Wafer-level plasma activated bonding: new technology for MEMS fabrication

Dragoi, Viorel; Mittendorfer, Gerald; Thanner, C.; Lindner, Paul

doi:10.1007/s00542-007-0437-7

Cited by 39 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Several bonding techniques are available and we highlight eutectic and direct bonding as the most suitable methods due to their low outgassing and high hermeticity, with anodic bonding as a suitable alternative if the oxygen released during bonding can be pumped away. Lowering the temperatures of these bonding techniques should be investigated as they can reduce the outgassing limitations by two or three orders of magnitude 171,174,175,181,[243][244][245][246][247][248] .…”

Section: E Vacuum Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Contributed Review: The feasibility of a fully miniaturized magneto-optical trap for portable ultracold quantum technology

Rushton

Aldous

Himsworth

2014

Review of Scientific Instruments

107

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Experiments using laser cooled atoms and ions show real promise for practical applications in quantumenhanced metrology, timing, navigation, and sensing as well as exotic roles in quantum computing, networking and simulation. The heart of many of these experiments has been translated to microfabricated platforms known as atom chips whose construction readily lend themselves to integration with larger systems and future mass production. To truly make the jump from laboratory demonstrations to practical, rugged devices, the complex surrounding infrastructure (including vacuum systems, optics, and lasers) also needs to be miniaturized and integrated. In this paper we explore the feasibility of applying this approach to the Magneto-Optical Trap; incorporating the vacuum system, atom source and optical geometry into a permanently sealed microlitre system capable of maintaining 10 −10 mbar for more than 1000 days of operation with passive pumping alone. We demonstrate such an engineering challenge is achievable using recent advances in semiconductor microfabrication techniques and materials.PACS numbers: 07.07.Df, 37.10.Gh, 07.30.Kf, I. ULTRACOLD QUANTUM TECHNOLOGYSince the first demonstrations of atoms and ions at sub-millikelvin temperatures in the mid-1980s, the field of atomic physics has been revolutionized by laser cooling and trapping as it provides researchers with a method to probe some of the purest and sensitive quantum systems available. This field is still highly productive and recently has put significant emphasis on the practical applications of this technology beyond the laboratory 1,2 . It was evident very early on that ultracold matter would be an indispensable tool in precise timing applications and a recent demonstration 3 has shown extremely low instabilities at the 10 −18 level. The wavelike nature of atoms as they are cooled to lower temperatures can be used to form atomic interferometers that outperform optical counterparts in measurements of accelerated reference frames 4-7 , which are important for inertial guidance systems, but can also provide sensitive measurements of mass, charge and magnetic fields [8][9][10][11] . Greater sensitivity beyond the classical limit is possible via squeezed 12 and entangled states 13-15 , which are also fundamental attributes for quantum computing 16,17 , and long distance quantum networking 18 . Ultracold matter has been used in the emerging field of quantum simulation 19 and is an indispensable tool in determining fundamental constants 20 , testing general relativity 21 and defining measurement standards 22 . Many researchers and industries believe such tools will be a major part of the 'second quantum revolution' in which the more 'exotic' properties of quantum physics are applied for practical applications 23,24 .The field of ultracold matter has reached a matua) m.d.himsworth@soton.ac.uk rity in both experimental methods and theoretical understanding allowing experiments to begin leaving the laboratory 25-27 . These systems are bespoke, rarely take up a ...

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Section: E Vacuum Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, thin films, such as gold on silicon, can diffuse at moderate temperatures if additional barrier layers are not used 170 . In these situations one must use lower temperature degassing, such as UV desorption or plasma cleaning, and also develop lower temperature bonding methods 171,174,175,181,[243][244][245][246][247][248] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contributed Review: The feasibility of a fully miniaturized magneto-optical trap for portable ultracold quantum technology

Rushton

Aldous

Himsworth

2014

Review of Scientific Instruments

107

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“…Conventional approaches, such as wire bonding and lead frame assembly, require large footprint of device because of the long wires and housing lids, which introduce extra cost. Wafer bonding is an improved technology that meets requirements of downscaling, increasing integration density and lowering fabrication cost [61]. Schematic of an optical sensing microsystem using a Si-based platform.…”

Section: Wafer Bonding For Electrical and Optical Interfacesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In order to obtain high performance electrical and optical interfaces, low-temperature wafer bonding is recommended. Thermal treatment at low temperatures minimizes the CTE difference induced alignment offset and stress between materials, thus increasing the optical coupling efficiency and the reliability of the interconnections [61].…”

Section: Low-temperature Wafer Bonding Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The small amount of surface hydroxyl groups assists the Si-Si covalent bond formation after annealing (Figure 7b2) [90]. To increase the amount of hydroxyl groups, additional plasma treatment is necessary [61]. The requirement of ultra-smooth and clean surfaces is one of the disadvantages in the hydrophilic and hydrophobic bonding technologies.…”

Section: Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Bondingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Low-Temperature Bonding for Silicon-Based Micro-Optical Systems

Howlader

Deen

2015

Photonics

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Abstract:Silicon-based integrated systems are actively pursued for sensing and imaging applications. A major challenge to realize highly sensitive systems is the integration of electronic, optical, mechanical and fluidic, all on a common platform. Further, the interface quality between the tiny optoelectronic structures and the substrate for alignment and coupling of the signals significantly impacts the system's performance. These systems also have to be low-cost, densely integrated and compatible with current and future mainstream technologies for electronic-photonic integration. To address these issues, proper selection of the fabrication, integration and assembly technologies is needed. In this paper, wafer level bonding with advanced features such as surface activation and passive alignment for vertical electrical interconnections are identified as candidate technologies to integrate different electronics, optical and photonic components. Surface activated bonding, superior to other assembly methods, enables low-temperature nanoscaled component integration with high alignment accuracy, low electrical loss and high transparency of the interface. These features are preferred for the hybrid integration of silicon-based micro-opto-electronic systems. In future, new materials and assembly technologies may emerge to enhance the performance of these micro systems and reduce their cost. The article is a detailed review of bonding techniques for electronic, optical and photonic components in silicon-based systems.

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