Aligning device for assembling microsystems

A system for aligning a microcomponent with a substrate, the system comprising:

• a substrate having a pre-defined microcomponent receiving region;
• a mechanical system which positions a microcomponent spaced from and aligned with the microcomponent receiving region, the microcomponent having a substrate mating surface disposed facing the substrate receiving region;
• a lens which passes light travelling along hollow cones from the microcomponent receiving region of the substrate to the lens and from the lens to an image plane, the microcomponent being positioned within a hollow interior of the hollow cones, such that an image of the microcomponent receiving region of the substrate is focused around the microcomponent onto the image plane;
• a semi-reflective transparent plate disposed between the microcomponent and the substrate with a reflective surface facing the microcomponent such that (1) the image of the substrate microcomponent receiving region passes therethrough to be focused on the image plane and (2) an image for the microcomponent substrate mating surface is reflected to travel along the hollow cones to be focused on the image plane superimposed on the image of the microcomponent receiving region.

A method for aligning a substrate contacting surface of a microcomponent with a predefined microcomponent receiving region of a substrate, the method comprising:

• positioning a microcomponent with the substrate contacting surface spaced from and generally aligned with the substrate microcomponent receiving region;
• passing a light image of the substrate microcomponent receiving region around the microcomponent and focusing the image of the microcomponent receiving region on an image plane;
• reflecting and passing an image of the microcomponent substrate contacting surface around the microcomponent and focusing the image of the microcomponent substrate contacting surface on the image plane superimposed on the image of the substrate microcomponent receiving region;
• adjusting a position of the microcomponent to align the images of the substrate contacting surface and the microcomponent receiving region more precisely.