Fast atom beam-activated n-Si/n-GaAs wafer bonding with high interfacial transparency and electrical conductivity

Optically transparent, electrically conductive n-Si/n-GaAs direct wafer bonds are achieved by a thorough optimization of surface conditioning using fast atom beams. Bonding at room temperature under high-vacuum conditions is systematically investigated after in situ surface deoxidization using either argon or helium fast atom beams. Using argon, high bond energies of up to 900 mJ/m(2) are obtained and further enhanced to achieve bulk strength through rapid annealing at 290 degrees C, thereby enabling the production of thermally stable and mechanically robust hybrid substrates. Moreover, the interface conductivity is significantly improved by an additional thermal annealing at 400 degrees C. Although it is anticipated to induce higher quality interfaces, helium treatment yields, however, limited and unstable bonding. This difference is attributed to an important surface nano-texturing that occurs during fast atom beam processing, a phenomenon that is peculiar to helium and absent in argon treatment. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.