COMPOSITE SUBSTRATE, ELASTIC WAVE ELEMENT, AND PRODUCTION METHOD FOR COMPOSITE SUBSTRATE

Abstract

A composite substrate includes a supporting substrate composed of quartz, a piezoelectric material substrate, a first amorphous layer present between the supporting substrate and piezoelectric material substrate, and a second amorphous layer present between the supporting substrate and first amorphous layer. The first amorphous layer contains 10 to 30 atom % of silicon atoms, and the second amorphous layer contains 1 to 10 atom % of fluorine atoms.

Claims

1. A composite substrate comprising: a supporting substrate comprising quartz; a piezoelectric material substrate; a first amorphous layer present between said supporting substrate and said piezoelectric material substrate; and a second amorphous layer present between said supporting substrate and said first amorphous layer, wherein said first amorphous layer contains 10 to 30 atom % of silicon atoms, and wherein said second amorphous layer contains 1 to 10 atom % of fluorine atoms.

2. The composite substrate of claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric material substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of lithium niobate, lithium tantalate and lithium niobate-lithium tantalate; and wherein said first amorphous layer comprises said silicon atoms and atoms constituting said material as main components.

3. The composite substrate of claim 1, wherein said second amorphous layer comprises said fluorine atoms, silicon atoms and oxygen atoms as main components.

4. The composite substrate of claim 1, wherein said amorphous layer has a thickness of 1 nm to 3 nm; and wherein said second amorphous layer has a thickness of 4 to 10 nm.

5. An acoustic wave device comprising: the composite substrate of claim 1; and an electrode on said piezoelectric material substrate.

6. A method of producing a composite substrate comprising a supporting substrate comprising quartz and a piezoelectric material substrate, said method comprising the steps of; irradiating a plasma containing at last one of oxygen gas and nitrogen gas onto a surface of said supporting substrate to generate an activated surface; irradiating a plasma containing at least one of oxygen gas and nitrogen gas onto a surface of said piezoelectric material substrate to generate an activated surface; contacting said activated surface of said supporting substrate and said activated surface of said piezoelectric material substrate to obtain a bonded body; and subjecting said bonded body to a thermal treatment at a temperature of 250° C. to 350° C.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said piezoelectric material substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of lithium niobate, lithium tantalate and lithium niobate-lithium tantalate.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said thickness of said piezoelectric material substrate is made smaller by polishing after said thermal treatment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1(a) shows a piezoelectric material substrate 1, and FIG. 1(b) shows the state that a bonding surface 1a of the piezoelectric material substrate 1 is activated to generate an activated surface 1c.

[0033] FIG. 2 (a) shows a supporting substrate 4, and FIG. 2(b) shows the state that a surface of the supporting substrate 4 is activated.

[0034] FIG. 3(a) shows a bonded body 7 obtained by directly bonding the piezoelectric material substrate 1 and supporting substrate 4, FIG. 3(b) shows the state that a piezoelectric material substrate 1A of the bonded body is thinned by polishing, and FIG. 3(c) shows an acoustic wave device 10.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the heating temperature and bonding strength after the direct bonding.

[0036] FIG. 5 is a photograph showing the vicinity of the interface of the composite substrate taken by a high-resolution transmission type electron microscope (8,000,000 folds).

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0037] The present invention will be described in detail below, appropriately referring to the attached drawings.

[0038] First, as shown in FIG. 1(a), it is prepared a piezoelectric material substrate 1 having a pair of main surfaces 1a and 1b. According to the present example, 1a is selected as a bonding surface. Then, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), plasma is irradiated onto the bonding surface 1a of the piezoelectric material substrate 1 as an arrow A, to obtain an activated bonding surface 1c.

[0039] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2(a), it is prepared a supporting substrate 4. Then, as shown in FIG. 2(b), plasma is irradiated onto the surface 4a of the supporting substrate 4 as an arrow B for performing the surface activation, to form an activated bonding surface 6.

[0040] Then, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the activated bonding surface 1c on the piezoelectric material substrate 1 and activated bonding surface 6 of the supporting substrate 4 are contacted and directly bonded with each other, to obtain a bonded body. The thus obtained bonded body is heated, for example at 1000° C., to obtain a bonding strength which can endure the grinding process. The piezoelectric substrate of the bonded body is then thinned by a grinding machine. The bonded body is then subjected to thermal treatment at a temperature of 250° C. or higher and 350° C. or lower to obtain a bonded body 7. Here, a second amorphous layer 11 and first amorphous layer 5 are generated between the supporting substrate 4 and piezoelectric material substrate 1. At this stage, an electrode may be provided on the piezoelectric material substrate 1. However, preferably, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the main surface 1b of the piezoelectric material substrate 1 is processed to thin the substrate 1, to obtain a thinned piezoelectric material substrate 1A. 1d represents a processed surface. Then, as shown in FIG. 3(c), predetermined electrodes 8 are formed on the processed surface 1d of the piezoelectric material substrate 1A of a bonded body 7A to obtain an acoustic wave device 10.

