Authors:
Lauren E. S. Rohwer
James E. Martin
Thomas A. Friedmann
Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, MS1425, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1425

John Heck
Intel Corporation, M/S SC9-09, 2200 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, California 95054

A reversible wafer bonding method has been developed that enables high-temperature processing of thinned silicon wafers. The silicon wafers are bonded to Pyrex carriers using a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) film, which melts at 343 °C, and provides a very strong bond. Debonding is accomplished by UV laser ablation through the Pyrex carrier and can be facilitated by coating the Pyrex wafer with Teflon. Most of the PEEK film remains on the silicon wafer after debonding and is removed with solvents. Precoating the silicon with germanium/tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) might enable PEEK removal without solvents. This germanium/TEOS layer lifts off with the PEEK film during laser ablation.