Nanobonding: A Key Enabling Technology Emerging Applications

Heterogeneous integration combines more functions than that in Moore’s Law. Integration of the functions can be achieved using system-on-chip, system-in-package, and system-on-package technologies. This is known as “More-than-Moore” (MtM). The MtM approach offers integration of low-cost miniaturized devices and systems with high performance and reliability for the real world health and environmental applications. However, integration of these diverse technologies into a single packaged system is an extremely challenging task. Further challenges appear from the requirements of maintaining the performance of the components of the system with high reliability, and without heating or pressure during integration. The existing integration technologies, such as fusion bonding do not meet these demanding criteria for the miniaturized system because of their requirements of heating, external pressure and/or glue for integration. To address the integration issues, we have been working on surface-activation based nanobonding technologies that are well-suited for the development of low-cost, high performance miniaturized sensing systems. This bonding technology allows for the combination of electronic, photonic, fluidic and mechanical functionalities into small form-factor systems for emerging applications in health diagnostics and environmental sensing. These nanobonding technologies provide void-free, strong, and nanoscale bonding at room temperature or at low temperatures, and they do not require chemicals, adhesives, or high external pressure. The interfaces of the nanobonded materials in ultra-high vacuum and in air correspond to the covalent bonds, and hydrogen and hydroxyl bonds, respectively, which gives rise to excellent bonding properties with negligible compromise in performance. Further, as one example, these nanobonding technologies are well-suited for the development of low-cost, high-performance miniaturized biophotonic imaging systems for the screening and early detection of cancers in the gastrointestinal tract.