Proceedings of MNC2007

MicroNanoChina07
January 10-13, 2007, Sanya, Hainan, China

MNC2007-21278

THE MECHANISM AND BONDING PROCESS OF FIELD-ASSISTED BONDING OF BOROSILICATE GLASS

TO KOVAR ALLOY



1
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, P.R. China 030024.
2
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Taiyuan, P.R.
China. 030024

ABSTRACT:
The paper mainly investigates the field-assisted bonding
process of Kovar alloy to Pyrex glass, the bonding is achieved at
350-450℃ applying a voltage of 500-800v, and SEM、EDS are
used to analyze the bonding interface structure and the elements
distribution. The experimental results indicate that there is a
clear transitional area between the interface of the glass and the
alloy. Owing to the formation of the transition area, the glass
and the alloy are bonded together. The zigzag morphology in the
interface of glass/alloy also indicates the diffusion of the
+
elements. In the bonding process, the Na depletion zone, which
gives birth to a electrostatic force is yielded in the glass. Due to
the electrostatic force, the glass contacts with the Kovar alloy
intimately. A model is built to analyze the dominant factor of the
electrostatic force. Temperature, roughness of the sample and
voltage are also the basic factors that influence the field-assisted
bonding. The effects of these factors on the bonding process are
analyzed in this paper. The experimental results suggest that the
bonding area enlarges dramatically, if the voltage is increased.
The bonding area enlarged from the initial contacting point and
expands quickly. The influence of the time is small according to
our experiments.
Key words: field-assisted bonding; glass; Kovar alloy;
electrostatic force
1. INTRODUCTION
Since the field-assisted bonding (also called electrostatic
bonding or anodic bonding) was first presented by Wallis G and
Pomerantz D I, much effort have been devoted to studying the
mechanism and process of the field-assisted bonding [1]. Using
the technique, a lot of micro-electromechanical system
(MEMS) devices have been developed successfully, such as
microvalve, flat panel display, micropump, microsystem, micro
fluid channels and so on [2-5]. The technique is characterized by
low temperature, high bonding quality, high mechanical strength,
excellent reliability, and high hermeticity[6]. Now it has been
become increasingly important in the MEMS system. Among
them, the glass to silicon bonding is investigated a lot, the
microstructure and the sodium distribution in the interface [7-9],
the bonding parameters and testing method is also analyzed.
Although the field-assisted bonding is known as a method for
bonding metal (nickel, steel, Kovar alloy, Invar alloy and so on)
or semiconductor to glass containing alkali ions by applying a

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 D.C. voltage, there is little literature reported the field-assisted
bonding between the glass and the metals. However, the study
of bonding method for metals to glass is also very important for
sensor encapsulation, and sometimes can even be indispensable.
The metals can enhance the robustness of the sensors, so the
sensors can suffer from some harsh environments [10]. The
Kovar alloy is used widely for packaging and sealing
micro-meters for its lower thermal expansion coefficient and
well weldability, and Kovar alloy induces a small stress in the
bonding process. But few articles on mechanism and bonding
parameters of the anodic bonding of glass to Kovar have been
published. In this work, Kovar alloy is use to bond with
borosilicate glass (Pyrex 7740), the bonding parameters are
analyzed systematically based on the experimental results, a
physical model is built to investigate the bonding mechanism,
and the microstructure and the electrostatic force are also
analyzed.
2. EXPERIMENTAL MATERIALS AND SCHEDULE
The glass we used in the experiments is Pyrex7740
produced by Corning Corporation, the chemical composition is
shown in table 1 . The roughness of the glass wafer, Ra is less
-6
than 0.1um and the thermal expansion coefficient is 2.8×10 /℃.
The experimental metal is Kovar alloy, produced by Beijing
Steel& iron Corporation, the chemical composition is shown in
table 2, and the thermal expansion coefficient is 5.3×10-6/℃.
Table 1
Chemical composition of Pyrex glass 7740
Na2O Al2O3 B2O3 SiO2
Composition( mass%) 4.0 2.3 12.7 80.9
Table 2
Chemical composition of Kovar alloy
Co Fe Mn Ni Si
Composition( mass%) 16.2 53.65 0.45 . 29.6 0.1
In the experiments, the glass was cut into wafers of
10mm×10mm×0.4mm by diamond cutter. The Kovar alloy was
cut into wafers of 10mm×10mm×0.3mm. Residual stress would
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be generated during the cutting process, so the annealing process
was very important. Besides, during the annealing process, the
working hardening would be relieved, the surface of the alloy
would become homogeneous stable, a decarburization process
was finished which was benefit for the bonding process. In the
experiments, the annealing temperature was 350℃, and the
annealing time was no less than 10 hours. After the annealing,
one side of the alloy was polished by metallographic paper, and
then buffed by molybdenum dioxide powder.
3. EXPERIMENTAL
The glass and the alloy should be cleaned by ultrasonic
bath in acetone and methanol for five minutes, and then dried
with hot air. The bonding process was done at a vacuum oven.
After aligned, the samples were fixed in the bonding chamber
with the glass connected to the cathode and the alloy connected
to the anode as shown in Fig.1. The bonding temperature was
350℃, 400℃ and 450℃, the bonding time was 5-10minutes,
and the bonding voltage was varied from 500V to 800V, the
vacuum is 2.5 ×10-4 Pa. A special equipment (Digital load
cell, produced by Mettler Corporation) would take down
the current variation in the bonding process. After the bonding
was finished, the samples were cooled in the bonding chamber
at a speed of 1℃/S.




