Joining method, joining system, and manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a joining method for joining chips including collectively joining a plurality of chips.SOLUTION: In a joining system comprising a chip source unit, a chip transfer activation unit, and a chip joining unit, a joining method for joining chips includes the steps of: actuating a plurality of joining heads to join a plurality of chips to a joining surface supported by a carriage; and during the joining of the plurality of chips to the joining surface, actuating a plurality of force applicators to collectively impart, to the carriage, a net moment of force about the center of rotation of the carriage that opposes the net moment of force about the center of rotation of the carriage collectively imparted to the carriage by the plurality of joining heads.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a bonding method for bonding chips including bonding a plurality of chips together at once.

Background Art

[0002] Advanced packaging techniques require precise and accurate control and placement of chips. To increase productivity / throughput, it is desirable in the art to use multiple bonding heads simultaneously to bond multiple source chips to a bonding surface. However, even when multiple bonding heads are operated as simultaneously as possible, one chip of one bonding head always contacts the bonding surface just before another chip of another bonding head. This initial contact by one chip on one bonding head causes the carriage supporting the bonding surface to tilt around the center of rotation. The tilt of the carriage around the center of rotation induces increased or unstable alignment for the chips on the remaining bonding heads.

[0003] FIG. 10 shows a schematic side view of joint 1 of a joint system in which an inclination occurs around the rotation center of the carriage. Joint 1 includes a joint head 2 coupled to a bridge 3. Below the joint head 2, there is a carriage 4 that holds a substrate chuck 5 having a substrate 6. The carriage 4 is mounted on a base 8 via a bearing 7, and the bearing 7 can be either an air bearing or a magnetically supported bearing. FIG. 10 shows the moment when the joint head 2 attempts to join two chips 9 to the joint surface 10 on the substrate 6. However, as described above, even when attempting to join two chips 9 to the joint surface 10 simultaneously, one chip will always come into contact with the joint surface 10 first. As shown in FIG. 10, when this occurs, the carriage 4 rotates in direction 11 around the rotation center CR, including all the structures it carries. This rotation creates an offset angle 12 that adversely affects the alignment of the second chip that contacts the joint surface 10 after the first chip has contacted the joint surface 10. The rotation causes an alignment error for the joining of the next chip. Such additional errors are difficult to compensate for because the amount of inclination varies depending on the location of the joint. In the system of FIG. 10, an inclination of the carriage 4 exceeding 0.2 microradians caused by the joining process results in an alignment error on the order of more than 10 nm, for example. The relationship between the alignment error and the inclination (tilt) can be a function of the distance in the joining direction (Z-axis) between the rotation centers CR of the carriage 4.

[0004] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method and system for joining a plurality of source chips to a joint surface while removing or minimizing alignment errors caused by inclination around the rotation center of the carriage. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A bonding method for bonding chips includes: operating a plurality of bonding heads to bond a plurality of chips to a bonding surface supported by a carriage; and during the step of bonding the plurality of chips to the bonding surface, operating a plurality of force applicators to collectively apply to the carriage a net force moment about the center of rotation of the carriage that counteracts the net force moment about the center of rotation of the carriage collectively imparted to the carriage by the plurality of bonding heads.

[0006] A bonding system for bonding chips includes a plurality of bonding heads, a plurality of force applicators, a carriage having a center of rotation, one or more processors, and one or more memories storing instructions. When executed by the one or more processors, the instructions cause the system to operate the plurality of bonding heads to bond a plurality of chips to a bonding surface supported by the carriage, and during the step of bonding the plurality of chips to the bonding surface, operate the plurality of force applicators to collectively apply to the carriage a net force moment about the center of rotation of the carriage that counteracts the net force moment about the center of rotation of the carriage collectively imparted to the carriage by the plurality of bonding heads.

[0007] A manufacturing method for manufacturing a plurality of articles includes: operating a plurality of bonding heads to bond a plurality of chips to a bonding surface supported by a carriage; during the step of bonding the plurality of chips to the bonding surface, operating a plurality of force applicators to collectively apply to the carriage a net force moment about the center of rotation of the carriage that counteracts the net force moment about the center of rotation of the carriage collectively imparted to the carriage by the plurality of bonding heads; and singulating a substrate to manufacture the plurality of articles.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] The embodiments are shown by way of example and are not limited to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 3C

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7A

Figure 7B

Figure 7C

Figure 8A

Figure 8B

Figure 9

Figure 10

[0009] Those skilled in the art will understand that the elements in the figures are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated compared to other elements to assist in understanding the implementation of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] The following description, in combination with the drawings, is provided to assist in understanding the teachings disclosed herein. The following discussion focuses on specific implementations and implementations of the teachings. This focus is provided to assist in explaining the teachings and should not be construed as a limitation on the scope or applicability of the teachings.

[0011] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. Many details regarding specific materials and processing acts not described herein are conventional and can be found in textbooks and other sources in the art.

