# US 12,009,230 B2 · Bonding device as well as method for bonding substrates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,230 B2 - Document ID: US12009230B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/611,086 - Filed: 2019-05-13 - Published: 2022-07-21 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-13 - Assignees: Suss Microtec Lithography GmbH - Applicants: SUSS MicroTec Lithography GmbH - Inventors: George Gregory - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009230B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/0428: {Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting} - H10P 10/12: {Bonding of semiconductor wafers or semiconductor substrates to semiconductor wafers or semiconductor substrates (preparing SOI wafers using bonding H10P90/1914)} - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - H10P 72/0602: {Temperature monitoring} - H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction} - H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks - H10P 72/78: using vacuum or suction, e.g. Bernoulli chucks - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A bonding device has two chucks, two gas pressure regulators and a control unit. The chucks each have a holding surface with pressure ports fluidically connected to the respective gas pressure regulator. The control unit is electrically and/or wirelessly connected to the gas pressure regulators and configured to control gas pressure regulators independently from each other. Support elements movably mounted within the pressure ports, are provided to measure the amount of substrate deflection and adjust the respective gas pressures and also to apply additional mechanical pressure to the substrates. The two chucks may be mounted on corresponding support structures so as to be thermally isolated therefrom. The temperature of the two chucks may be equalised by moving the chucks into contact. A chuck tempering device may be used for equalising the temperature of the two chucks. The bonding device is used for bonding two substrates by bonding wave propagation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bonding device for bonding substrates, comprising a first chuck, a second chuck, a first gas pressure regulator, a movable first support element and a first actuator for the first support element, wherein the first chuck comprises a first holding surface for holding a first substrate, the first holding surface having a first pressure port fluidically connected to the first gas pressure regulator, wherein the first support element is mounted movably at least partially within the first pressure port such that the first actuator is able to move the first support element between a retracted position, in which the first support element does not protrude above the first holding surface, and an extended position, in which the first support element protrudes above the first holding surface towards the second chuck. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bonding device according to claim 1, wherein the bonding device comprises a second gas pressure regulator, a second support element and a second actuator for the second support element, wherein the second chuck comprises a second holding surface for holding a second substrate, the second holding surface having a second pressure port fluidically connected to the second gas pressure regulator, wherein the second support element is mounted movably at least partially within the second pressure port such that the second actuator is configured to move the second support element between a retracted position, in which the second support element does not protrude above the second holding surface, and an extended position, in which the second support element protrudes above the second holding surface towards the first chuck. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bonding device according to claim 1, wherein the bonding device comprises a control unit which is electrically and/or wirelessly connected to the first gas pressure regulator and the first actuator and/or to the second gas pressure regulator and the second actuator, the control unit being configured to control the first gas pressure regulator to supply gas with a first gas pressure to the first pressure port and configured to control the movement of the first support element via the first actuator and/or the control unit being configured to control the second gas pressure regulator to supply gas with a second gas pressure to the second pressure port and configured to control the movement of the second support element via the second actuator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bonding device according to claim 1, wherein the first chuck and/or the second chuck has an opening extending from the respective holding surface, in particular extending fully through the respective chuck, wherein a portion of the opening adjacent to the respective holding surface being the respective pressure port, in particular wherein the respective support element being mounted in the opening and a supply channel is provided extending from the portion forming the pressure port to a back surface or peripheral surface of the respective chuck. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The bonding device according to claim 1, further comprising a first support structure and a second support structure, wherein the first chuck is mounted to the first support structure such that the first chuck is thermally isolated form the first support structure, and wherein the second chuck is mounted to the second support structure such that the second chuck is thermally isolated form the second support structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The bonding device according to claim 5, wherein the first chuck and/or the second chuck is mounted to the respective support structure by mounting elements, wherein the first chuck and/or the second chuck are spaced apart from the respective support structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The bonding device according to claim 5, wherein the bonding device comprises at least one chuck tempering device configured to equalize the temperatures of the first chuck and the second chuck, in particular wherein the first chuck and the second chuck each comprise at least one tempering channel, wherein the chuck tempering device comprises a tempering circuit including the at least one tempering channel of the first chuck and the at least one tempering channel of the second chuck in the same tempering circuit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The bonding device according to claim 7, wherein the first chuck and/or the second chuck comprise a heating element, in particular a closed-loop heating element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The bonding device according to claim 5, wherein the bonding device comprises a gas tempering device, wherein the first chuck comprises a first holding surface configured for holding a first substrate, the first holding surface having a first pressure port fluidically connected to the gas tempering device, wherein the second chuck comprises a second holding surface configured for holding a second substrate, the second holding surface having a second pressure port fluidically connected to the gas tempering device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The bonding device according to claim 9, wherein the gas tempering device comprises a tempering material with at least one channel, the at least one channel being fluidically connected to the first pressure port and/or the second pressure port. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The bonding device according to claim 5, wherein the first chuck and/or the second chuck comprises a temperature sensor associated with the respective pressure port of the respective chuck. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method for bonding a first substrate to a second substrate using a bonding device as claimed in claim 1, said bonding device comprising a first chuck with a first pressure port and a first support element and a second chuck, the method comprising the following steps: a) placing the first substrate on the first chuck covering the first pressure port and fixing the edge portion of the first substrate to the first chuck, b) placing the second substrate on the second chuck and fixing the second substrate to the second chuck, c) supplying gas with a first gas pressure to the first pressure port so that the first substrate is deflected towards the second substrate, d) moving the first support element to an extended position, in which the first support element protrudes above the first chuck towards the second chuck, and e) moving the first chuck and the second chuck relative to each other towards each other at least until the first substrate and the second substrate are in contact with one another. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising the following steps: a) supplying gas with a second gas pressure to a second pressure port of the second chuck so that the second substrate is deflected towards the first substrate, and b) moving a second support element to an extended position, in which the second support element protrudes above the second chuck towards the first chuck. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the first support element and/or the second support element is moved until it contacts the deflected first substrate or the deflected second substrate, respectively, wherein the amount of deflection of the respective substrate is measured based on the position of the support element, in particular wherein the respective gas pressure is adjusted based on the measured amount of deflection of the respective substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein in particular after the initial contact of the substrates, the first support element is actuated to apply an additional mechanical pressure to the first substrate, and/or that, in particular after the initial contact of the substrates, the second support element is actuated to apply an additional mechanical pressure to the second substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the first support element and/or the second support element is retracted, in particular to a retracted position, after the mechanical pressure has been applied but before the substrates are in full contact with one another. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein during movement of the chucks, the first gas pressure and the second gas pressure is controlled such that the incident angle (α) between the first substrate and the second substrate after the initial contact is held between 0.1° and 1.5°, in particular between 0.4° and 0.8°, and/or such that the incident angle (α) is split evenly by the final flat plane (P) between the substrates. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12, further comprising the following steps: a) equalizing the temperatures of the first chuck and the second chuck, b) placing the first substrate on the first chuck and fixing the first substrate to the first chuck, c) placing the second substrate on the second chuck and fixing the second substrate to the second chuck, and d) moving the first chuck and the second chuck relative to each other towards each other at least until the first substrate and the second substrate are in contact with one another. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the first chuck and the second chuck are moved towards each other until the chucks directly contact each other, in particular wherein the chucks are held in contact at least until their temperatures are equalized. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the temperatures of the first chuck and of the second chuck are equalized using a chuck tempering device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein said temperature equalizing is carried out by circulating a tempering fluid through at least one tempering channel of the first chuck and at least one tempering channel of the second chuck using the same tempering circuit of the chuck tempering device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein said temperature equalizing is carried out by heating the first chuck and/or the second chuck using a heating element of the chuck tempering device, in particular a closed-loop heating element, in the respective chuck. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the first chuck comprises a first pressure port and/or the second chuck comprises a second pressure port, wherein gas with a first gas pressure is supplied to the first pressure port and/or gas with a second gas pressure is supplied to the second pressure port so that the substrates are deflected towards each other. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23 wherein the gas is tempered prior to reaching the respective pressure port, in particular by contact with the respective chuck. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the gas is tempered by a gas tempering device, wherein the gas directed to the first pressure port and the second pressure port passes through a common gas tempering material of the gas tempering device, in particular the temperature of the common gas tempering material being controlled. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, wherein the bonding device comprises at least two gas temperature sensors, wherein each of the gas temperature sensors is associated with the first pressure port or the second pressure port, wherein the gas temperature sensors measure the temperature of the gas directed to the respective associated pressure port. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the bonding device comprises at least two chuck temperature sensors, wherein each of the chuck temperature sensors is associated with the first chuck or the second chuck, wherein the chuck temperature sensors measure the temperature of the respective chuck. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the first gas pressure and the second gas pressure are controlled based on the measured temperature of the gas directed to the first pressure port, of the gas directed to the second pressure port, of the measured temperature of the first chuck, of the measured temperature of the second chuck or a combination of any of the temperatures. ### Claim 29 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein during movement of the chucks (24, 26), the first gas pressure and the second gas pressure is controlled such that the incident angle (α) between the first substrate and the second substrate after the initial contact is held between 0.1° and 1.5°, in particular between 0.4° and 0.8°, and/or such that the incident angle (α) is split evenly by the final flat plane (P) the substrates.