[0041] The respective constituents of the present invention will be described in the order.

[0042] The material of the supporting substrate 4 is made quartz. Quartz is a crystal having anisotropy, and the performance of a piezoelectric device is dependent on the crystal orientation. According to the non-patent document 1, spurious is suppressed by noting the acoustic velocity. It is thus possible to appropriately select the orientation so that desired performance can be obtained.

[0043] The piezoelectric material substrate 1 used in the present invention may preferably be composed of lithium tantalate (LT), lithium niobate (LN), or lithium niobate-lithium tantalate solid solution. As the materials have high propagation speed of an acoustic wave and large electromechanical coupling factor, they are suitable for a surface acoustic wave device of a high frequency and wide-band frequency application.

[0044] Further, although the normal line direction of the main surfaces 1a and 1b of the piezoelectric material substrate 1 is not particularly limited, for example, in the case that the piezoelectric material substrate 1 is made of LT, it is preferred to use the substrate rotated from Y-axis toward Z-axis by 32 to 55° ((180°, 58 to 35°, 180°) on Euler angle representation) around X-axis, which is a direction of propagation of a surface acoustic wave, because of a low propagation loss. In the case that the piezoelectric material substrate 1 is made of LN, (i) it is preferred to use the substrate rotated from Z axis toward −Y-axis by 37.8° ((0°, 37.8°, 0°) on Euler angle representation) around X-axis, which is the direction of propagation of the surface acoustic wave, because of a larger electromechanical coupling factor. Alternatively, (ii) it is preferred to use the substrate rotated from Y axis toward Z axis by 40 to 65° ((180°, 50 to 25°, 180°) on Euler angle representation) around X-axis, which is the direction of propagation of the surface acoustic wave, because of a high acoustic velocity. Further, although the size of the piezoelectric material substrate 1 is not particularly limited, for example, the diameter may be 100 to 200 mm and thickness may be 0.15 to 1 μm.

[0045] Plasma is then irradiated onto the surface of the piezoelectric material substrate and surface of the supporting substrate to activate the respective surfaces.

[0046] The atmosphere during the surface activation is made atmosphere containing oxygen. The atmosphere may be composed of oxygen only, nitrogen only, or mixed gases of oxygen and nitrogen, hydrogen gas and argon. In the case of the mixed gases, the ratio can be appropriately adjusted in relation to the bonding strength, although the ratio is not particularly limited.

[0047] The pressure of the atmosphere during the surface activation may preferably be 100 Pa or lower and more preferably be 80 Pa or lower. Further, the pressure of the atmosphere may preferably be 30 Pa or higher and more preferably be 50 Pa or higher.

[0048] The temperature during plasma irradiation is made 150° C. or lower. It is thus possible to obtain a bonded body 7 having a high bonding strength and without deterioration of piezoelectric material. On the viewpoint, the temperature during the plasma irradiation is made 150° C. or lower, and may preferably be made 100° C. or lower.

[0049] Further, the energy of the plasma irradiation may preferably be 30 to 150 W. Further, the product of the energy and irradiation time duration of the irradiated plasma may preferably be 0.1 to 1.0 Wh.

[0050] According to a preferred embodiment, before the surface activation treatment, the bonding surface 1a of the piezoelectric material substrate and surface 4a of the supporting substrate are subjected to flattening process. The method of flattening the respective surfaces 1a and 4a may be lapping, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) and the like. Further, the flattened surfaces may preferably have Ra of 1 nm or lower and more preferably be 0.3 nm or lower.

[0051] Then, the activated surface of the piezoelectric material substrate and the activated surface of the supporting substrate are contacted and bonded with each other. Thereafter, the bonded body is preferably subjected to thermal treatment to provide a bonding strength which can endure the polishing process of the piezoelectric material substrate. The temperature of the thermal treatment may preferably be 100 to 150° C. According to the present embodiment, the piezoelectric material substrate may be subjected to polishing process to reduce the thickness after the thermal treatment.

[0052] The bonded body is then subjected to thermal treatment (annealing treatment) to improve the bonding strength. On the viewpoint of the present invention, the temperature during the thermal treatment is 250° C. or higher and may more preferably be 270° C. or higher. Further, the temperature during the thermal treatment may preferably be 350° C. or lower and more preferably be 300° C. or lower, for preventing the fracture of the bonded body.

