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Locally measuring the adhesion of InP directly bonded on sub-100 nm patterned Si
K Pantzas1, E Le Bourhis, G Patriarche
1Laboratoire de Photonique et des Nanostructures, CNRS UPR 20, Route de Nozay, F-91460, Marcoussis, France. Institut P', CNRS-Université de Poitiers-ENSMA-UPR 3346, SP2MI-Téléport 2 Bd Marie Pierre Curie, B.P. 30179, F-86962, Futuroscope Chasseneuil CEDEX, France.
Researchers precisely measured the adhesion of Indium Phosphide (InP) bonded to patterned Silicon (Si) using a nano-scale double cantilever method. Results show robust bonding on patterned surfaces, enabling advanced hybrid photonic integrated circuits.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Photonics
Background:
- Hybrid III-V/Si photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are crucial for advanced optical applications.
- Achieving robust wafer bonding of III-V materials (like InP) onto patterned Si is essential for integrating diverse functionalities.
- Understanding the adhesion mechanisms on nano-patterned surfaces is key to optimizing bonding processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To precisely quantify the surface bonding energies of Indium Phosphide (InP) bonded to sub-100 nm patterned Silicon (Si).
- To compare the adhesion strength on patterned Si surfaces with that on unpatterned Si.
- To assess the feasibility of using patterned Si as a guiding layer in hybrid PICs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a nano-scale analogue to the double cantilever experiment.
- Combined instrumented nano-indentation with atomic force microscopy (AFM) for local adhesion measurement.
- Investigated both oxide-free and oxide-mediated bonding of InP on patterned Si.
Main Results:
- Reported surface bonding energies of 0.548 J m⁻² (oxide-free) and 0.628 J m⁻² (oxide-mediated).
- These energies represent 51% and 57% of the bonding energy on unpatterned Si, respectively, correlating with the exposed Si surface area.
- Demonstrated that bonding on patterned surfaces can be as robust as on unpatterned surfaces.
Conclusions:
- Careful post-patterning surface preparation is critical for achieving robust bonding on patterned Si.
- The findings support the integration of patterned Si guiding layers in hybrid III-V/Si PICs.
- This research paves the way for innovative designs in silicon photonics.
