Thermal Transport and Mechanical Stress Mapping of a Compression Bonded GaN/Diamond Interface for Vertical Power Devices

Bonding diamond to the back side of gallium nitride (GaN) electronics has been shown to improve thermal management in lateral devices; however, engineering challenges remain with the bonding process and characterizing the bond quality for vertical device architectures. Here, integration of these two materials is achieved by room-temperature compression bonding centimeter-scale GaN and a diamond die via an intermetallic bonding layer of Ti/Au. Recent attempts at GaN/diamond bonding have utilized a modified surface activation bonding (SAB) method, which requires Ar fast atom bombardment immediately followed by bonding within the same tool under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. The method presented here does not require a dedicated SAB tool yet still achieves bonding via a room-temperature metal-metal compression process. Imaging of the buried interface and the total bonding area is achieved via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal acoustic scanning microscopy (C-SAM), respectively. The thermal transport quality of the bond is extracted from spatially resolved frequency-domain thermoreflectance (FDTR) with the bonded areas boasting a thermal boundary conductance of >100 MW/m2·K. Additionally, Raman maps of GaN near the GaN-diamond interface reveal a low level of compressive stress, <80 MPa, in well-bonded regions. FDTR and Raman were coutilized to map these buried interfaces and revealed some poor thermally bonded areas bordered by high-stress regions, highlighting the importance of spatial sampling for a complete picture of bond quality. Overall, this work demonstrates a novel method for thermal management in vertical GaN devices that maintains low intrinsic stresses while boasting high thermal boundary conductances.

Integration of High-Performance InGaAs/GaN Photodetectors by Direct Bonding via Micro-transfer Printing

The integration of dissimilar semiconductor materials holds immense potential for harnessing their complementary properties in novel applications. However, achieving such combinations through conventional heteroepitaxy or wafer bonding techniques presents significant challenges. In this research, we present a novel approach involving the direct bonding of InGaAs-based p-i-n membranes with GaN, facilitated by van der Waals forces and microtransfer printing technology. The resulting n-InP/n-GaN heterojunction was rigorously characterized through electrical measurements, with a comprehensive investigation into the impact of various surface treatments on device performance. The obtained InGaAs/GaN photodetector demonstrates remarkable electrical properties and exhibits a high optical responsivity of 0.5 A/W at the critical wavelength of 1550 nm wavelength. This pioneering work underscores the viability of microtransfer printing technology in realizing large lattice-mismatched heterojunction devices, thus expanding the horizons of semiconductor device applications.

Copper Ions Absorbed on Acrylic-Acid-Grafted Polystyrene Enable Direct Bonding with Tunable Bonding Strength and Debonding on Demand

Recycling adhesively bonded polymers is inconvenient due to its expensive separation and removal of adhesive residues. To tackle this problem, adhesive technologies are needed allowing debonding on demand and which do not contaminate the surface of the substrate. Direct bonding enabled by oxygen plasma treatment has already achieved substantial adhesion between flat substrates. However, debonding takes place by water, thus limiting the applications of this technology to water-free environments. The work presented in the following shows that this drawback can be overcome by grafting acrylic acid and adding copper(II) ions on the surface of polystyrene. In this process, the number of functional groups on the surface was significantly increased without increasing the surface roughness. The bonding strength between the substrates could be increased, and the process temperature could be lowered. Nevertheless, the samples could be debonded by exposure to EDTA solution under ultrasound. Hence, by combining acrylic acid grafting, variations in the bonding temperatures and the use of copper(II) ions, the bonding strength (5 N to >85 N) and the debonding time under the action of water can be tuned over large ranges (seconds to complete resistance).

