Gallium-based solid liquid interdiffusion bonding of semiconductor substrates near room temperature

Within this work, bonding technologies based upon the alloying of gallium with other metals to assemble semiconductor substrates for the possible application of encapsulation and 3D-integration of micro systems and devices have been researched. Motivated by the important demand to achieve low temperature processes, methods with bonding temperatures below 200°C were investigated. Necessary technologies like the deposition of gallium as thin film and subsequent micro structuring have been developed. The alloying between gallium and gold as well as gallium and copper was analysed in detail. A good correlation between the elemental composition of the interface and its mechanical and electrical parameters was established, particularly regarding its thermal dependence. It emerged that in case of combination Au/Ga Kirkendall void are extensively formed whereby serious problems with mechanical strength as well as hermeticity emerged. In case of Cu/Ga, this problem is existent to a much lesser degree; it was possible to create hermetic tight bonds. For the necessary pre-treatment of copper, several methods could be successfully demonstrated. In summary, the development of bonding technologies based upon metallic interfaces that exhibit electric conductance, high strength and hermetic seal could be demonstrated.