A metal-dielectric bonding method includes providing a first semiconductor structure and a second semiconductor structure. The first semiconductor structure includes: a first semiconductor layer including a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor device, a first dielectric layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a first metal layer on the first dielectric layer, the first metal layer having a metal bonding surface. The metal bonding surface is planarized and a plasma treatment is applied thereto. The second semiconductor structure includes a second semiconductor layer including a pixel wafer, and a second dielectric layer on the second semiconductor layer, the second dielectric layer having a dielectric bonding surface. The dielectric bonding surface is planarized and a plasma treatment is applied thereto. The first and second semiconductor structures are bonded together by bonding the metal bonding surface with the dielectric bonding surface.

The invention provides a laminated assembly dedicated to an enhanced heat discharge type electronic device application by providing an enhanced thermal performance to a silicon device. A graphite thin film/silicon substrate laminated assembly is provided by cleaning the surfaces of a smoothed graphite thin film and a silicon substrate under deaeration conditions for activation, thereby bringing them close to each other for spontaneous bonding. In such a laminated assembly wherein the graphite thin film is provided on the silicon substrate, the silicon substrate and graphite thin film come into contact directly via an interface.

An element is disclosed. The element can include a non-conductive structure having a non-conductive bonding surface, a cavity at least partially extending through a portion of a thickness of the non-conductive structure from the non-conductive bonding surface, and a conductive pad disposed in the cavity. The cavity has a bottom side and a sidewall. The conductive pad has a bonding surface and a back side opposite the bonding surface. An average size of the grains at the bonding surface is smaller than an average size of the grains adjacent the bottom side of the cavity. The conductive pad can include a crystal structure with grains oriented along a 111 crystal plane. The element can be bonded to another element to form a bonded structure. The element and the other element can be directly bonded to one another without an intervening adhesive.

Representative implementations of techniques, methods, and formulary provide repairs to processed semiconductor substrates, and associated devices, due to erosion or “dishing” of a surface of the substrates. The substrate surface is etched until a preselected portion of one or more embedded interconnect devices protrudes above the surface of the substrate. The interconnect devices are wet etched with a selective etchant, according to a formulary, for a preselected period of time or until the interconnect devices have a preselected height relative to the surface of the substrate. The formulary includes one or more oxidizing agents, one or more organic acids, and glycerol, where the one or more oxidizing agents and the one or more organic acids are each less than 2% of formulary and the glycerol is less than 10% of the formulary.

Composite integrated circuit (IC) device structures that include two components coupled through hybrid bonded interconnect structure. The two components may be two different monolithic IC structures (e.g., chips) that are bonded over a substantially planar dielectric and metallization layer. A surface of a metallization feature may be augmented with supplemental metal, for example to at least partially backfill a recess in a surface of the metallization feature as left by a planarization process. In some exemplary embodiments, supplemental metal is deposited selectively onto a metallization feature through an autocatalytic (electroless) metal deposition process. A surface of a dielectric material surrounding a metallization feature may also be recessed, for example to at least partially neutralize a recess in an adjacent metallization feature, for example resulting from a planarization process.

Representative implementations provide techniques and systems for processing integrated circuit (IC) dies. Dies being prepared for intimate surface bonding (to other dies, to substrates, to another surface, etc.) may be processed with a minimum of handling, to prevent contamination of the surfaces or the edges of the dies. The techniques include processing dies while the dies are on a dicing sheet or other device processing film or surface. Systems include integrated cleaning components arranged to perform multiple cleaning processes simultaneously.

Reliable hybrid bonded apparatuses are provided. An example process cleans nanoparticles from at least the smooth oxide top layer of a surface to be hybrid bonded after the surface has already been activated for the hybrid bonding. Conventionally, such an operation is discouraged. However, the example cleaning processes described herein increase the electrical reliability of microelectronic devices. Extraneous metal nanoparticles can enable undesirable current and signal leakage from finely spaced traces, especially at higher voltages with ultra-fine trace pitches. In the example process, the extraneous nanoparticles may be both physically removed and/or dissolved without detriment to the activated bonding surface.

An electronic circuit including a surface intended to be attached to another electronic circuit by hybrid molecular bonding. The electronic circuit includes an electrically-insulating layer exposed on the surface, and, distributed in the electrically-insulating layer, first electrically-conductive bonding pads exposed on a first portion of the surface, the density of the first bonding pads on the first portion of the surface being smaller than 30%, and at least one electrically-conductive test pad, exposed on a second portion of the surface containing a square having a side length greater than 30 μm. The density of electrically-conductive material of the test pad exposed on the second portion of the surface is in the range from 40% to 80%.

Electrical connection between electrodes provided respectively at facing positions in joint surfaces of substrates to be joined by chip lamination technology is conducted more securely. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: a first step of embedding electrodes in insulating layers exposed to the joint surfaces of a first substrate and a second substrate; a second step of subjecting the joint surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate to chemical mechanical polishing, to form the electrodes into recesses recessed as compared to the insulating layers; a third step of laminating insulating films of a uniform thickness over the entire joint surfaces; a fourth step of forming an opening by etching in at least part of the insulating films covering the electrodes of the first substrate and the second substrate; a fifth step of causing the corresponding electrodes to face each other and joining the joint surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate to each other; and a sixth step of heating the first substrate and the second substrate joined to each other, causing the electrode material to expand and project through the openings, and joining the corresponding electrodes to each other.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes embedding electrodes in insulating layers exposed to the joint surfaces of a first substrate and a second substrate, subjecting the joint surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate to chemical mechanical polishing, to form the electrodes into recesses recessed as compared to the insulating layer, laminating insulating films of a uniform thickness over the entire joint surfaces, forming an opening by etching in at least part of the insulating films covering the electrodes of the first substrate and the second substrate, causing the corresponding electrodes to face each other and joining the joint surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate to each other, heating the first substrate and the second substrate joined to each other, causing the electrode material to expand and project through the openings, and joining the corresponding electrodes to each other.