Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the atomic processes initiated by the adhesion of two silica surfaces, which are covered with adsorbates of oxygen, hydrogen or water molecules. The calculations describe the mechanism of hydrophilic silicon wafer bonding in terms of empirical potentials assumed. The challenge of the macroscopically relevant computations is to understand and to predict the formation of covalent bonds as a function of initial silica structures, external forces, adsorbates, and annealing temperatures applied. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)04005-0]. [References: 29]

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