Low-Temperature Silicon-to-Silicon Anodic Bonding Using Sodium-Rich Glass for MEMS Applications

In the present work, silicon-to-silicon anodic bonding has been accomplished using an intermediate sodium-rich glass layer deposited by a radiofrequency magnetron sputtering process. The bonding was carried out at low direct-current voltage of about 80 V at 365°C. The alkali ion (sodium) concentration in the deposited film, the surface roughness of the film, and the flatness of the silicon wafers were studied in detail and closely monitored to improve the bond strength of the bonded silicon wafers. The effect of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) on the surface roughness of the deposited film was also investigated. The average roughness of the deposited film was found to be ~6 Å, being reduced to 2 Å after CMP. It was observed that the concentration of sodium ions in the deposited film varied significantly with the sputtering parameters. Scanning electron microscopy was used to obtain cross-sectional images of the bonded pair. The bonding energy of the bonded wafer pair was measured using the crack-opening method. The bonding energy was found to vary from 0.3 J/m² to 2.1 J/m² for different bonding conditions. To demonstrate the application of the process developed, a sealed cavity was created using the silicon-to-silicon anodic bonding technique, which can be used for fabrication of devices such as capacitive pressure sensors and Fabry– Perot-based pressure sensors. Also, a matrix of microwells was fabricated using this technique, which can be used in various biomicroelectromechanical system applications.