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a bonding system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the bonding system 100 includes a chip source unit 102, a chip transfer activation unit 104, and a chip bonding unit 106. The chip source unit 102 is a part of the entire bonding system 100 that includes source chips used in the bonding process. The chip transfer activation unit 104 is a part of the entire bonding system 100 that transfers chips used in the bonding system from the chip source unit 102 to the chip bonding unit 106. In another configuration, the chip source unit can be a separate device. Similarly, the chip activation unit can be a separate device. Further, the chip transfer activation unit 104 activates the source chips to make them in a bondable state. In an alternative embodiment, the activation unit 104 activates a plurality of chips 124 before the chips are placed in the chip source unit 102. The chip bonding unit 106 receives the activated chips and performs bonding.

[0013] The chip source section 102 includes one or more sources for the chips. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the chip source section can include a substrate 114 held by a source chuck 110 having a chip 124 thereon, and / or can include a front opening unified / universal pod 112 (known in the art as a "FOUP"). The FOUP can include a plurality of substrates 114 and chips 124. Other chip sources known in the art, such as trays, adhesive tapes within frames, adhesive tapes on reels, adhesive layers on rigid substrates, etc., can be used for the chip source section 102. As used herein, a chip is an integrated circuit, also referred to as a microchip, computer chip, etc. A chip can be defined as a small block of semiconductor material on which a given functional circuit is fabricated. In the context of a wafer / substrate divided into individual chips, a chip is known as a die. A chip typically carries a set of integrated electronic components and circuits formed thereon by patterning, coating, etching, doping, plating, singulation, etc. A chip typically has electrical functions such as memory, logic, field programmable gate array (FPGA), accelerator circuits, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), security coprocessor, graphics processing unit (GPU), machine learning circuits, dedicated processors, controllers, devices, electrical circuits, arrays of passive components, etc. A chip can also be a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, an optical device, an electro-optical device, a microfluidic device, etc.

[0014] The chip transfer activation unit 104 includes a transfer robot 126 that can lift the substrate 114 and carry it to the second substrate chuck 130 within the joint 106. As understood in the art, the transfer robot 126 generally includes a hand and a robot arm that provides a degree of operation for lifting, carrying, and placing substrates from one location to another, such as from one substrate chuck to another or from a substrate storage location to a substrate chuck. The transfer robot 126 can be any suitable device known in the art, such as a robot like the wafer handling robot RR756L15 provided by Rotze Co., Ltd. in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The chip transfer activation device 104 further includes an activation device 128. The activation device 128 is a device that prepares the chips to be transported for hybrid bonding. Hybrid bonding is a chip bonding technique that brings into contact the surfaces of electrical insulating (e.g., silicon dioxide) chips having recessed metal (e.g., copper) pads. The metal pads are aligned with each other, while the electrical insulating surfaces are bonded to each other through direct contact. Then, heat is applied to the bonding structure, whereby the metal pads expand more relative to the electrical insulating material and come into contact with each other, thereby forming an electrical connection between the chips. In an exemplary embodiment, the operating device 128 can include, for example, a fluid source that applies deionized water and a plasma source that activates the surface of the chips before being carried by the transfer robot 126. Due to the material of the chips (i.e., dielectric), when the activated chips come into contact with another chip, a fusion bond occurs between the dielectric surfaces of the two chips.

[0015] The joint 106 includes a second substrate chuck 130 for receiving a substrate 114 having a chip that is transported by a transport robot 126 and activated by an activation device 128. The second substrate chuck 130 is also referred to herein as an intermediate substrate chuck. The joint 106 may include a bridge 132 to which the intermediate substrate chuck 130 is attached. The joint 106 also includes a plurality of bonding heads 134 attached to the bridge 132. In one embodiment, the bonding head 134 can include an outer peripheral chuck region that holds the back surface of the chip 124 along its outer periphery, and a central pressure source that curves the chip 124 held along its outer periphery. In one embodiment, the bonding head 134 can include one or more actuators that move the chip chuck at least in the Z direction toward the product substrate chuck 136.

