Semiconductor Manufacturing Process for MEMS

Student’s name: Francis Oduro Konadu Home Institution: St. Charles Community College NNCI Site: Montana State University REU Principal Investigator: Dr. Wataru Nakagawa – Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Montana State University REU Mentor: Dr. Andrew Lingley - Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Montana State University Abstract: This research investigates the parameters necessary for successful anodic bonding of silicon wafers with aluminum traces to glass wafers, which will play a crucial role in the fabrication of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) devices. The primary goal is to optimize the bonding conditions, focusing on aluminum layer thickness while maintaining constant temperature, pressure, and voltage after initial successful bonding trials. Initial experiments established a baseline for bonding success under set conditions, leading to subsequent experiments that varied aluminum thickness to assess its impact on bond quality. The bond quality was evaluated using optical microscopy and attempts were made to physically separate the bonded wafers. Additionally, resistance of the aluminum traces was measured before and after the bonding process to assess any changes. Preliminary results suggest that varying the aluminum thickness influences bond integrity, guiding future experiments towards refining other parameters for achieving optimal bonding in MEMS applications. This research provides insights into the role of aluminum thickness in anodic bonding, which could prove essential for developing robust and reliable MEMS devices.