Methods for Wafer Bonding and for Nucleating Bonding Nanophases Using Wet and Steam Pressurization

A method for bonding substrates comprising

• contacting a first bonding surface of a first substrate with a second bonding surface of a second substrate to form an assembly in an atmosphere comprising steam and oxygen, under suitable conditions to form a bonding layer between the first surface and the second surface;
• and
• optionally compressing the assembly,
• wherein the first bonding surface comprises a polarized surface layer;
• the second bonding surface comprises a hydrophilic surface layer;
• and
• the first bonding surface and the second bonding surface are different.