[0016] The bonding head 134 can include one or more additional actuators that move the chip chuck in at least one of five directions (x, y, chip, tilt, and rotation about the z-axis), and the actuators can be voice coil motors, piezoelectric motors, linear motors, nut and screw motors, piezo-actuated stages, brushless DC motor stages, DC stepping motors, which are configured to move the chip chuck between the product substrate chuck 136 and are also configured to apply a controlled force to the chip when the chip is in contact with the bonding surface 140. The chip chuck can hold the chip on the chuck surface using vacuum force, electrostatic force, electromagnetic force, mechanical gripping force, or any other method that releasably holds the chip to the chuck surface of the bonding head 134. The joint 106 further includes a product substrate chuck 136 that holds the product substrate 138. The product substrate 138 has a bonding surface 140. The bonding surface 140 in the illustrated embodiment is the upper surface of the product substrate 138. In another exemplary embodiment, the bonding surface can be the surface of a chip already on the product substrate 138. That is, the bonding described herein can be used to bond a source chip onto the surface of a product substrate and / or to bond a source chip onto the surface of a product chip on a product substrate.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the bonding system 106 further includes a carriage 142 that carries the product substrate chuck 136. The carriage 142 includes a support unit 118 and a frame. The support unit 118 is mounted on the base 121 via a bearing unit 123. The bearing unit 123 can be an air bearing, a mechanical bearing, or a magnetic levitation bearing that allows the support unit 118 to smoothly move along one or more guide rails that limit the movement of the support unit 118 in a specific direction. The support unit 118 supports the product substrate chuck 136, a plurality of transfer heads 148, and a plurality of alignment heads 146 described below. The frame 120 has a central opening and surrounds the product substrate chuck 136. When the product substrate chuck 136 holds the product substrate 138, the frame 120 can also surround the product substrate 138. The frame 120 can provide a uniform surface that helps control the air flow around the substrate during bonding. The support unit 118 may be attached to or be a part of the moving part of a multi-axis stage that is controlled in one or more directions including x, y, z, θx, θy, and θz to move the support unit under the bridge 132.

[0018] The joint 106 further includes a plurality of force applicators 116 carried by the carriage 142. Each force applicator of the plurality of force applicators 116 is a mechanism configured to provide a moment of force about the center of rotation CR of the carriage 142. The moment of force is the tilting effect about the center of rotation generated by the force, and is calculated as the cross product of the vector connecting the point where the force is applied and the center of rotation CR and the force vector. The center of rotation of the carriage 142 is determined by all the structures of the carriage 142 and all the structures carried by the carriage 142. That is, in an exemplary embodiment, the center of rotation CR is determined by the support unit 118, the frame 120, the product substrate chuck 136, the product substrate 138 having a non-uniform mass distribution, the alignment device 146, and the transfer head 148. The product substrate 138 may be composed of a plurality of chips / dies pre-bonded to the product substrate 138. As the manufacturing process progresses, the distribution of mass on the product substrate changes over time, which changes the center of rotation CR. The center of rotation CR may be calculated by calculating the center of mass (center of gravity) of the carriage and all the things attached to the carriage.

[0019] The force applicator may be disposed on the bridge 132, as shown in the exemplary embodiment. The operating end 122 of the force applicator 116 (i.e., the end opposite the attachment end) faces the operating surface to which the force applicator 116 applies a force. For example, in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the operating surface to which the force applicator 116 applies a force is the surface 144 of the frame 120 that surrounds the product substrate chuck 136. Alternatively, the force applicator may be disposed on the frame 120 within the area surrounding the product substrate chuck 136 (FIG. 9, discussed below). In that case, the operating surface to which the force applicator applies a force is the surface 150 of the bridge 132 or is attached thereto. In yet another embodiment, one or more force applicators 116 may be on the bridge, while one or more other force applicators may be on the carriage. In that case, one or more force applicators on the bridge apply a force to the surface 144 of the frame 120, while one or more force applicators on the frame 120 apply a force to the surface 150 of the bridge 132. When one or more force applicators are attached to the frame 120, the force applicator 116 on the frame 120 also contributes to the center of rotation CR. That is, as described above, the center of rotation CR of the carriage is determined by the carriage itself together with any additional components on which the carriage is carried.

[0020] The force applicator may be a non-contact force applicator that tends not to generate particles that affect the joining process. In an exemplary embodiment, the force applicator can have a gas nozzle configuration. The gas nozzle configuration includes a compressed gas blow nozzle having a fixed aperture, which may be circular, for example. The compressed gas blow nozzle may be connected to a controller such as a pressure regulator and / or a mass flow controller. The controller is connected to a compressed gas source. The compressed gas source can include a connection to a compressed fluid tank or an external compressed air source. The controller may be connected to a pump that increases the pressure of the gas. The gas may be clean dry air, nitrogen, a noble gas, or any gas that does not interfere with the joining process. The gas nozzle may be positioned relative to the working surface on which it acts (i.e., surface 144 or surface 150) such that the nozzle does not physically contact the contact surface. For example, the force applicator may be arranged such that the distance between the working surface on which it acts and the gas nozzle of the force applicator is less than 1 mm.

[0021] In another exemplary embodiment, the force applicator can use magnetism to apply a moment force to the carriage. For example, each force applicator can include an electromagnet facing the working surface on which it acts, and the working surface is made of a material that is attracted to or repelled by the electromagnet. Surface 144 or surface 150 may be made of a material that is attracted to or repelled by the electromagnet. The surface 144 of the frame 120 may be a separate plate made of a material attached to the frame 120, or the frame itself may be made of such a material. Similarly, the surface 150 of the bridge 132 may be a separate plate made of a material attached to the bridge 132, or the bridge itself may be made of such a material. By operating the electromagnet of the force applicator, the repulsive or attractive force generated on the working surface applies a moment force to the carriage about the center of rotation CR.

