Alignment systems, and wafer bonding alignment systems and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, an alignment system for a wafer bonding system includes means for monitoring an alignment of a first wafer and a second wafer, and means for adjusting a position of the second wafer. The alignment system includes means for feeding back a relative position of the first wafer and the second wafer to the means for adjusting the position of the second wafer before and during a bonding process for the first wafer and the second wafer.

A bonding tool cooling apparatus (10) provided in the vicinity of a bonding stage, including a frame (12); a cooling member (16) including a ground plate (14) having a ground surface (14a) on which a front edge surface of a bonding tool (61) is grounded, and a heat radiation fin (15) attached to an opposite surface of the ground plate (14) to the ground surface (14a), wherein the cooling member (16) is supported on the frame (12) by a support mechanism (200) so that the cooling member (16) is rotatable about two axes, i.e., an X axis extending along the ground surface (14a) and a Y axis extending along the ground surface (14a). Bonding tool cooling time can be thereby reduced.

A bonding tool cooling apparatus (10) provided in the vicinity of a bonding stage, including a frame (12); a cooling member (16) including a ground plate (14) having a ground surface (14a) on which a front edge surface of a bonding tool (61) is grounded, and a heat radiation fin (15) attached to an opposite surface of the ground plate (14) to the ground surface (14a), wherein the cooling member (16) is supported on the frame (12) by a support mechanism (200) so that the cooling member (16) is rotatable about two axes, i.e., an X axis extending along the ground surface (14a) and a Y axis extending along the ground surface (14a). Bonding tool cooling time can be thereby reduced.

A method of using a processing oven may include disposing at least one substrate in a chamber of the oven and activating a lamp assembly disposed above them to increase their temperature to a first temperature. A chemical vapor may be admitted into the chamber above the at least one substrate and an inert gas may be admitted into the chamber below the at least one substrate. The temperature of the at least one substrate may then be increased to a second temperature higher than the first temperature and then cooled down.

A method of using a processing oven may include disposing at least one substrate in a chamber of the oven and activating a lamp assembly disposed above them to increase their temperature to a first temperature. A chemical vapor may be admitted into the chamber above the at least one substrate and an inert gas may be admitted into the chamber below the at least one substrate. The temperature of the at least one substrate may then be increased to a second temperature higher than the first temperature and then cooled down.

A bonding head according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include: a double-acting air bearing cylinder configured to move a cylinder rod in a vertical direction; a first scale on a same axis as the cylinder rod and having a first encoder pattern; a first encoder sensor configured to decipher a position of the first encoder pattern; a second scale on the same axis as the cylinder rod and having a second encoder pattern; a second encoder sensor configured to decipher a position of the second encoder pattern; a shaft motor on the same axis as the cylinder rod and configured to move the cylinder rod in the vertical direction based on a deciphering result of the first encoder sensor, and a piezo motor on the same axis as the cylinder rod and configured to move the cylinder rod in a rotation direction.