 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSS
4.1 The relationship between the current and bonding

temperature and voltage Glas Kovor

In the experiments, the current was mainly influenced by
the temperature and voltage. Like the field-assisted bonding of Transitional zone
the other materials, at the very beginning, the current varied
dramatically from high to low. The peak current would increase
if the voltage and temperature increased as shown in Fig.2 and A
B
Fig.3. Compared with the Si-glass bonding, the current of the
Kovar-glass bonding was much higher in the beginning at the 20μm
same condition. It can be explained as follows: in the Si-glass
bonding process, the mobile ions were Na+ and O2-; but in the
Kovar-glass bonding, other than Na+ and O2-, the Fe2+, Ni2+,
Co2+ would diffuse into the glass. It was shown from the EDS
analysis that there were more conductive ions in the Kovar-glass
bonding process. (Fig.4).
800V 700V 600V

14

12

10
current (mA)

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
time (S)

℃

450℃ 400℃ 350℃

16
14
(b)
current (mA)

12
10 Weight%
8 area Fe Ni Co Si O
6
4
A 22.93 10.74 6.63 23.17 34.6
2 B 54.01 27.51 17.81 0.39 0
0 (c)
0 20 40 60 80

time (S)

 
 

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  enlarged a lot. From the picture it can be found that there was a
 crack between the bonded area and the unbonded area in the
 glass, and the Newton rings can be found in the unbonded area.
The crack was thought to be induced by the roughness of the
4.2 The microstructure of the bonding interface and the glass and the electrostatic force. In the bonding process, the
voltage was mainly shared in the depleted region and the gap
bonding mechanism between the glass and the alloy. The bonding reaction first
The bonded interface of the alloy-glass was observed by started at the initial contact, and then in the electrostatic force,
SEM. The observation was carried out with LEO438VP the two wafers were pulled into initiate contact, the bonding
scanning electron microscope and HKL electron backscatter area expanded around the first contacting point as shown in
diffraction. The samples were cut in a direction perpendicular to Fig.7. The contacting process was mainly controlled by elastic
the bonding interface. Then imbedded into phenolic moulding deformation and viscous flow of the glass [12]. During the
powder and ground with metallographic paper. The field-assisted bonding process, the electrostatic force is given by
microstructure and elements profile at the interface was showed the following equation:
in Fig.4. It indicated that the bonding interface of Kovar alloy to
glass consisted of alloy, transitional layer and glass. The width Newton ring Sodium salt
of the transitional layer was about 5
m
, elements of Si, O, Na,
Fe, Co, Ni distributed in the patterns of density gradient. When
the voltage was applied, the Na2O would be broke down, the
ions of Na+ moved towards the cathode and precipitated from
the back of the glass as shown in Fig.5. So the Na+ depleted
region was generated very quickly. At the same time the ions of
O2- moved towards the anode, and ions of Fe2+, Ni2+, Co2+
diffused from the alloy into the glass. The zigzag morphology
in the bonding interface also indicated the diffusion
(a) (b)
phenomenon of the elements. The formation of the transitional
layer accounted for the successful bonding. From the EDS
analysis, a conclusion can be concluded that the transitional
layer is composed of the oxidation compounds included 
elements of Si, O, Na, Fe, Co, Ni. According to other people’
s 
researches, the compounds mainly consisted of an amorphous 
Fe-Si complex oxide, because the Fe element in the surface of 
2-
the Kovar alloy was oxidized preferentially by the ion of O 
[11]. 

4.3 The macroscopic image 


The macroscopic images of anodic bonded Kovar alloy-glass are

shown in Fig.5. All the samples were bonded for 10-20 minutes. (c) (d)

From the picture it can be known that the bonding area

increased with the increment of the voltage as show in Fig.6.

The voltage influenced the bonding process a lot. At low voltage,
the bonding area was small, but at 800V the bonding area

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 100

90

80
Bonding ratio

There, U: the applied voltage, d: the width of the depletion

70
700V
400℃ region, r: the roughness of the wafers, S: the area of the wafers.
60

50  0 : The dielectric constant,  g : the relative electric constant

40
of the glass. E: the magnitude of the electrical field.
30
From the equations, we can know that the voltage make a
20
big contribution to the electrostatic force, when the voltage
500V 700V 800V 350℃ 400℃ 450℃ changed from 500V to 800V. The electrostatic force in the
 voltage of 800V would become nearly four times bigger than
 that in a voltage of 500V. That’
s why the bonding ratio changed
a lot along the voltage in Fig.5. Besides, according to the results
of our study the influence of the time was minor, the bonding
area didn’t enlarge at low voltage even the time was long
enough.

5. CONCLUSIONS
(1) The Kovar alloy and the Pyrex 7740 glass can be bonded
together very well through field-assisted bonding. There is a
transitional layer in the interface, which account for the
Na+
successful bonding. The bonding area consists of alloy,
transitional layer and glass. The width of the transitional layer
was about 5
m . The transitional layer is complex compound
mainly consists of elements of O, Si, Fe, Ni, Co, Na.
(2) A model for evaluate the electrostatic force is established. It
 is shown that the voltage plays a very important role in the
bonding process. The bonding ratio increases from about 30% to
100% if the voltage increases from 500V to 800V. The effect of
the temperature is not very obvious, and the effect of the time is
small. In the bonding process, the bonding area enlarged with
dF  E dq （4） the elastic deformation and viscous flow of the glass.

U U U S U
F   dF   Ed  dU  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
0 C 0 d r d r The present study was supported by the National Nature
1 U2 Science Foundation of China (NO.50375105 and NO.50671070).
 0 g S
2 (d  r ) 2 （5） We would also like to thank the researchers from the testing
center of Taiyuan Iron&Steel Company LTD（TISCO）.
F 1 U2
P    0 g
S 2 (d  r ) 2 （6）
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