[0022] As described above, the joint 106 can further include a plurality of alignment devices 146 and a plurality of transfer heads 148, all of which are carried by the carriage 142. As shown in FIG. 1, the support unit 118 of the carriage 142 can support the alignment device 148 and the transfer head 148. Each of the plurality of transfer heads 148 can include a Bernoulli chuck, a suction nozzle, an electrostatic chuck, an edge gripping chuck, a latch mechanism, or any means for releasably holding a chip, including but not limited to any one of various methods of holding a chip. Each of the plurality of transfer heads 148 can include an actuator for moving at least in the Z direction toward and away from the bridge 132. The plurality of alignment devices 146 are used to inspect the alignment of the chips on the plurality of bonding heads 134 after transferring the chips to the plurality of bonding heads 134. Each alignment device can be a microscope, a camera, an interferometer, or any type of measurement device capable of measuring the position of each chip at the nanometer scale. The information provided by the plurality of alignment devices 146 enables the operator to know whether each chip is at a target position within an acceptable error amount. The plurality of alignment devices 146 can be any suitable device known in the art, such as a 20x microscope with a 5 megapixel camera, such as the CI-5MGMCL of Canon Inc. in Tokyo, Japan. The plurality of transfer heads 148 are used to transfer chips from the substrate 114 held by the intermediate substrate chuck 130 to the plurality of bonding heads 134. Each of the plurality of transfer heads 148 can include a Bernoulli chuck, a suction nozzle, an electrostatic chuck, an edge gripping chuck, a latch mechanism, or any method for releasably holding a chip, including but not limited to any one of various methods of holding a chip. Each of the plurality of transfer heads 148 can include an actuator for moving at least in the Z direction toward and away from the bridge 132.

[0023] The number of bonding heads in a plurality of bonding heads is at least two, and may be, for example, 300. The number of bonding heads can be, for example, 2 to 300, 5 to 100, or 8 to 16. The arrangement of the plurality of bonding heads may be in the formation of columns and rows such as 1×2, 2×2, 2×2, 1×3, 3×1, 2×3, 2×3, 3×2, 3×3, 4×1, 1×4, 4×2, 2×4, 3×4, 4×3, 4×4, etc. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, for a total of four bonding heads, it is 2×2. The number and arrangement of the plurality of transfer heads may be the same as the number and arrangement of the bonding heads. Alternatively, the number and arrangement of the plurality of transfer heads may be more than the number and arrangement of the bonding heads.

[0024] The joint portion 106 may further include a microscope (not shown) on the carriage 142 and a microscope (not shown) on the bridge 132. If present, the microscope contributes to the location of the rotation center CR of the carriage 142. The microscope on the carriage 142 is movable together with the plurality of transfer heads 148, the product substrate chuck 136, and the plurality of alignment devices 146. The microscope on the carriage is directed upward in the direction toward the intermediate substrate chuck 130. The microscope on the carriage functions to measure the positions of a plurality of chips on the substrate 114. The microscope on the bridge is directed downward in the direction toward the product substrate chuck 136. The microscope on the bridge functions to measure the positions of the chips on the product substrate 138. Each of the microscopes may be a suitable device known in the art, for example, a 20x microscope equipped with a 5-megapixel camera such as CI-5MGMCL of Canon Kabushiki Kaisha in Tokyo, Japan.

[0025] The bonding system 100 can be adjusted, controlled, and / or directed by one or more processors 154 (controllers) that communicate with one or more components and / or subsystems such as a chip source section 102, a chip transfer activation section 104, a bonding section 106, a source chuck 110, a FOUP 112, a transfer robot 126, an activation device 128, an intermediate substrate chuck 130, a plurality of bonding heads 134, a plurality of force applicators 116, a product substrate chuck 136, a carriage 142, a plurality of alignment devices 146, a plurality of transfer heads 148, and any microscope. The processor 154 can operate based on instructions in a computer-readable program stored in a non-transitory computer memory 156. The processor 154 can be or include one or more of a CPU, MPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, DSP, and a general-purpose computer. The processor 154 may be a dedicated controller or a general-purpose computing device adapted to be a controller. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable memory include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, hard drive, network-attached storage (NAS), intranet-connected non-transitory computer-readable storage devices, and Internet-connected non-transitory computer-readable storage devices. All of the steps described herein can be executed by the processor 154.

[0026] Figure 2 shows a flowchart of a method for bonding chip 200 using bonding system 100. The method of bonding chip 200 begins with step S202 of operating a plurality of bonding heads to bond a plurality of chips to a bonding surface supported by a carriage. However, several steps that may be part of the bonding method may be performed even before the first step shown in FIG. 2. For example, the following additional steps may be performed before step S202. First, desired chip information including the location where the chip is to be placed on the bonding surface may be received. After receiving the chip information, if the transfer robot 126 has not yet been activated, it transports the source substrate 114 through the activation device 128, activates the chip by the method described above, and then the source substrate 114 is received by the chip bonding portion 106. After the chip passes through the activation device 128 in an activated state, the transfer robot 126 transports the source substrate 114 to the second substrate chuck 130 of the chip bonding portion 106. In an alternative embodiment, the chips on the source substrate 114 are already activated and are directly transferred from the chip source portion 102 to the bonding portion 106.

