<i>In Situ</i> TEM Observation of the Ultrasonic Bonding Process

Abstract

In the ultrasonic bonding process, oxides existing on the metal surfaces are removed, and bonding is achieved by bringing clean surfaces to be in contact with each other. However, the bonding process with microstructure variation is not well understood due to experimental difficulties. In this study, using a newly developed sample holder, which enables ultrasonic bonding in a TEM, we directly observed the bonding process at the nanoscale. The bonding process of Au foils with a clean surface was investigated and compared to that of Al foils with a stable oxide film, a bonding inhibitor, on the surface. During the Al ultrasonic bonding process, the nanoparticles generated dispersed over the entire bonding interface and finally formed a fine grain region at the interface. In contrast, in Au bonding, the nanoparticles generated tended to accumulate at the local area of the Au surface and form bridge-like connections between Au foils. It was considered that these differences in bonding behavior were caused by the surface conditions of the materials to be bonded.