[0053] According to the present invention, the first amorphous layer contains 10 to 30 atom % of silicon atoms. The content of silicon atoms of the first amorphous layer may more preferably be 15 atom % or higher and more preferably be 25 atom % or lower.

[0054] Further, the second amorphous layer contains 1 to 10 atom % of fluorine atoms. The content of fluorine atoms of the second amorphous layer may preferably be 3 atom % or higher, and the content of fluorine atoms of the second amorphous layer may preferably be 8 atom % or lower.

[0055] According to a preferred embodiment, the piezoelectric material substrate is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of lithium niobate, lithium tantalate and lithium niobate-lithium tantalate, and the first amorphous layer contains silicon atoms and atoms constituting the material as main components. In this case, the atoms constituting the material of the piezoelectric material substrate are one or two kinds of atoms selected from the group consisting of niobium and tantalum, lithium and oxygen. However, as it is impossible to directly measure the ratio of lithium according to the method described in the specification, the ratio of lithium is excluded from the respective ratios of the respective atoms constituting the material.

[0056] According to the present embodiment, a total of the ratios of the one or two kinds of atoms selected from the group consisting of niobium and tantalum and oxygen atoms of the first amorphous layer may preferably be 70 atom % or higher and more preferably be 90 atom % or lower. Further, a total ratio of the one or two kinds of atoms selected from the group consisting of niobium and tantalum of the first amorphous layer may more preferably be 75 atom % or higher and may more preferably be 85 atom % or lower. Further, the ratio of oxygen atoms of the first amorphous layer may more preferably be 60 atom % or lower and more preferably be 50 atom % or lower.

[0057] Further, according to a preferred embodiment, the second amorphous layer contains fluorine atoms, silicon atoms and oxygen atoms as main components. According to the present embodiment, preferably, the ratio of silicon atoms of the second amorphous layer may more preferably be 35 atom % or higher and may more preferably be 50 atom % or lower. Further, the ratio of oxygen atoms of the second amorphous layer may more preferably be 45 atom % or higher and may more preferably be 60 atom % or lower.

[0058] The concentrations of the respective atoms are measured by EDX method (energy distribution type X-ray analyzing method). “JEM-ARM200F” supplied by JEOL Ltd. is used as the EDX measurement system. The acceleration voltage is made 200 kV and beam size is made about 0.1 nmφ.

[0059] The thickness of the first amorphous layer may preferably be 1.0 nm to 3.0 nm, on the viewpoint of the present invention. Further, the thickness of the second amorphous layer may preferably be 4 to 10 nm and more preferably be 6 to 8 nm, on the viewpoint of the present invention. Further, the presence and thickness of each of the first amorphous layer and second amorphous layer can be confirmed by observing the cross section of the composite substrate by means of a high-resolution transmission type electron microscope (magnification of 8,000,000 folds.)

[0060] According to the present invention, when the piezoelectric material substrate is thinned by the processing, it is possible to suppress the separation of the piezoelectric material substrate from the supporting substrate. Thus, on the viewpoint of the performance of the composite substrate, particularly acoustic wave device, the thickness of the piezoelectric material substrate may preferably be 2.0 μm or smaller and more preferably be 1.0 μm or smaller. Although the lower limit of the thickness of the piezoelectric material substrate is not particularly limited, the thickness may made 0.05 μm or larger, on the viewpoint of the actual processing. Further, the thickness of the piezoelectric material substrate is measured by means of an optical type measuring machine (“F20” supplied by Filmetrix corporation) applying optical interference.

[0061] The bonded bodies 7 and 7A of the present invention can be appropriately used for the acoustic wave device 10.

[0062] As the acoustic wave device 10, a surface acoustic wave device, Lamb wave-type device, thin film resonator (FBAR) and the like are known. For example, the surface acoustic wave device is produced by providing input side IDT (Interdigital transducer) electrodes (also referred to as comb electrodes or interdigitated electrodes) for oscillating surface acoustic wave and IDT electrodes on the output side for receiving the surface acoustic wave on the surface of the piezoelectric single crystal substrate. By applying high frequency signal on the IDT electrodes on the input side, electric field is generated between the electrodes, so that the surface acoustic wave is oscillated and propagated on the piezoelectric material substrate. Then, the propagated surface acoustic wave is drawn as an electrical signal from the IDT electrodes on the output side provided in the direction of the propagation.

