Method and device for bonding substrates

Abstract

A method and corresponding device for bonding a first contact surface of a first substrate to a second contact surface of a second substrate. The method includes the steps of arranging a substrate stack, formed from the first substrate and the second substrate and aligned on the contact surfaces, between a first heating surface of a first heating system and a second heating surface of a second heating system.

Having described the invention, the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . An accommodating device for accommodating a substrate stack, the device comprising:
 a receiving system configured to receive the substrate stack and accommodate the received substrate stack only in a peripheral area of the substrate stack.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving system comprises mechanical clamps configured to clamp sides of the substrate stack in the peripheral area of the substrate stack. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving system comprises an attaching unit configured to attach substrates to form the substrate stack, the attaching unit comprising one or more of:
 magnetic means for magnetic attachment of the substrates;   mechanical means for mechanical attachment of the substrates;   means for attachment of the substrates by electrostatic attractive force; and   tacking means for tacking attachment of the substrates.   
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the tacking means comprises one or more of:
 current application means for attaching the substrates through application of a concentrated electric current thereto; and   heat application means for attaching the substrates through application of high heat thereto.   
     
     
         5 . A handling unit for handling a substrate stack, the handling unit comprising:
 an accommodating device for accommodating the substrate stack, the accommodating device comprising a receiving system configured to receive the substrate stack and accommodate the received substrate stack only in a peripheral area of the substrate stack.   
     
     
         6 . The unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the receiving system comprises mechanical clamps configured to clamp sides of the substrate stack in the peripheral area of the substrate stack. 
     
     
         7 . The unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the receiving system comprises an attaching unit configured to attach substrates to form the substrate stack, the attaching unit comprising one or more of:
 magnetic means for magnetic attachment of the substrates;   mechanical means for mechanical attachment of the substrates;   means for attachment of the substrates by electrostatic attractive force; and   tacking means for tacking attachment of the substrates.   
     
     
         8 . The unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the tacking means comprises one or more of:
 current application means for attaching the substrates through application of a concentrated electric current thereto; and   heat application means for attaching the substrates through application of high heat thereto.   
     
     
         9 . The unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the unit is a robot. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for aligning and bonding substrates, comprising:
 an alignment unit;   a bonding unit; and   a transfer area between the alignment unit and the bonding unit, the transfer area configured to transfer the substrates from the alignment unit to the bonding unit, the transfer area comprising a handling unit for handling a stack of the substrates, the handling unit comprising:
 an accommodating device for accommodating the substrate stack, the accommodating device comprising a receiving system configured to receive the substrate stack and accommodate the received substrate stack only in a peripheral area of the substrate stack. 
   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the alignment unit, the transfer area, and the bonding unit is arranged independently therefrom. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the transfer area is a vacuum transfer area.