Hybrid bonding and apparatus for performing the same

A method comprising:

• aligning a first wafer to a second wafer;
• bonding the first wafer to the second wafer to form a bonded pair in a pre-bonding station, wherein the bonded pair comprises:
• metal-to-metal bonds comprising first metal pads in the first wafer bonded to second metal pads in the second wafer;
• and
• fusion bonds comprising a first surface dielectric layer at a surface of the first wafer bonded to a second surface dielectric layer at a surface of the second wafer;
• after the step of bonding, transferring the bonded pair from the pre-bonding station to a thermal compressive annealing station;
• and
• in the thermal compressive annealing station, performing an annealing on the bonded pair, wherein during the annealing, the first wafer and the second wafer are pressed against each other by a pressing force.

A method comprising:

• performing a hybrid bonding in a pre-bonding station to form a plurality of bonded pairs, wherein each of the plurality of bonded pairs comprises:
• a first package component bonded to a second package component to form a bonded pair, wherein first metal pads in the first package component are bonded to second metal pads in the second package component, and the first metal pads and the second metal pads are non-solder metal pads;
• a first surface dielectric layer at a surface of the first package component bonded to a second surface dielectric layer at a surface of the second package component;
• and
• after the hybrid bonding, transferring the plurality of bonded pairs from the pre-bonding station to a thermal compressive annealing station;
• and
• in the thermal compressive annealing station, performing a thermal compressive annealing on the plurality of bonded pairs, wherein during the thermal compressive annealing, the plurality of bonded pairs is placed between a bottom plate and a top plate, and is placed at a same level, and during the thermal compressive annealing, a pressing force is applied to the top plate.