[0027] The source substrate 114 having the activated chips 124 can then be chucked by the second substrate chuck 130. Next, when the source substrate 114 having the activated chips 124 is attached to the second substrate chuck 130, the positions of the plurality of chips 124 can be measured using a microscope. This step can be performed by moving the carriage 142 until the microscope is under the plurality of chips 124. If the feedback from the first microscope indicates that a particular one of the plurality of chips 124 is outside the acceptable amount of error, it is necessary to prepare a replacement substrate 114. If the feedback from the microscope indicates that the plurality of chips 124 are arranged at appropriate positions within the acceptable amount of error, the method can proceed.

[0028] Next, the first set of chips can be transferred from the source substrate 114 to the plurality of bonding heads 134. This step can be performed by first moving the carriage 142 until the plurality of transfer heads 148 are under the plurality of chips 124. The plurality of transfer heads 148 may include the same number of heads having the same pitch as the plurality of bonding heads 134. The plurality of transfer heads 148 are configured to mirror the plurality of bonding heads 134, and the plurality of transfer heads 148 can transfer up to the same number of chips that the plurality of bonding heads can bond in a single bonding process. The plurality of transfer heads 148 can pick up the first set of chips from the source substrate 114, for example, by activating a vacuum force. The plurality of transfer heads 148 can maintain the vacuum force while the plurality of transfer heads 148 carrying the first set of chips are moved to a position under the plurality of bonding heads 134 via the carriage 142. Either the plurality of transfer heads 148 or the plurality of bonding heads 134 move towards the other (or both move simultaneously) until the first set of chips reach the position where they are to be transferred to the plurality of bonding heads 134. Once sufficiently close, the vacuum force on the plurality of transfer heads 148 is terminated and the vacuum force of the plurality of bonding heads 134 is activated, thereby enabling the first set of chips to be transferred to the plurality of bonding heads 134. After the chip 124 (the first set of chips) is transferred to the bonding head, the carriage 142 can be moved to align the product substrate 138, such that the bonding surface 140 reaches a predetermined location relative to the bonding head 134 holding the first set of chips. That is, the processor 154 can receive / process information regarding the location where the chip 124 (the first set of chips) of the current bonding procedure is to be placed on the bonding surface 140, and based on this information, the processor moves the carriage 142 so that the chip 124 held by the bonding head 134 is properly positioned along the X / Y axes. The moment when all these steps are executed immediately before step S202 is the moment shown in FIG. 1. That is, at the moment shown in FIG. 1, each bonding head 134 holds a chip 124 disposed at a predetermined location above the bonding surface 140, and the system is ready to proceed with the bonding method.At this point, in the illustrated embodiment, the force applicator 116 is disposed outside the bonding head 134 and faces the frame 120 of the carriage 142.

[0029] When the above-described initial steps are completed, the bonding method 200 is ready to start the above-described step S202 of operating a plurality of bonding heads to bond a plurality of chips to a bonding surface supported by a carriage.

[0030] FIG. 3A shows an enlarged view of a portion 160 in a first exemplary bonding process in which a first set of chips 124 are bonded. As shown in FIG. 3A, the bonding head 134 is disposed at a position above the bonding surface 140, near the edge of the substrate 138. That is, in this first example of bonding the first set of chips, the carriage 142 has already been moved so that the chips 124 are located at a predetermined position above the bonding surface 140. In this first case, the predetermined position is near the edge of the product substrate 138. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3A, before performing step S202, the bonding head 134 holds one of the chips 124, and the bonding head 134 is above the bonding surface 140. In the illustrated embodiment, all the bonding heads face the substrate, but in some examples not all the bonding heads face the bonding surface. The advantage of the bonding method 200 is mainly achieved when at least two bonding heads are activated and used, but the bonding method 200 can still be performed as long as at least one of the bonding heads is used. If a number of bonding heads less than all of the available bonding heads do not face the bonding surface, those that do not face the bonding surface are not operated, and at least one (preferably two or more) of the bonding heads that face the bonding surface are operated.

[0031] At the instant shown in FIG. 3A, since the chip 124 is not in contact with the bonding surface 140, the force applicator 116 has not yet been operated. When the bonding head 134 is positioned for bonding, at least two of the force applicators 116 are arranged to face the surface 144. That is, although it is preferable to have more than two force applicators (for example, three in the illustrated exemplary embodiment), the force applicators are attached at positions on the bridge so that at least two force applicators can act on the surface 144 regardless of where the bonding head is located with respect to the bonding surface during a particular bonding process. At many positions of the bonding head with respect to the bonding surface, more than three (for example, three in the illustrated embodiment) face the surface 144 and are available for applying a force to the surface 144. The number of force applicators may be from 2 to 30, more preferably from 3 to 5.

