System and method for low temperature plasma-enhanced bonding
View Patent ↗A method for bonding a plurality of substrates includes performing a gas plasma treatment on the plurality of substrates, and performing a water plasma treatment on the plurality of substrates. Additionally, a system for performing low temperature plasma enhanced bonding includes a substrate housing structure having a substrate receiving volume, a gas source fluidly coupled to the substrate housing structure, a water vapor source fluidly coupled to the substrate housing structure, and a radio-frequency (RF) generator coupled to the substrate housing structure, wherein the system is configured to perform both a gas plasma treatment and a water plasma treatment on a substrate.
1. A method for bonding a plurality of substrates comprising:
performing a gas plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates;
performing a water plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates by introducing a quantity of water vapor into a substrate housing and introducing radio-frequency power to said substrate housing sufficient to generate a water plasma to hydrate a surface of each of said plurality of substrates; and
physically joining said plurality of substrates.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said gas plasma treatment comprises one of N 2 , O 2 , argon, or air.
3. A method for bonding a plurality of substrates comprising:
performing a gas plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates; and
performing a water plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates wherein said water plasma treatment is configured to hydrate a surface of each of said plurality of substrates to form a silanol group and to hydrate a surface of each of said plurality of; and
physically joining said plurality of substrates.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said silanol groups form siloxane bonds between said plurality of substrates.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said water plasma treatment is performed simultaneously with said gas plasma treatment.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said water plasma treatment is performed after said gas plasma treatment.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising annealing said joined plurality of substrates.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising smoothing a surface of each of said plurality of substrates.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said smoothing a surface of each of said plurality of substrates comprises performing a chemical mechanical planarization operation on said plurality of substrates.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said gas plasma treatment is configured to increase a density of chemical interface species on a surface of said plurality of substrates.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said chemical interface species comprises one of a silanol group or silicon dangling bond.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of substrates comprise a desiccant.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of substrates comprise a micro-electro mechanical system.
14. A method for bonding a plurality of substrates comprising:
smoothing a surface of each of said plurality of substrates;
performing a gas plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates to increase a density of chemical interface species on a surface of said plurality of substrates, said gas plasma treatment including one of N 2 , O 2 , argon, or air,
performing a water plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates by introducing a quantity of water vapor into a substrate housing and introducing radio-frequency power to said substrate housing sufficient to generate a water plasma to hydrate a surface of each of said plurality of substrates;
physically joining said plurality of substrates; and
annealing said joined plurality of substrates.
15. A method for bonding a plurality of substrates comprising:
smoothing a surface of each of said plurality of substrates;
performing a gas plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates to increase a density of chemical interface species on a surface of said plurality of substrates, said gas plasma treatment including one of N 2 , O 2 , argon, or air performing a water plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates wherein said water plasma treatment is configured to form a silanol group and to hydrate a surface of each of said plurality of substrates to form a silanol group on a surface of each of said plurality of substrates;
physically joining said plurality of substrates; and
annealing said joined plurality of substrates.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said silanol groups form siloxane bonds between said plurality of substrates.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein said water plasma treatment is performed simultaneously with said gas plasma treatment.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein said smoothing a surface of each of said plurality of substrates comprises performing a chemical mechanical planarization operation on said plurality of substrates.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein said chemical interface species comprises one of a silanol group or a silicon (Si) dangling bond.
20. A method for bonding a plurality of substrates comprising:
performing a gas plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates;
performing a water plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates;
wherein said water plasma treatment is temporally sufficient to substantially form a pair of mono-layers of water molecules on said plurality of substratres; and
physically joining said plurality of substrates.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said water plasma treatment is performed for approximately 200 seconds.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein said performing a water plasma treatment on said plurality of substrates comprises:
introducing a quantity of water vapor into a substrate housing; and
introducing radio-frequency power to said substrate housing sufficient to generate a water plasma to hydrate a surface of each of said plurality of substrates.