SUBSTRATE HOLDER AND METHOD FOR FIXING AND BONDING A SUBSTRATE

Abstract

A substrate holder for mounting a substrate, comprising fixing elements for fixing the substrate, wherein the fixing elements can be grouped into zones, and a corresponding method.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A substrate holder for mounting a substrate, comprising: fixing elements for fixing the substrate, wherein: the fixing elements are grouped into a plurality of zones, the plurality of zones are arranged circular ring-shaped, the plurality of zones are arranged exclusively in a periphery of the substrate holder, and the plurality of zones are separated azimuthally from each other.

17. The substrate holder according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of zones are arranged symmetrically relative to a centre of the substrate holder.

18. The substrate holder according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of zones are arranged in a plurality of rings around a centre of the substrate holder.

19. The substrate holder according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of rings are circular rings.

20. The substrate holder according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of zones are uniformly spaced apart from one another in a radial direction and/or in an azimuthal direction.

21. The substrate holder according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of zones are formed with a changing width, with an increasing width, from a centre of the substrate holder to an edge of the substrate holder.

22. The substrate holder according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of zones are individually switchable such that all of the fixing elements grouped in a zone are switched to a fixing state or a non-fixing state.

23. The substrate holder according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of the zones are grouped and switched in common such that all of the fixing elements of the grouped zones are switched to a fixing state or a non-fixing state.

24. The substrate holder according to claim 16, wherein the number of fixing elements in the plurality zones are flexibly changable.

25. The substrate holder according to claim 16, wherein the fixing elements are flexibly assignable to different zones.

26. The substrate holder according to claim 16, wherein the fixing elements can be triggered in a cross-zonal manner.

27. A method for fixing and bonding a substrate or a plurality of substrates with the substrate holder according to claim 16.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the plurality of zones are individually switchable such that all of the fixing elements grouped in a zone are switched to a fixing state or a non-fixing state.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the plurality of zones are grouped and switched in common such that all of the fixing elements of the grouped zones are switched to a fixing state or a non-fixing state.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein the number of fixing elements in the plurality of zones are flexibly changeable.

31. The method according to claim 27, wherein the fixing elements are flexibly assignable to different zones.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0091] FIG. 1 shows a substrate holder according to the invention in a first embodiment according to the invention,

[0092] FIG. 2 shows a substrate holder according to the invention in a second embodiment according to the invention,

[0093] FIG. 3 shows a substrate holder according to the invention in a third embodiment according to the invention,

[0094] FIG. 4 shows a substrate holder according to the invention represented in a simplified form in a fourth embodiment according to the invention,

[0095] FIG. 5 shows a substrate holder according to the invention represented in a simplified form in a fifth embodiment according to the invention,

[0096] FIG. 6 shows a substrate holder according to the invention represented in a simplified form in a sixth embodiment according to the invention and

[0097] FIG. 7 shows a substrate holder according to the invention represented in a simplified form according to FIG. 4 with a fixed substrate.

[0098] Identical components or components with the same function are denoted by the same reference numbers in the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0099] All the represented figures are diagrammatic representations of the substrate surfaces with their zones and fixing elements, which are not necessarily true to scale. The complete representation of the substrate holders with all the components is intentionally dispensed with, since they have no additional value for the idea according to the invention. In particular, the first three substrate holders according to the invention are represented more precisely than the last three substrate holders.

[0100] FIG. 1 shows the fixing surface of a substrate holder 1 according to the invention in a first illustrative embodiment according to the invention. Substrate holder 1 comprises a base body 2, in particular a plate. Base body 2 can be mounted with fastenings 3 on a device. Located in base body 2, in the fixing region, there are two cutouts 4, in particular elongated holes, through which the rear side of a substrate (not shown) can be observed.