[0063] The material forming the electrodes (electrode pattern) 8 on the piezoelectric material substrate 1A may preferably be aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper or gold and more preferably be aluminum or aluminum alloy. The aluminum alloy used may preferably be Al doped with 0.3 to 5 weight percent of Cu. In this case, Ti, Mg, Ni, Mo, or Ta may be used instead of Cu.

EXAMPLES

Inventive Example 1

[0064] It was produced a surface acoustic wave device, according to the procedure described referring to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0065] Specifically, a 42Y-cut X-propagation LiTaO.sub.3 substrate (piezoelectric material substrate) 1 having thickness of 250 μm with both surfaces mirror polished and an AT-cut quartz substrate (supporting substrate) 4 having a thickness of 350 μm were prepared. The sizes of the substrates were 100 mm, respectively. Then, the surface 1a of the piezoelectric material substrate 1 and surface 4a of the supporting substrate 4 were subjected to cleaning and surface activation, respectively.

[0066] Specifically, ultrasonic cleaning by pure water was performed and the surfaces of the substrates were dried by spin drying. Then, the supporting substrate after the cleaning was introduced into a plasma activation chamber and the bonding surface was activated by oxygen gas plasma at 30° C. Further, the piezoelectric material substrate was similarly introduced into the plasma activation chamber and the bonding surface was subjected to surface activation by oxygen gas plasma at 30° C. Each time duration of the surface activation was made 40 seconds, and each energy was made 100 W. For removing particles attached during the surface activation, the ultrasonic cleaning and spin drying as described above were performed again.

[0067] The positions of the respective substrates were then adjusted so that the activated bonding surfaces of the respective substrates were contacted with each other at room temperature. As the central parts of the laminated substrates were pressurized, it was observed the state (so-called bonding wave) that the adhesion of the substrates was spreading to prove that good preliminary bonding was accomplished. Then, the bonded body was charged into an oven filled with nitrogen atmosphere over 10 hours. As the relationship between the thermal treatment temperature and bonding strength was researched, it was obtained data shown in FIG. 4. It is necessary to make the thickness of the piezoelectric material very thin for realizing a SAW filter having high performance obtained by bonding the piezoelectric material and quartz. Very strong bonding is necessary for realizing such structure by CMP. Specifically, a bonding strength of 3 J/m.sup.2 or larger is necessary. According to the present example, it is proved that it is necessary the thermal treatment temperature of 250° C. or higher. Further, the bonding strength was evaluated by blade method described in the non-patent document 3.

[0068] The piezoelectric material substrate of the bonded body after the thermal treatment at 100° C. over 10 hours was processed by a grinding machine to a thickness of 10 μm. The processed substrate was heated at 250° C. for 10 hours more. Then, the substrate was set in a lapping machine and processed until the thickness reached 5 μm, while diamond slurry was supplied. Finally, it was polished by a CMP processing machine for performing the removal of the processing denatured layer and final adjustment of the thickness. Colloidal silica was supplied as slurry for polishing. As the substrate was taken out after the polishing, the separation of the piezoelectric material substrate was not observed, confirming that very strong bonding was realized.

[0069] As the thickness of the piezoelectric material substrate was measured by an optical type measuring system (“F20” supplied by Filmetrix corporation, “F20”) by optical interference, it was obtain a very thin layer of 2 μm.

[0070] As the CMP was continued for studying the limit of the thickness of the piezoelectric material substrate, the separation was not observed even when the thickness of the piezoelectric material substrate reached 0.3 μm.

[0071] As the cross section of the bonding interface of the inventive example 1 was analyzed by means of a high-resolution TEM (system; “JEM-ARM200F”, acceleration voltage; 200 kV, magnification; 8,000,000 folds), an amorphous layer was observed (FIG. 5). Further, as the amorphous layer is observed in detail, it was proved that it was divided into two layers.

[0072] That is, in FIG. 5, a region 1 represents an end part of the piezoelectric material substrate composed of lithium tantalate single crystal, and a region 4 represents the supporting substrate composed of silicon oxide. The region 1 is darker than the region 4, because a large amount of tantalum atoms having a large molecular weight is present therein. Then, a region 2 represents a first amorphous layer, and a region 3 represents a second amorphous layer.

[0073] EDX analysis was performed according to the following conditions, for studying the compositions of the respective amorphous layers. The results of the measurements were shown in table 1.

[0074] Transmission electron microscope: “HD-2700” supplied by Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation.

