Low-temperature direct bonding of diamond (100) substrate on Si wafer under atmospheric conditions

Direct bonding of a diamond (100) substrate and a Si wafer was achieved at 250 degrees C under atmospheric conditions. Prior to the bonding process, the diamond substrate was treated with H2SO4/H2O2 and NH3/H2O2 mixtures, whereas the Si wafer was irradiated using oxygen plasma. By applying the pressure during the annealing process, the substrates were entirely bonded, except for the contaminated areas. The bonded specimen was fractured when a shear force of 1.7 MPa was applied. The electron microscopic observation indicated that the diamond and Si substrates were atomically bonded through a 3-nm-thick SiO2 layer without significant loss of diamond crystallinity. The integration of diamond (100) substrates on an Si wafer would contribute to the fabrication of future diamond devices. (C) 2020 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.