Influence of Plasma Activation on Direct Wafer Bonding of the Heterogeneous Material Combination LiTaO3/Si

Heterogeneous direct wafer bonding (HDWB) represents a promising technique for the integration of materials which at a first glance do not appear to be compatible with one another. Therefore, this process is of great importance for the fabrication of hybrid devices, such as photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and sensors, where the integration of materials with complementary properties, such as silicon (Si) and lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), is essential. Each offers distinctive advantages in terms of electronic, optical, and piezoelectric properties. Silicon is the foundation of traditional microelectronics, while lithium tantalate is a versatile material for optoelectronics, acousto-optic devices, and surface acoustic wave (SAW) applications due to its high dielectric permittivity, piezoelectric coefficients, and wide transparency range.