Recent progress in surface activated bonding for 3D and heterogeneous integration

Abstract This paper summarizes the historical development of the surface-activated bonding (SAB) method, based on surface activation achieved through energetic particle bombardment, such as Ar fast-atom beam irradiation, in an ultra-high vacuum background. Cleaning and activating surfaces enable high-strength bonding at room temperature without heat treatment. The standard SAB technique has been recently modified and extended to include heterogeneous semiconductor wafer bonding and three-dimensional integration, incorporating surface activation with simultaneous co-sputtering of a nano-adhesion layer, allowing the bonding of ionic crystals, glasses, and polymers. Furthermore, this study presents recent advancements in wafer-scale bonding of diamond materials to Wide Bandgap Semiconductors and explores the potential of SAB for Cu–Cu hybrid bonding. Finally, it introduces the latest developments in SAB for hybrid bonding and proposes a visionary approach for its future application in semiconductor processing and 3D device integration.