Method of fabricating silicon structures including fixtures for supporting wafers

A method of forming a silicon tower configured to support a plurality of wafers, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one silicon member;
• annealing said at least one silicon member at a first annealing temperature of at least 1025° C.;
• machining said at least one silicon member into a plurality of legs including cutting slots transversely to longitudinal axes of said legs to form teeth for supporting said plurality of wafers;
• annealing said legs in an oxygen-containing ambient at a second annealing temperature of at least 1025° C.;
• assembling and joining at least three of said legs to two silicon bases having holes formed therein to receive opposing ends of said legs, said joining step including applying a spin-on glass solution comprising silicon and oxygen to at least one of a respective one of said legs and a respective one of said bases at an interface therebetween to be joined, thereby forming an assembled structure;
• and
• annealing said assembled structure at a third annealing temperature of at least 200° C.

A method of fabricating a fixture for supporting a plurality of wafers, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least two silicon legs having slots cut therein for supporting said wafers;
• providing two silicon bases having holes formed therein for receiving opposing ends of said two legs;
• applying a spin-on glass to a joining surface of said ends and said holes;
• inserting said ends into said holes to form a fixture structure;
• and
• annealing said fixture structure at a temperature of at least 200° C.