Electrostatic bonding using externally applied pressure
AssigneeSpire Corporation
InventorAllen R. Kirkpatrick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for electrostatic bonding of a layered structure having at least one glass stratum by heating the layered structure to a temperature above the annealing point of the glass stratum, by applying a predetermined pressure and voltage potential across the layered structure while the layered structure is maintained at an elevated temperature. Application of pressure across the heated layered structure permits electrostatic bonding of non-complemental surfaces to form a laminated structure.
Claims12
A method for electrostatically bonding both the contacting and the non-contacting surfaces of a layered structure including at least one vitreous stratum and at least one non-vitreous stratum, comprising:
- (a) preheating said layered structure at a temperature above the annealing point of said vitreous stratum;
- (b) molding said vitreous stratum, while maintaining said temperature above the annealing point thereof, by the simultaneous application of externally applied compression pressure to said layered structure, deforming thereby said vitreous stratum about said non-vitreous stratum so as to effect complementary, fully contacting surfaces between said vitreous and said non-vitreous strata;
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- (c) applying a voltage of sufficient magnitude across said layered structure for electrostatically bonding said vitreous to said non-vitreous strata along said complementary, fully contacting surfaces therebetween, while maintaining said temperature and said externally applied compression pressure.
A method for fabricating an electrostatically bonded laminated structure comprising the steps of:
- (a) superimposing a first stratum and a second stratum to form a layered structure, said first stratum being composed of a vitreous material and said second stratum being a conductor, semiconductor or a dielectric stratum, at least a portion of a surface of said first stratum in contact with at least a portion of a surface of said second stratum;
- (b) heating said layered structure to a temperature at which said vitreous material deforms;
- (c) exerting a pressure on said layered structure, said first stratum pressed against said second stratum, said surface of said first stratum molded by and conforming to said surface of said second stratum due to deformation of said vitreous stratum at said temperature and pressure, said surface of said first stratum molded into a surface which is complementary to said surface of said second stratum, whereby said contacting surfaces are in full contact with one another;
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- (d) applying a voltage potential across said layered structure to form an electrostatically bonded, laminated structure.
An apparatus for fabricating a bonded laminated structure having at least one vitreous stratum abutting at least one other stratum, said other stratum being a conductor or a semiconductor or a dielectric, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) press means having a pair of die members, a layered structure of said strata carried on one of said die members;
- (b) heating means connected to said press means for heating said layered structure carried on said die member to a sufficiently high temperature at which said vitreous stratum deforms;
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- (c) power means connected to said press means for applying a voltage potential across said layered structure;
- (d) said press means exerting sufficient pressure to deform said vitreous stratum at said elevated temperature, the surface of said vitreous stratum molded against and conforming to the surface of said other stratum to form complementary contacting surfaces between said strata for full contact between said abutting surfaces;
- (e) said power means sufficient to form an electrostatically bonded laminated structure when said voltage potential is applied across said layered structure while said layered structure is maintained at said elevated temperature and said pressure is applied thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.