[0032] After being positioned at the location shown in FIG. 3A, the bonding head 134 can be operated so that the chip 124 moves in the Z direction toward the bonding surface 140. FIG. 3B shows the same enlarged view of FIG. 3A just before the chip 124 contacts the bonding surface 140. At this point, since neither chip is in contact with the bonding surface 140, the force applicator 116 has not yet been operated.

[0033] FIG. 3C shows the same enlarged view as FIG. 3A at the moment when chip 124 begins to contact the bonding surface 140. From the moment of contact and throughout the bonding process, each bonding head 134 applies a downward force in the Z direction to facilitate the bonding of the chip to the bonding surface. More specifically, from the moment the first chip among the plurality of chips contacts the bonding surface to the moment all the chips contact the bonding surface and are fully bonded, the magnitudes of the forces applied in the Z direction by the bonding heads at different positions on the bonding surface vary. The combination of all the forces applied by the bonding heads at a particular time gives a net force moment around the center of rotation CR of the carriage 142. The force applicator 116 is disposed at a known position with respect to the surface 144 of the frame 120 of the carriage 142 and can be operated to apply a net force moment around the center of rotation CR that is in the opposite direction and equal in magnitude to the net force moment caused by the bonding head 134. As will be explained below, the net force moment is a vector that is understood to have direction components. Thus, "opposite in direction" should be understood to mean that the individual direction components (e.g., X, Y directions) of the vector representing the net force moment applied by the force applicator oppose the corresponding individual direction components of the vector representing the net force moment applied by the bonding head. That is, at any particular point in time during the bonding process, the force applicator 116 may be controlled to apply a force to the surface 144 of the frame 120 in the Z direction based on their positions relative to the center of rotation CR, such that the sum of all the forces applied by the force applicator 116 balances the net force moment around the center of rotation CR caused by the sum of all the forces applied by the bonding head 134, generating a net force moment around the center of rotation CR. Accordingly, after performing step S202, the method proceeds to step S204, where, during the bonding of the plurality of chips to the bonding surface, the plurality of force applicators are operated such that they collectively apply a net force moment to the carriage around the center of rotation of the carriage that opposes the net force moment collectively applied to the carriage by the plurality of bonding heads around the center of rotation of the carriage.

[0034] Figure 4 shows a schematic top view of area 160 of FIG. 1 at the same instant shown in FIG. 3C, with bridge 132 omitted. That is, FIG. 4 shows an example of the process of bonding the first set of chips. The top view of FIG. 4 best shows the locations of bonding head 134, chip 124, and force applicator 116 along the X and Y axes with respect to the center of rotation CR. As described above, each of the bonding heads 134 applies various amounts of force in the Z direction throughout the bonding process, but each bonding head applies force at different X / Y locations (positions) on the bonding surface 140. Similarly, force applicators 116 are each located at different X / Y locations (positions) on surface 144 of carriage 142 and, when actuated, apply a Z-direction force to surface 144. Each force applied by a particular bonding head at a particular time contributes to the net force moment around center of rotation CR. The individual force moments applied by the individual bonding heads are the cross product of the vector representing the magnitude of the Z-direction force and the distance from the center of rotation CR of the bonding head. The individual force moments applied by the individual force applicators are the cross product of the vector representing the magnitude of the force, which is primarily in the Z direction, and the distance from the center of rotation CR to the force applicator.

[0035] The force moment applied by an individual bonding head at a particular time can be represented by Equation (1) below.

[0036]

Number

[0037] In Equation (1),

[0038]

Number

[0039] is the vector representing the force moment generated by a particular bonding head BH at a particular time t around the center of rotation CR of the carriage. i is the vector representing the force moment generated by a particular bonding head BH at a particular time t around the center of rotation CR of the carriage.

[0040]

Number

[0041] is a vector representing the bonding force applied by a specific bonding head BH at a specific time t. i

[0042]

Number

[0043] is a vector representing the position of a specific bonding head BH with respect to the rotation center CR of the carriage. In Equation (1), i is a positive integer. For example, when i = 1, BH1 refers to bonding head 1, and the time t may be from 1 ms to 1000 ms. Each of the vectors representing the bonding force and the location of the bonding head can be represented in terms of their components along the X, Y, and Z axes. Since the force applied by the bonding head is generally only in the Z direction, it can be assumed that the X and Y components of the vector representing the bonding force for a specific bonding head are substantially 0 in most cases. As shown in Equation (1), the force moment caused by a specific bonding head at a specific time is the cross product of the vector representing the bonding force applied by the specific bonding head at the specific time and the vector representing the location of the specific bonding head at the specific time. i

[0044] The force moment applied by individual force applicators at a specific time can be represented by the following Equation (2).