[0075] Acceleration voltage: 200 kV

[0076] Beam size: about 0.2 nmφ

[0077] Elementary analysis system: “Genesis” supplied by EDAX

[0078] X-ray detector: Si/Li semiconductor detector

[0079] Energy resolution: about 140 eV

[0080] X-ray extraction angle: 25.7°

[0081] Solid angle: 0.31 sr

[0082] Extraction time: 30 sec

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Inventive Example 1 Concentrations of atoms (atom %) O Si Ta F First amorphous layer 65 20 15 0 Second amorphous layer 52 43 0 5 Thickness of first 1.7 nm amorphous layer Thickness of second 7.5 nm amorphous layer Bonding strength 3.0 (J/m.sup.2) Thickness at which 0.3 piezoelectric material substrate is not separated (μm)

Inventive Example 2

[0083] Please of mixed gases containing 80% of nitrogen gas and 20% of oxygen gas was used instead of the oxygen gas plasma in the inventive example 1. In changing the gas composition, the matching was appropriately changed so that the reflection voltage of RF takes the minimum.

[0084] The bonded body was processed according to the same procedure as the inventive example 1, except the above. As a result, a large bonding strength of 3.2 J/m.sup.2 was measured after the heating at 250° C. as the inventive example 1. The separation did not occur also in this substrate, even when the thickness of the piezoelectric layer is made 1 μm by CMP processing.

[0085] EDX analysis was performed as the inventive example 1, for studying the compositions of the amorphous layers of the thus obtained bonded body. The measurement results were shown in table 2.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Inventive Example 2 Concentrations of atoms (atom %) O Si Ta F First amorphous layer 62 23 13 0 Second amorphous layer 52 41 0 7 Thickness of first 1.9 nm amorphous layer Thickness of second 6.8 nm amorphous layer Bonding strength 3.2 (J/m.sup.2) Thickness at which 1.0 piezoelectric material is not separated (μm)

Inventive Example 3

[0086] The heating temperature of the bonded body was changed from 250° C. to 270° C. in the inventive example 1. As the thus obtained bonded body was subjected to polishing treatment as the inventive example 1, and the separation was not observed even in the case that it was subjected to the CMP processing to a thickness of 0.3 μm.

[0087] As the cross section of the bonding interface of the inventive example 3 was analyzed by means of the high-resolution TEM as the inventive example 1, the first amorphous layer and second amorphous layer were observed along the bonding interface. EDX analysis was performed under the conditions same as those of the inventive example 1, for studying the compositions of the respective amorphous layers. The measurement results were shown in table 3.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Inventive Example 3 Concentrations of atoms (atom %) O Si Ta F First amorphous layer 65 20 15 0 Second amorphous layer 53 43 0 4 Thickness of first 2.3 nm amorphous layer Thickness of second 7.9 nm amorphous layer Bonding strength 2.9 (J/m.sup.2) Thickness at which 0.3 piezoelectric material substrate is not separated (μm)

[0088] As such, according to the inventive examples, it was proved that first amorphous layer and second amorphous layer each having a specific composition were generated. Further, it is considered that fluorine atoms in the composition are derived from fluorine-based rubber (perfluoro carbon polymer) constituting an O-ring of the plasma treatment chamber.

Comparative Example 1

[0089] Neutralized argon beam was applied to perform the surface activation instead of oxygen plasma in the inventive example 1. The time duration was made 60 second for each of the quartz and piezoelectric material substrates. Wafers were contacted and bonded with each other in a vacuum chamber of a bonding machine upon pressure, to obtain a bonded body. The thus drawn wafer was charged into the oven at 100° C. as the inventive example 1, and taken out 10 hours after. Although it was tried to perform the processing by a grinding machine until the thickness of the piezoelectric material substrate reached 10 μm, the grinding machine was changed to error mode at the time that the processing reached about 20 μm. As the wafer was taken out, the piezoelectric material was substantially separated. It was thus proved that only a very low bonding strength was obtained.

Comparative Example 2

[0090] The plasma activation was performed as the inventive example 1 except that the maximum heating temperature was made a low temperature of 150° C. to produce a bonded body, which was then subjected to the CMP processing. The piezoelectric material substrate was separated at the time that the thickness thereof reached about below Sum.

[0091] The TEM analysis and EDX analysis were performed as the inventive example 1, for studying the compositions of the amorphous layers of the thus obtained bonded body. The measurement results were shown in table 4. As the heating temperature would be low, the compositions were different from those of the inventive examples.

[0092] Further, it was proved that the thicknesses of the amorphous layers were very small.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Comparative Example 2 Concentrations of atoms (atom %) O Si Ta F First amorphous layer 70 2 28 0 Second amorphous layer 55 44 0 1 Thickness of first 0.5 nm amorphous layer Thickness of second 2.0 nm amorphous layer Bonding strength 1.3 (J/m.sup.2) Thickness at which 5  piezoelectric material substrate is not separated (μm)