[0101] Located in the centre of substrate holder 1 is a deformation element 5, in particular a pin or a nozzle. The substrate holder comprises two, in particular differently constituted fixing elements 6, 6′ according to the invention. Outer fixing element 6 is designed in particular around the entire circumference and circular. Fixing elements 6, 6″ are in particular depressions 11 constituted very thin, which can preferably be evacuated via a fluid opening 12 and thus act as vacuum fixing elements.

[0102] Inner fixing element 6′ is designed as a network of depressions 11 over the remaining area of base body 2. Fixing element 6′ is in particular also designed as a vacuum fixing element. Outer fixing elements 6 is therefore the sole fixing element belonging to a zone 7. Inner fixing element 6′ is the sole fixing element belonging to a zone 7′. Substrate holder 1 can also comprise various sensors 8, in particular pressure measuring sensors.

[0103] Zones 7,7′ are arranged ring-shaped, in particular circular ring-shaped, in all the represented embodiments.

[0104] The number of pins 9 represented in the following figures is much fewer in the figures than in an actual substrate holder. A substrate holder according to the invention can have hundreds, if not even thousands of such pins 9 per fixing element 6″.

[0105] FIG. 2 shows the fixing surface of a substrate holder 1′ according to the invention in a second embodiment according to the invention. Base body 2 can be mounted with fastenings 3 on a device. Substrate holder 1′ comprises a plurality of fixing elements 6″, in particular delimited radially and azimuthally.

[0106] Fixing elements 6″ are in particular set back, preferably countersunk depressions 11, in which pins 9 are located at several points. The pin surface of pins 9 is in particular congruent with the web surface of webs 10.

[0107] Fixing elements 6″ are constituted in particular as vacuum fixing elements. Depressions 11 can be evacuated via a fluid outlet 12, in particular individually and independently of one another by means of the separation by webs 10. If fixing elements 6″ also serve as deformation elements, a fluid can also flow in via fluid opening 12, which leads to an, in particular local, deformation of a fixed substrate.

[0108] A plurality of fixing elements 6″ are grouped together to form a zone 7, whilst a further, differently formed, concentric fixing element 6″ forms a second concentric zone 7′. Preferably located in the centre of substrate holder 1′ is a deformation element 5, which can deform a fixed substrate, in particular concentrically. Pins 9 serve in particular to reduce the contact area of a fixed substrate, preferably to prevent contamination. A plurality of sensors 8, in particular pressure sensors, can be distributed over the fixing area of substrate holder 1′.

[0109] FIG. 3 shows a further, more advantageous embodiment according to the invention of a substrate holder 1″ according to the invention. Fixing elements 6, 6″ are located at the periphery of substrate holder 1″ and are azimuthally separated from one another. Fixing element 6 is in particular a simple depression 11, a groove, which again has been formed very thin, whereas fixing elements 6 have again been designed as depressions 11, with pins 9 and fluid outlets 12. Areas with depressions 11 with pins 9 can be located between fixing elements 6, 6″. These areas can also, but do not have to be, designed as fixing elements. The centric area can likewise be designed either exclusively as a depression 11 with pins 9 and/or again serve as a fixing element. It would also be conceivable for the centric area to have a flat surface, as represented in the figure. This representation has been selected in this case to place the focus on fixing elements 6, 6″ at the periphery and to highlight them better. Substrate holder 1″ can again comprise sensors 8 and/or a deformation element 5. In particular, individual fixing elements 6, 6″ can also again serve as a fixing and/or deformation element.

[0110] All the shown embodiments according to the invention are intended to disclose the concept of a plurality of fixing elements 6, 6′, 6″, which can be grouped to form zones 7, 7′. The concept of zone formation, however, goes far beyond the grouping of individual fixing elements which are adjacent to one another. According to the invention, it is in fact possible to group into zones fixing elements which are not adjacent to one another. To illustrate this aspect according to the invention, the illustration of the substrate holders with all the details will be refrained from in the following figures. On the contrary, the fixing elements will only be referred to with the aid of reference numbers 6, 6′, 6″ and the zones with the aid of reference numbers 7, 7′, 7″, 7‴.