[0045]

Number

[0046] In Equation (2),

[0047] ​​

number

[0048] is the force of a particular force applicator A at a particular time t j is a vector that represents the force moment around the center of rotation CR of the carriage caused by

[0049]

number

[0050] is the force of a particular force applicator A at a particular time t j is a vector representing the force exerted by

[0051]

number

[0052] is the distance between a specific force applicator A and the carriage's center of rotation CR j A1 is a vector representing the location of the force applicator. In equation (2), j is a positive integer, for example, j being 1 indicates that A1 is force applicator 1. Time t is the same as equation (1). Each of the vectors representing the forces applied by the force applicators and the locations of the force applicators can be represented by their components in the X, Y, and Z axes. Since the forces applied by the force applicators are generally only in the Z direction, the X and Y components of the vector representing the forces applied by a particular force applicator can be assumed to be substantially zero in most cases. As shown in equation (2), the force moment caused by a particular force applicator at a particular time is the cross product of the vector representing the forces applied by the particular force applicator at a particular time and the vector representing the location of the particular force applicator at a particular time.

[0053] The net force moment caused by all the bonding heads at a specific time can be expressed by the following equation (3). The net force moment caused by all the force applicators together at a specific time can be expressed by the following equation (4):

[0054] [Number] ··· Equation (3)

[0055] [Number] ··· Equation (4)

[0056] In Equation (3),

[0057] [Number]

[0058] is a vector representing the net force moment around the center of rotation CR of all the bonding heads at a specific time t. N represents the total number of bonding heads. The number of bonding heads is provided above. Thus, N may be, for example, 2 to 300, 5 to 100, or 8 to 16. In the illustrated embodiment, N is 4. Thus, as shown in Equation (3), the net force moment around the center of rotation CR caused by all the bonding heads at a specific time is the sum of all the individual force moments given by the individual bonding heads at the same specific time. Similarly, in Equation (4),

[0059] [Number]

[0060] is a vector representing the net force moment around the center of rotation CR of all force applicators at a specific time t. M represents the total number of force applicators. The number of force applicators is provided above. Thus, M may be, for example, from 2 to 30, and more preferably, M is from 3 to 5. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, M is 3. Thus, as shown in Equation (4), the net force moment around the center of rotation CR caused by all of the force applicators at a specific point in time is the sum of all of the individual force moments imparted by the individual force applicators at the same specific point in time. Each of the vectors representing the net moment of the force applied by the joining head, and the net moment of the force applied by the force applicator, can be represented with respect to their components along the X, Y, and Z axes.

[0061] Figure 5 shows vectors representing the locations of the joining head and the force applicator, together with the same top view as in Figure 4. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, there are four joining heads 134 and three force applicators 116. Each of the four joining heads has a corresponding vector representing their location with respect to the center of rotation CR, and each of the three force applicators has a corresponding vector representing their location with respect to the center of rotation CR. In Figure 5,

[0062]

Number

[0063] is a vector representing the location of the first joining head.

[0064]

Number

[0065] is a vector representing the location of the second joining head.

[0066]

Number

[0067] is a vector representing the location of the third joining head.

[0068]

Number

[0069] is a vector representing the location of the fourth joining head.

[0070] Similarly, in FIG. 5,

[0071]

Number

[0072] is a vector representing the location of the first force applicator.

[0073]

Number

[0074] is a vector representing the location of the second force applicator.

[0075]

Number

[0076] is a vector representing the location of the third force applicator.

[0077] Also, in FIG. 5,

[0078]

Number

[0079] is a vector representing the force applied by the first joining head.

[0080]

Number

[0081] is a vector representing the force applied by the second bonding head.

[0082]

Number

[0083] is a vector representing the force applied by the third bonding head.

[0084]

Number

[0085] is a vector representing the force applied by the fourth bonding head. Here, all the force vectors of the bonding heads are in the Z direction (i.e., within the page as viewed from the perspective of FIG. 5).

[0086] Similarly, in FIG. 5,

[0087]

Number

[0088] is a vector representing the force applied by the first force applicator.

[0089]

Number

[0090] is a vector representing the force applied by the second force applicator.

[0091]

Number

[0092] is a vector representing the force applied by the third force applicator. Here, all of the force vectors by the force applicator are in the Z direction (i.e., into the page from the perspective of FIG. 5).

[0093] FIG. 6 shows a more detailed view of a portion of the joint at the same instant as shown in FIG. 6, showing the location and force vectors of the joining head and the force applicator. The reference characters representing the various force vectors and location vectors are the same as those in FIG. 5. However, the side view shown in FIG. 6 shows the Z-axis direction of the force vectors that are not seen in the top view of FIG. 5. FIGS. 5 and 6 together show the following position vectors

[0094]

Number

[0095] and the following force vectors

[0096]

Number

[0097] To minimize or eliminate the tilt of the carriage 242 around the center of rotation CR, step S202 is caused by the joining head.

