Electroplated Metal Microstructures Embedded in Fusion-Bonded Silicon: Conductors and Magnetic Materials

Fabrication methods for integrating thick (tens or hundreds of micrometers) electroplated metallic microstructures inside fusion-bonded silicon wafers are proposed and validated. Cu and Ni/sub 80/Fe/sub 20/ (permalloy) test structures were embedded inside of cavities in silicon wafers, which were fusion-bonded at 500/spl deg/C for 4h with nearly 100% yield. Resistance tests validated the electrical integrity of the metals after annealing, and magnetic measurements indicated the Ni-Fe maintained its magnetic performance after annealing. Additional mechanical tests verified a strong, uniform bond, and that the presence of the metals does not degrade the bond strength. These results demonstrate the ability to integrate conductive and magnetic materials in wafer-bonded silicon, a method useful for a variety of multiwafer, MEMS devices.