A bonding apparatus has a bonding platform including a top plate for supporting a fragile semiconductor substrate during interconnect bonding operations conducted on the substrate. Vacuum holes situated on the top plate, forming a first vacuum section, a second vacuum section, and a third vacuum section located between the first and second vacuum sections, generate vacuum suction forces on the substrate during bonding. Individually controllable first, second and third vacuum supplies are connected to the first, second and third vacuum sections respectively. The first and second vacuum supplies cooperate at a first bonding position to generate a vacuum suction force at the first and second vacuum sections, and the second and third vacuum supplies cooperate at a second bonding to position to generate a vacuum suction force at the second and third vacuum sections.