Low Temperature Hydrophilic SiC Wafer Level Direct Bonding for Ultrahigh-Voltage Device Applications

SiC direct bonding using O₂ plasma activation is investigated in this work. SiC substrate and n⁻ SiC epitaxy growth layer are activated with an optimized duration of 60s and power of the oxygen ion beam source at 20 W. After O₂ plasma activation, both the SiC substrate and n⁻ SiC epitaxy growth layer present a sufficient hydrophilic surface for bonding. The two 4-inch wafers are prebonded at room temperature followed by an annealing process in an atmospheric N₂ ambient for 3 h at 300 °C. The scanning results obtained by C-mode scanning acoustic microscopy (C-SAM) shows a high bonding uniformity. The bonding strength of 1473 mJ/m² is achieved. The bonding mechanisms are investigated through interface analysis by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Oxygen is found between the two interfaces, which indicates Si–O and C–O are formed at the bonding interface. However, a C-rich area is also detected at the bonding interface, which reveals the formation of C-C bonds in the activated SiC surface layer. These results show the potential of low cost and efficient surface activation method for SiC direct bonding for ultrahigh-voltage devices applications.

An LC Wireless Passive Pressure Sensor Based on Single-Crystal MgO MEMS Processing Technique for High Temperature Applications

An LC wireless passive pressure sensor based on a single-crystalline magnesium oxide (MgO) MEMS processing technique is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for applications in environmental conditions of 900 °C. Compared to other high-temperature resistant materials, MgO was selected as the sensor substrate material for the first time in the field of wireless passive sensing because of its ultra-high melting point (2800 °C) and excellent mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. The sensor mainly consists of inductance coils and an embedded sealed cavity. The cavity length decreases with the applied pressure, leading to a monotonic variation in the resonant frequency of the sensor, which can be retrieved wirelessly via a readout antenna. The capacitor cavity was fabricated using a MgO MEMS technique. This MEMS processing technique, including the wet chemical etching and direct bonding process, can improve the operating temperature of the sensor. The experimental results indicate that the proposed sensor can stably operate at an ambient environment of 22–900 °C and 0–700 kPa, and the pressure sensitivity of this sensor at room temperature is 14.52 kHz/kPa. In addition, the sensor with a simple fabrication process shows high potential for practical engineering applications in harsh environments.

Aluminum Nitride to Silicon Direct Bonding for an Alternative Silicon-On-Insulator Platform

The next generation of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) requires new materials and platforms that can exploit the intrinsic properties of advanced materials and structures, such as materials with high thermal conductivity, broad optical transmission spectra, piezoelectric properties, and miniaturization potential. Therefore, we need to look beyond standard SiO₂-based silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structures to realize ubiquitous MEMS. This work proposes using AlN as an alternative SOI structure due to several inherent material property advantages as well as functional advantages. This work presents the results of reactively sputtered AlN films on a Si handle wafer bonded with a mirror-polished Si device wafer. Wafer bonding was achieved by using hydrophilic wafer bonding processes, which was realized by appropriate polymerization of the prebonding surfaces. Plasma activation of the AlN surface included O₂, Ar, SF₆, SF₆ + Ar, and/or SF₆ + O₂, which resulted in a change in the chemical and topography state of the surface. Changes in the AlN surface properties included enhanced hydrophilicity, reduced surface roughness, and low nanotopography, components essential for successful hydrophilic direct wafer bonding. Wafer bonding experiments were carried out using promising surface activation methods. The results showed a multilayered bonding interface of Si(Device)/SiO₂/ALON/AlN/Si(Handle) with fluorine in the aluminum oxynitride layer from the proceeding AlN surface activation process. More notably, this work provided wafer bonding tensile strength results of the AlN alternative SOI structure that compares with the traditional SiO₂ SOI counterpart, making AlN to Si direct bonding an attractive alternative SOI platform.

Characteristics of an Implantable Blood Pressure Sensor Packaged by Ultrafast Laser Microwelding

