Method of fabrication of Al/Ge bonding in a wafer packaging environment and a product produced therefrom

A wafer structure comprising:

• a first substrate comprising at least one microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) feature, wherein the first substrate further comprises at least one patterned germanium layer;
• and
• a second substrate comprising at least one patterned aluminum layer and one electrical contact, wherein the at least one patterned germanium layer is bonded to the at least one patterned aluminum layer to create an inter-substrate electrical contact and a mechanical contact between the first substrate and the second substrate.

A wafer structure comprising:

• a first substrate comprising at least one microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) feature, wherein the first substrate further comprises at least one patterned germanium layer and at least one via configured to provide electric feedthrough of signals;
• and
• a second substrate comprising at least one patterned aluminum layer and one electrical contact, wherein the at least one patterned germanium layer is bonded to the at least one patterned aluminum to mechanically couple the first substrate to the second substrate via a hermetic seal ring and to electrically couple the at least one via of the first substrate to the one electrical contact of the second substrate within the hermetic seal ring.