The Role of Mobile Charge in Oxygen Plasma-Enhanced Silicon-to-Silicon Wafer Bonding

Journal article, 2010

Mechanical bonding energies of oxygen plasma treated and room-temperature wafer bonded silicon surfaces have been measured as a function of storage time in parallel with measurements of electrical interface properties. The surface energy increases with time dependence similar to that of decreasing interface state concentration. The current vs voltage behavior reveals the existence of mobile ions. We suggest that these mobile charges, after the reaction with the interface states, give rise to the increased surface energy responsible for bonding.