We propose a new packaging process for an implantable blood pressure sensor using ultrafast laser micro-welding. The sensor is a membrane type, passive device that uses the change in the capacitance caused by the membrane deformation due to applied pressure. Components of the sensor such as inductors and capacitors were fabricated on two glass (quartz) wafers and the two wafers were bonded into a single package. Conventional bonding methods such as adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, and anodic bonding require considerable effort and cost. Therefore CO₂ laser cutting was used due to its fast and easy operation providing melting and bonding of the interface at the same time. However, a severe heat process leading to a large temperature gradient by rapid heating and quenching at the interface causes microcracks in brittle glass and results in low durability and production yield. In this paper, we introduce an ultrafast laser process for glass bonding because it can optimize the heat accumulation inside the glass by a short pulse width within a few picoseconds and a high pulse repetition rate. As a result, the ultrafast laser welding provides microscale bonding for glass pressure sensor packaging. The packaging process was performed with a minimized welding seam width of 100 μm with a minute. The minimized welding seam allows a drastic reduction of the sensor size, which is a significant benefit for implantable sensors. The fabricated pressure sensor was operated with resonance frequencies corresponding to applied pressures and there was no air leakage through the welded interface. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity tests with the sensor showed that there was no elution of inner components and the ultrafast laser packaged sensor is non-toxic. The ultrafast laser welding provides a fast and robust glass chip packaging, which has advantages in hermeticity, bio-compatibility, and cost-effectiveness in the manufacturing of compact implantable sensors.

A Comparative Study of Shear Bond Strength of Direct Bonding System with and without a Liquid Primer: An In Vitro Study

Background

A primer in dental bonding agents enhances the bond between the adhesive and the tooth by way of deriding the tooth surface of moisture and creating a hydrophobic surface for the adhesive to bond and by facilitating the flow of the adhesive into the etched tooth surface. In the orthodontic context, however, there have been debatable results in the published literature as to how significantly the use of primer affects the bond strength between the bracket and the tooth surface.

Aims

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the shear bond strength of two commercially available direct bonding systems with and without using liquid primer and to record their adhesive remnant index scores.

Settings and Design

A total of 100 natural human teeth, extracted for orthodontic therapies, had been selected as specimens for the study. They were equally divided into four categories. Two commercially available products were used to bond metallic orthodontic brackets to the teeth, both with the use of and without the use of a primer to test the shear bond strengths of the four types of adhesive-tooth complexes created. Shear bond strength was measured using universal testing machine, and Student's t-test was applied for the comparison of the results.

Materials and Methods

A total of 100 extracted human premolar teeth were divided into two groups: Group I and Group II, each of which contained two subgroups (with one subgroup pretreated with a primer and the other, not pretreated with the primer). All the teeth were divided equally among the subgroups and were mounted on color-coded acrylic blocks to aid in identification. Group I was bonded with Transbond XT Light Cure Adhesive (3M Unitek Orthodontic Products, Monrovia, California) and Group II was bonded using Phase II two-paste system (Reliance Orthodontic Products, Itasca, Illinois). The shear bond strength of Transbond XT Light Cure Adhesive used with Transbond XT primer and Phase II orthodontic two-paste system used with liquid primer was compared with that of those used without a liquid primer, respectively. The shear bond strength was evaluated using universal testing machine and the adhesive remnant scores were evaluated subsequently. The Student's t-test was applied for comparison of the two groups.

Statistical Analysis

Descriptive statistics, such as mean, standard deviation, and a standard error, were calculated for Transbond XT used with and without primer and for Phase II two-paste system used with and without a liquid resin. The Student's t-test was applied for comparison of the two groups.

Results

In Group I, the mean bond strength of Transbond XT without primer (12.5272MPa, 95% CI: 11.76-13.68) was compared to that of Transbond XT with XT primer (13.2028MPa, 95% CI: 12.39-14.06). In Group II, the mean shear bond strength of Phase II two-paste system without primer (10.66MPa, 95% CI: 10.13-11.18) was compared to that of Phase II two-paste system with primer (10.66MPa, 95% CI: 10.13-11.18), and the values were statistically insignificant.

Conclusion

The shear bond strength of the brackets bonded with Transbond XT and Phase II without using the liquid primer was sufficient enough to withstand the masticatory forces, which implies the elimination of liquid primer during bonding.

Clinical Significance

The development of the acid-etch technique and Bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate-based liquid resin has changed the practice of orthodontics over the years more than any other single principle formulated. Despite its wide popularity, the cytotoxicity, which stems from the use of liquid primer, needs attention.

