Plasma-activated high-strength non-isothermal anodic bonding for efficient fabrication of the micro atomic vapor cells

Microfabricated alkali metal vapor cells are the core components for miniaturizing quantum devices, such as atomic clocks, atomic gyroscopes, and atomic magnetometers. Alkali metals are prone to thermal migration at the bonding interface during the sealing of the vapor cell, which leads to bonding failure. In this study, a non-isothermal anodic bonding process based on plasma activation was developed to achieve high-strength bonding at low temperatures using the temperature gradient to keep the alkali metal away from the bonding interface. This procedure eliminates interference from the alkali metal and significantly increases the success rate of anodic bonding of vapor cells. Simulation results for the temperature field and the residual stresses during anodic bonding demonstrate that the procedure is theoretically feasible. The effect of plasma treatment on the contact angle and roughness of the bonding surface revealed a mechanism for improving the bond strength. In addition, the construction of an integrated processing platform made it possible to perform non-isothermal anode bonding, injection of alkali metal, filling of inert gases, and recovery and recycling of noble gases. The high strength and good hermeticity of the bonding interface were demonstrated by the bond strength, cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy observations, and leakage rate tests. Finally, the absorption spectrum and free-induction decay signal of the fabricated vapor cell were measured.