Hydrogen bond
Hydrogen bonds can be intermolecular (occurring between separate molecules) or intramolecular (occurring among parts of the same molecule). Depending on the nature of the donor and acceptor atoms which constitute the bond, their geometry, and environment, the energy of a hydrogen bond can vary between 1 and 40 kcal/mol. This makes them somewhat stronger than a van der Waals interaction, and weaker than fully covalent or ionic bonds. This type of bond can occur in inorganic molecules such as water and in organic molecules like DNA and proteins.
Direct bonding
From room temperature to 150 °C no important interface reactions occur and the surface energy is stable. Between 150 °C and 300 °C more Si-F-H-Si bonds are formed. Above 300 °C the desorption of hydrogen and fluoride from the wafer surface leads to redundant hydrogen atoms that diffuse in the silicon crystal lattice or along interface. As a result, covalent Si-Si bonds start to establish between opposing surfaces. At 700 °C the transition to Si-Si bonds is completed.
The bonding energy reaches cohesive strengths of bulk silicon (compare diagram of surface energy).