Handling a fragile substrate for interconnect bonding

Method for bonding interconnects on a fragile semiconductor substrate,

• the method comprising the steps of:
• supporting the substrate on a bonding platform having a top plate, the top plate including a plurality of vacuum holes situated thereon operative to generate vacuum suction forces on the substrate during bonding, wherein the plurality of vacuum holes form a first vacuum section connected to a first vacuum supply, a second vacuum section connected to a second vacuum supply, and a third vacuum section connected to a third vacuum supply, the third vacuum section being located between the first and second vacuum sections, and wherein the first, second and third vacuum supplies are individually controllable;
• conveying the substrate by a substrate carrier relative to the bonding platform to a first bonding position, and activating the first and second vacuum supplies to generate a vacuum suction force at the first and second vacuum sections when the substrate carrier positions the substrate at the first bonding position;
• and
• conveying the substrate by the substrate carrier to a second bonding position, which is different from the first bonding position, and activating the second and third vacuum supplies to generate a vacuum suction force at the second and third vacuum sections when the substrate carrier positions the substrate at the second bonding position.