METHOD FOR BONDING SUBSTRATES

Abstract

A method for bonding a first substrate with a second substrate by means of a connecting layer that is arranged between the substrates and that is comprised of a connecting material with the following steps: applying the connecting material to the first substrate and/or the second substrate in liquid form, and distributing the connecting material between the substrates by bringing the substrates closer and as a result forming the shape of the connecting layer with a thickness t.

Claims

1-6. (canceled)

7. A method for bonding a first lower substrate with a second upper substrate by means of a connecting layer that is arranged between the first lower substrate and the second upper substrate, the connecting layer including a connecting material, wherein the method comprises: applying at least one droplet of the connecting material to the second upper substrate in a liquid form; and distributing the connecting material between the first lower substrate and the second upper substrate by bringing the substrates closer to each other, wherein the distributing takes place automatically by capillary action of the liquid connecting material, wherein one of the substrates is released after contacting the at least one droplet with the first lower substrate, thereby forming the shape of the connecting layer with a thickness t, and wherein the connecting material is applied in an amount that is free of surplus.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the connecting material is applied in an amount that is free of excess and that is preset by the thickness t of the connecting layer and a diameter of at least one of the substrates.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the connecting material is applied to the first lower substrate and the second upper substrate.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the connecting material is applied to areas of the substrates that correspond to each another.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the distributing of the connecting material and/or the bringing of the substrates closer to each other is/are done at least partially by a capillary force of the liquid connecting material and/or by gravitational force G of one of the substrates.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein connecting surfaces of the substrates are coated with a coating and/or treated with a plasma before applying the at least one droplet of the connecting material.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the method includes hardening the connecting material during and/or after the distributing of the connecting material and the bringing of the substrates close to each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0078] FIG. 1a is a diagrammatic cross-section, not to scale, of a first process step of a first embodiment according to the invention,

[0079] FIG. 1b is a diagrammatic cross-section, not to scale, of a second process step of the third embodiment,

[0080] FIG. 1c is a diagrammatic cross-section, not to scale, of a third process step of the first embodiment,

[0081] FIG. 1d is a diagrammatic cross-section, not to scale, of a fourth process step of the first embodiment,

[0082] FIG. 2a is a diagrammatic cross-section, not to scale, of a first process step of a second embodiment according to the invention with an amount of liquid that is not optimally deposited,

[0083] FIG. 2b is a diagrammatic cross-section, not to scale, of a first process step of the second embodiment according to the invention with an optimally deposited amount of liquid,

[0084] FIG. 2c is a diagrammatic cross-section, not to scale, of a first process step of the second embodiment according to the invention with an optimally distributed amount of liquid,

[0085] FIG. 2d is a diagrammatic cross-section, not to scale, as well as a corresponding top view of a first process step of the second embodiment according to the invention with a pattern that is produced,

[0086] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic cross-section, not to scale, of a first process step of a third embodiment according to the invention, and

[0087] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-section, not to scale, of an embodiment according to the invention for droplet deposition.

[0088] In the figures, features that are the same or that have the same effect are identified with the same reference numbers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0089] FIG. 1a shows the initial state of a first process step according to the invention under ideal conditions. A centrically deposited amount of liquid of a connecting material 3 with an ideal, convex liquid surface 3o is deposited on the connecting surface 1o of a first lower substrate 1o. A second upper substrate 2 is aligned with its connecting surface 2o opposite in the direction of the connecting material 3. Alignment is defined in particular as a wedge error compensation and/or an alignment relative to the peripheral contours 1u/2u of the substrates 1, 2 and/or alignment marks of the substrates 1, 2, not shown. The alignment of the substrates 1, 2 is done in particular by a corresponding alignment unit. A wedge error compensation can preferably be eliminated, however, since in the later process steps of the process according to the invention, an automatic wedge error compensation takes place.

[0090] In a second process step of the invention according to FIG. 1b, a relative approach of the two substrates 1 and 2 toward one another is carried out. In a first embodiment according to the invention, in which the second upper substrate 2 is held by a mechanism (not shown) on a corresponding second receiving device, an approach of the first, lower substrate 1 via a movement of a lower specimen holder (first receiving device) is preferred. It would also be conceivable, however, that the first, lower substrate 1 remains fixed on a lower specimen holder, and the upper, second substrate 2 is brought closer.

[0091] When the connecting surface 2o of the upper substrate 2 makes contact with the liquid surface 3o in the contact point 4, the attachment of the upper substrate 2 is eliminated, and the gravitational force G that acts on the upper substrate 2 as well as an in particular lower capillary force K pulls together the two substrates 1 and 2 according to FIG. 1c. An oblique or even vertical storage of the two substrates 1 and 2 is less preferred, since as a result, the liquid could be distorted. By the continuous approach of the two substrates 1 and 2, the liquid is also simultaneously distributed between the substrates 1, 2; in particular, the distribution is supported or enhanced by the capillary action. In this process step according to the invention, a homogenization of the connecting material 3 and thus automatically also a wedge error compensation take place by the force of the weight and the capillary force acting together. With correspondingly precisely manufactured, geometrically equivalent substrates, even an automatic alignment of the two substrates to one another can occur.