Interface Characteristics of Sapphire Direct Bonding for High-Temperature Applications

In this letter, we present a sapphire direct bonding method using plasma surface activation, hydrophilic pre-bonding, and high temperature annealing. Through the combination of sapphire inductively coupled plasma etching and the direct bonding process, a vacuum-sealed cavity employable for high temperature applications is achieved. Cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) research of the bonding interface indicates that the two sapphire pieces are well bonded and the cavity structure stays intact. Moreover, the tensile testing shows that the bonding strength of the bonding interface is in excess of 7.2 MPa. The advantage of sapphire direct bonding is that it is free from the various problems caused by the mismatch in the coefficients of thermal expansion between different materials. Therefore, the bonded vacuum-sealed cavity can be potentially further developed into an all-sapphire pressure sensor for high temperature applications.

Oxide-Oxide Thermocompression Direct Bonding Technologies with Capillary Self-Assembly for Multichip-to-Wafer Heterogeneous 3D System Integration

Plasma- and water-assisted oxide-oxide thermocompression direct bonding for a self-assembly based multichip-to-wafer (MCtW) 3D integration approach was demonstrated. The bonding yields and bonding strengths of the self-assembled chips obtained by the MCtW direct bonding technology were evaluated. In this study, chemical mechanical polish (CMP)-treated oxide formed by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) as a MCtW bonding interface was mainly employed, and in addition, wafer-to-wafer thermocompression direct bonding was also used for comparison. N₂ or Ar plasmas were utilized for the surface activation. After plasma activation and the subsequent supplying of water as a self-assembly mediate, the chips with the PE-CVD oxide layer were driven by the liquid surface tension and precisely aligned on the host wafers, and subsequently, they were tightly bonded to the wafers through the MCtW oxide-oxide direct bonding technology. Finally, a mechanism of oxide-oxide direct bonding to support the previous models was discussed using an atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer (APIMS).

Fabrication of buckling free ultrathin silicon membranes by direct bonding with thermal difference

An innovative method to fabricate large area (up to several squared millimeters) ultrathin (100 nm) monocrystalline silicon (Si) membranes is described. This process is based on the direct bonding of a silicon-on-insulator wafer with a preperforated silicon wafer. The stress generated by the thermal difference applied during the bonding process is exploited to produce buckling free silicon nanomembranes of large areas. The thermal differences required to achieve these membranes (≥1 mm(2)) are estimated by analytical calculations. An experimental study of the stress achievable by direct bonding through two specific surface preparations (hydrophobic or hydrophilic) is reported. Buckling free silicon nanomembranes secured on a 2 × 2 cm(2) frame with lateral dimensions up to 5 × 5 mm(2) are successfully fabricated using the optimized direct bonding process. The stress estimated by theoretical analysis is confirmed by Raman measurements, while the flatness of the nanomembranes is demonstrated by optical interferometry. The successful fabrications of high resolution (50 nm half pitch) tungsten gratings on the silicon nanomembranes and of focused ion beam milling nanostructures show the promising potential of the Si membranes for X-ray optics and for the emerging nanosensor market.

Force and amount of resin composite paste used in direct and indirect bonding

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between the forces applied by the operator and the amount of adhesive used in the direct and indirect bonding methods.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A system for measuring the force applied by operator was used to test specimens prepared by 12 orthodontic specialists. To determine the proper amount of adhesive, metal brackets were bonded to transparent resin teeth using composite resin paste and different forces (100, 200, and 300 g); the area of the composite resin paste was then measured using image-analysis software. The mean forces applied in direct and indirect bonding were compared by Student's t-test.

RESULTS

Various values for force were obtained for the direct bonding (53-940 g) and indirect bonding (150-870 g) techniques. Although in all cases the area of composite resin paste after the application of constant force was greater than the area of the metal brackets, an insufficient amount of composite resin paste on the bracket base was observed with forces of 100 and 200 g.

CONCLUSIONS

A force of greater than 200 g might be preferable for obtaining a thin composite resin layer and for achieving sufficient spreading of the composite resin paste.