Patent US4774196A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4774196A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of bonding semiconductor wafers
Assignee: Vishay Siliconix Inc
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Filing: 1987-08-25
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Granted: 1988-09-27
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Expires: 2007-08-25
Abstract
Abstract A method of fusing two or more semiconductor wafers involves growing a silicon dioxide planar layer on each of two polished silicon wafer substrates, implanting positive ions in the silicon dioxide layers on one wafer and negative ions in the silicon dioxide layer on the other wafer. The source of positive ions is preferably cesium and the source of negative ions is preferably boron. The implanted grown oxide layers are brought into abutment so electrostatic attraction forces of the oppositely charged ions keep the wafers together while they are exposed to a relatively high temperature in an oxygen ambient to fuse the abutting surfaces together.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard A. Blanchard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:04
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P90/00; H10P90/19; H10P90/1904; H10P90/1906; H10P90/1914; H10W; H10W72/00; H10W72/30; H10W72/071; H10W72/073; H10W72/07331; H10W72/07337; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/003; Y10S148/045; Y10S148/135; Y10S148/15
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of fusing a first semiconductor wafer to a second semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: depositing an insulating layer of a compound of said semiconductor on planar surfaces of each said first and second semiconductor wafers; implanting a first implant material on one of said planar surfaces in the insulating layer of one of said wafers to provide positive ions of said first implant material in said insulating layer of one of said wafers; implenting a second implant material on another of said planar surfaces in the insulating layer of the other of said wafers to provide negative ions of said second implant material in said insulating layer of said other of said wafers; abutting said implanted planar surfaces and insulating layers of said wafers in facing relationship such that said wafers are held in contact by electrostatic attraction between said implanted positive and negative ions; and exposing said abutting wafers for a time and at a fusing temperature sufficient to fuse said implanted insulating layers together.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of fusing a first semiconductor wafer to a second semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: depositing an insulating layer of a compound of said semiconductor on planar surfaces of each said first and second semiconductor wafers; implanting a first implant material on one of said planar surfaces in the insulating layer of one of said wafers to provide positive ions of said first implant material in said insulating layer of one of said wafers; implenting a second implant material on another of said planar surfaces in the insulating layer of the other of said wafers to provide negative ions of said second implant material in said insulating layer of said other of said wafers; abutting said implanted planar surfaces and insulating layers of said wafers in facing relationship such that said wafers are held in contact by electrostatic attraction between said implanted positive and negative ions; and exposing said abutting wafers for a time and at a fusing temperature sufficient to fuse said implanted insulating layers together.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 in which said semiconductor wafers are single crystal silicon wafers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 in which said insulation layers are silicon dioxide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as set forth in claim 3 in which said first implant material is cesium and said second implant material is boron.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as set forth in claim 4 in which said implanting of cesium and boron ions is done at an implantation energy level of from about 20 Kev to about 200 Kev and at a dosage concentration of from about 1×10 11 to about 1×10 14 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as set forth in claim 5 in which the abutting implanted wafers are exposed to an oxygen ambient at a fusing temperature of from about 1,000° C. to 1,200° C. for from about 30 to about 60 minutes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as set forth in claim 6 in which said cesium and boron are implanted utilizing an energy of about 100 Kev and with a dosage of about 1×10 13 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 in which said first implant material is cesium and said second implant material is boron.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 in which said semiconductor wafers are polycrystalline silicon wafers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as set forth in claim 9 in which said insulating layers are silicon dioxide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 in which said semiconductor wafers are polycrystalline silicon or single crystal silicon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 in which said insulating layer is silicon dioxide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 in which said first implant material is cesium and said second implant material is boron.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 in which said fusing temperature is from about 1,000° C. to about 1,200° C.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of fusing a first semiconductor wafer to a second semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: providing a first wafer of semiconductor material having a first planar surface; providing a second wafer of semiconductor material having a second planar surface; growing an oxide of said semiconductor material on each of said planar surfaces; implanting a first implant material in said grown oxide on one of said planar surfaces to provide positive ions of said first implant material in said grown oxide; implanting a second implant material in said grown oxide on the other of said planar surfaces to provide negative ions of said second implant material in said grown oxide; contacting said positive ion implanted grown oxide on said one of said wafers with said negative ion implanted grown oxide on the other of said wafers; and exposing said wafers and their implanted grown oxides to a temperature and to a time sufficient to fuse said implanted grown oxides to each other.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of fusing a first semiconductor wafer to a second semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: providing a first wafer of semiconductor material having a first planar surface; providing a second wafer of semiconductor material having a second planar surface; growing an oxide of said semiconductor material on each of said planar surfaces; implanting a first implant material in said grown oxide on one of said planar surfaces to provide positive ions of said first implant material in said grown oxide; implanting a second implant material in said grown oxide on the other of said planar surfaces to provide negative ions of said second implant material in said grown oxide; contacting said positive ion implanted grown oxide on said one of said wafers with said negative ion implanted grown oxide on the other of said wafers; and exposing said wafers and their implanted grown oxides to a temperature and to a time sufficient to fuse said implanted grown oxides to each other.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as set forth in claim 15 in which said semiconductor material is silicon, said grown oxide is silicon dioxide, said first implant material is cesium, and said second implant material is boron.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-09-27 | 1992-03-28 | 1992-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-09-27 | 1996-03-28 | 1996-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-09-27 | 2000-03-28 | 2000-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |