Patent ID: 8492265

Claim:
A method of forming a bonded structure, said method comprising: bringing a first substrate and a second substrate into contact with each other, wherein a first surface of a first metal pad embedded in said first substrate contacts a second surface of a second metal pad embedded in said second substrate; and forming at least one interfacial metal liner portion directly on said first surface and said second surface by plating a conductive material, whereby said at least one interfacial metal liner portion provides adhesion between said first metal pad and said second metal pad, wherein said at least one interfacial metal liner portion is formed by filling at least one cavity at an interface between said first metal pad and said second metal pad, and said at least one cavity has a variable thickness that does not exceed the sum of a first microscopic variation in surface height in said at least one first metal pad and a second microscopic variation in surface height in said at least one second metal pad.