[0092] In a last step of the invention according to FIG. 1d, which primarily is carried out with the use of hardenable liquids as connecting material 3, the first substrate 1 and/or the second substrate 2 and thus in particular also the connecting material 3 are exposed to electromagnetic radiation and/or heat. The exposure of the first substrate 1 and/or the second substrate 2 is symbolized in FIG. 1d by the arrows that point toward the two substrates 1 and 2.

[0093] FIG. 2a shows a more preferred embodiment according to the invention, in which a droplet is applied as connecting material 5 to the connecting surface 2o of the second substrate 2. The droplet 5 has a perfect convex droplet surface 5o based on the gravitational force that acts on it. The liquid 3 that is deposited in addition on the lower connecting surface 1o was deposited by an incorrect or poorly calibrated deposition system. The liquid surface 3o thus does not have any perfect, purely convex liquid surface 3o. This type of incorrect deposition primarily results from falsely calibrated, outdated or contaminated nozzles in the deposition system, not shown.

[0094] According to the invention, a deposition of several puddles/droplets distributed over the substrate surfaces 1o, 2o would also be conceivable, and said puddles/droplets then collect in the liquid 3 shown in FIG. 2a.

[0095] The extreme situation of the disadvantageously deposited liquid 3 on the connecting surface 1o of the lower substrate 1 in FIG. 2a is virtually absent in correctly calibrated and cleanly operating deposition systems. The formation of several local convex areas 4, 4 between which correspondingly concave areas 6 are located (FIG. 2b) would be very possibly conceivable, however. These areas 4, 4, 6 are primarily produced by particles in the millimeter, micrometer, and nanometer range, which can result in a change in the surface tension. If such a liquid surface were to make direct contact with an extremely flat substrate surface 2o, it would result in the formation of small bubbles in the millimeter range, micrometer range and nanometer range.

[0096] The second embodiment according to the invention can eliminate two problems by the deposition of a droplet 5 on the connecting surface 2o of the upper substrate 2. The deposition according to the invention of a droplet on the substrate surface 2o of the substrate 2 makes it possible in particular to bring into direct contact two liquids of the connecting material 3 with the droplet-like connecting material 5. As a result, potential bubbles that are produced during the contact still exit through fluid-dynamic relaxation processes from the boundary surface of the two connecting materials 3 and 5, and the collected resulting connecting material remains free of bubbles.

[0097] In another embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 2c, the liquid 3 can be deposited by a coating method, in particular by centrifugal enameling or spray enameling, simultaneously over the substrate surface 1o of the substrate 1.

[0098] FIG. 2d shows another transverse view or top view, not to scale according to the invention, of two rectangular substrates 1, 2, on which a connecting material 3.sup.IV was applied in the form of a pattern. After the connecting materials 3.sup.IV and 5 are brought into contact, the pattern makes possible a faster, more efficient, more homogeneous and primarily simultaneous distribution of the collected connecting material between the two rectangular substrates 1 and 2.

[0099] Then, an analogous procedure according to FIGS. 1c-1d is carried out.

[0100] In a quite especially preferred embodiment according to the invention, only a single droplet 5 is deposited on the connecting surface 2o of the upper substrate 2. Because of the gravitational force, the droplet 5 in turn has a purely convex shape. The amount of liquid of the droplet 5 is calculated in such a way that it is sufficient to produce the connecting layer 7 according to the invention between the two substrates 1 and 2.

[0101] After the droplet 5 is deposited, an analogous procedure of approaching, making contact, distributing and hardening is carried out in turn according to FIGS. 1c-1d.

[0102] FIG. 4 shows an especially preferred embodiment for deposition of the connecting material 5 in the form of a droplet on a substrate surface 2o. In this case, the droplet is produced by a deposition tube 8 on a deposition tube opening 8o. The surface tension of the connecting material holds the droplets together. After a droplet forms at the end of such a deposition tube 8, in particular a needle or a nozzle opening, a relative approach between the droplet 5 or the deposition tube opening 8o and the substrate 2 is carried out. Ultimately, the substrate 2 is based on the droplets and is transferred from the deposition tube opening 8o to the substrate surface 2o. According to the invention, a deposition tube diameter D is in particular smaller than 5 mm, preferably smaller than 2 mm, even more preferably smaller than 1 mm, most preferably smaller than 0.1 mm, and with the utmost preference smaller than 0.01 mm.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0103] 1, 1 First substrate [0104] 1o, 1o First connecting surface [0105] 1u Peripheral contour [0106] 2, 2 Second substrate [0107] 2o, 2o Second connecting surface [0108] 2u Peripheral contour [0109] 3, 3, 3, 3, 3.sup.IV Connecting material [0110] 3o, 3o, 3o, 3o, 3o.sup.IV liquid surface [0111] 4, 4 Convex area [0112] 5 (Droplet-like) Connecting material [0113] 5o Droplet surface [0114] 6 Concave area [0115] 7 Connecting layer [0116] 8 Deposition tube [0117] 8o Deposition tube opening [0118] t Thickness [0119] G Gravitational force [0120] K Capillary force [0121] D Deposition tube diameter