[0111] The represented zones separated from one another azimuthally have a circle segment angle between 5° and 90°, preferably between 10° and 70°, still more preferably between 20° and 50°, most preferably between 22° and 30°, with utmost preference of approximately 22.5°.

[0112] The zones have a radial length between 50 mm and 1 mm, preferably between 50 mm and 10 mm, still more preferably between 50 mm and 20 mm, most preferably between 50 mm and 30 mm, with utmost preference between 50 mm and 40 mm.

[0113] FIG. 4 shows a further, special embodiment of a substrate holder according to the invention, wherein there are three different zones. First zone 7 is comprised of a total of 12 fixing elements 6, which are located in groups each with three fixing elements 6 in the diagonal. Second zone 7′ is comprised of a total of 12 fixing elements, which are located in groups each with three fixing elements 6 at the left-hand, the right-hand, the upper and the lower side of the substrate holder according to the invention. Also located in the centre is a large zone 7″, which in particular comprises only one single fixing element 6.

[0114] FIG. 5 shows a further, special embodiment of a substrate holder according to the invention, wherein there are four different zones 7, 7′, 7″, 7‴. The first, outermost zone is comprised of four fixing elements 6, which are positioned along a circle. The same applies equally to zones 7′ and 7″, which are located at a smaller radius in each case. Fourth zone 7‴ is a larger zone with a still smaller radius, which is closed in particular around the whole circumference, and in particular comprises only one fixing element 6.

[0115] FIG. 6 shows a further, special embodiment of a substrate holder according to the invention, wherein there are three different zones 7, 7′, 7″. First zone 7 is comprised of six fixing elements 6. Fixing elements 6 are located in two groups each with three fixing elements at the upper and lower position. Second zone 7′ is comprised of six fixing elements 6. Fixing elements 6 are located in two groups each with three fixing elements at the left-hand and right-hand position. A further large-area zone 7″ comprising in particular of only one fixing element 6 fills a large part of the remaining area and even partially surrounds the two zones 7, 7′.

[0116] The concept should emerge from the figures shown that any number of fixing elements 6 can be joined together to form arbitrary zones. It will be explained in the further figures why this zone formation is necessary.

[0117] FIG. 7 shows by way of example substrate holder 1‴ according to the invention from FIG. 4. Substrate holder 1‴ does in fact fix a substrate 13 which covers fixing elements 6. The position of zones 7, 7′ is nonetheless shown. Arrows 14 symbolise a mechanical anisotropy, which is to be compensated for with the aid of zones 7, 7′, 7″ according to the invention and, to be precise, before and/or during the bonding process. Represented substrate 13 could for example have an E-modulus dependent on the direction, such as is the case for cubic materials inside the crystallographic (100) plane. A force such as gravity in itself engaging homogeneously, which leads to sagging of substrate 13, would thus lead to an anisotropic expansion inside the substrate. It would also be conceivable that, due to a fixing of the substrate exclusively by zone 7′, a distortion arises which would then also be referred to as a mechanical anisotropy. This would perhaps be able to be compensated for by the additional switching of zone 7″ (covered by substrate 13). The correct switching of the individual zones for the optimum and desired compensation of mechanical anisotropy 14 is ideally determined by tests. It is also mentioned that individual fixing elements 6 of a zone can in particular be designed such that they are arranged radially. In particular, this arrangement permits a radial adaptation, while the bonding wave is moving from the centre to the edge.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numbers 1,1′, 1″ ,1‴,1‴′,1″‴ substrate holder 2 base body 3 fastenings 4 cutout 5 deformation element 6, 6′, 6″ fixing element 7, 7′ zone 8 sensor 9 pin 10 web 11 depression 12 fluid outlet, in particular drill hole 13 substrate 14 mechanical anisotropy