or silicon carbonitride.

19 . The bonding method of claim 16 , wherein plasma activating the first bonding layer comprises exposing the first bonding layer to an oxygen-containing plasma.

20 . The bonding method of claim 19 , wherein the first bonding layer comprises silicon nitride or silicon carbonitride.

21 . The bonding method of claim 1 , wherein providing the protective layer comprises depositing the protective layer over the activated bonding layer of the first element.

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38 . A bonding method comprising:

plasma treating a first bonding layer of a first element for direct bonding to a second bonding layer of a second element; and

after the plasma treatment, providing a protective layer over the treated first bonding layer of the first element.

39 . The bonding method of claim 38 , further comprising removing the protective layer from the treated first bonding layer, and, after the removing, directly bonding the treated first bonding layer to the second bonding layer of the second element without an intervening adhesive.

40 . A bonding method comprising:

plasma treating a first bonding layer of a first element for direct bonding to a second bonding layer of a second element;

after the plasma treatment, providing a protective layer over the treated first bonding layer of the first element;

singulating the plasma treated first element and the protective layer into a plurality of singulated first elements;

cleaning the protective layer from the first bonding layer of at least one singulated first element of the plurality of singulated first elements; and

bonding the at least one cleaned singulated first element to the second bonding layer of the second element.

41 . The bonding method of claim 40 , wherein the plasma treatment comprises a nitrogen containing plasma.

42 . The bonding method of claim 40 , wherein the plasma treatment comprises an oxygen containing plasma.

43 . The bonding method of claim 40 , wherein the plasma treatment comprises treating the first bonding layer with more than one type of plasma.

44 . The bonding method of claim 40 , further comprising rinsing the plasma treated surface with deionized water (DIW) before the bonding.

45 . The bonding method of claim 40 , further comprising thinning the plasma treated first element before the singulating.

46 .- 52 . (canceled)