[0098]

Number

[0099] equal to and opposite net force moment

[0100]

Number

[0101] By operating the force applicator so as to cause, the net force moment caused by the bonding head

[0102]

Number

[0103] includes a step of balancing. This balancing step may be repeatedly / continuously formed during the time required to completely bond all of the chips held by the bonding head to the bonding surface. That is, the balancing step may be repeatedly / continuously executed from the moment when one of the chips of a set of chips to be bonded contacts the bonding surface until the moment when all of the chips of the set of chips to be bonded are completely bonded to the bonding surface. In an exemplary embodiment, the time from bringing one of all the chips into contact with the bonding surface until completely bonding all the chips is 300 ms. During this period, the balancing step may be executed, for example, every 1 ms.

[0104] The balancing step causes the force applicator to generate an appropriate amount of force equal to, and opposite to, the net force moment

[0105]

Number

[0106] and the net force moment

[0107]

Number

[0108] This balancing can be represented by the following formula (5).

[0109]

Number

[0110] Equation (5) represents an ideal situation where the net force moment is exactly balanced to zero, in which case the tilt of the carriage is completely eliminated. However, when minimizing the tilt within an acceptable error level, the magnitude of the net force moment applied by the plurality of force applicators (i.e., the magnitude of the vector

[0111]

Number

[0112] ) may be ±5% of the magnitude of the net force moment applied by the plurality of bonding heads (i.e., the magnitude of the vector

[0113]

Number

[0114] ). More preferably, the magnitude of the net force moment applied by the plurality of force applicators is ±2%, more preferably ±1%, and even more preferably ±0.5% of the magnitude of the net force moment applied by the plurality of bonding heads.

[0115] Figures 7A - 7C are timing charts showing the forces and force moments applied by exemplary bonding heads and force applicators. Specifically, Figure 7A is a timing chart of the z - component of the force applied by each bonding head during the bonding process

[0116]

Number

[0117] ), and Figure 7B is a timing chart of the z - component of the force applied by the force applicator during the bonding process

[0118]

Number

[0119] is a timing chart showing (using arbitrary units), and FIG. 7C shows the net moment of the forces applied by all the bonding heads for both the X-axis and the Y-axis

[0120]

Number

[0121] and the net moment of the forces applied by all the force applicators

[0122]

Number

[0123] and is a timing chart showing them. The x-axis in each of FIGS. 7A to 7C is the same and represents the time in the course of the same bonding process. That is, the same point along the x-axis in each of FIGS. 7A to 7C represents the same time. Therefore, by comparing FIGS. 7A to 7C, it is possible to observe what is happening with respect to the forces and the net moments of the forces applied simultaneously during a single bonding process. The y-axis in FIGS. 7A and 7B is force, and the y-axis in FIG. 7C is the net force moment. FIGS. 7A to 7C show one exemplary embodiment in which there are four bonding heads and three applicators for a particular bonding process. The timing diagrams of the forces and moments shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C are exemplary and are intended to show how they are related. However, the illustrated curves will vary depending on the bonding position, the number of bonding heads present, the number of force applicators present, etc., but the illustrated principle is the same.

[0124] FIG. 7A includes four types of lines representing the forces applied by four different bonding heads of an exemplary embodiment. As shown in the key of FIG. 7A, the solid line is for bonding head 1 (F BH1z) The force applied by, the small dotted line is the bonding head 2 (F BH2z ) The force applied by, the thick dotted line is the bonding head 3 (F BH3z ) The force applied by, the dashed line is the head 4 (F BH4z ) is. As shown in FIG. 7A, at the beginning of the time scale, all four bonding heads are not applying any force. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 7A, bonding head 1 applies force first, then bonding head 2 applies a smaller force than bonding head 1, then bonding head 3 applies a smaller force than bonding heads 1 and 2, and finally, bonding head 4 applies a smaller force than bonding heads 1, 2, and 3. Each of the forces applied by the four bonding heads is kept constant until they all start to decrease simultaneously until they return to 0 at the completion of the chip bonding.

[0125] FIG. 7B includes three types of lines representing the forces applied by three different force applicators of an exemplary embodiment. As shown in the key of FIG. 7B, the dotted line represents the force applied by force applicator 1 (F A1z ), the solid line represents the force applied by force applicator 2 (F A2z ), and the dashed line represents the force applied by force applicator 4 (F A3z ). As described above, FIG. 7B shows how the three force applicators apply force over the same period as FIG. 7A. As shown in FIG. 7B, at the start of the time scale, all three force applicators are not applying any force. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 7B, the first force applicator A1 is not required in the exemplary embodiment and thus is always 0 throughout the period. The forces F A2z and F A3z applied by force applicators A2 and A3 increase over time based on their locations relative to the center of rotation CR of the carriage in order to balance the force moment generated by the bonding head. Similar to the bonding head, the forces applied by force applicators A2 and A3 gradually decrease towards the end of the bonding process.

[0126] Figure 7C includes four types of lines representing the net force moment applied around the center of rotation CR of the carriage by all the bonding heads and all the force applicators for both the X-axis and the Y-axis. The solid line represents the net force moment applied together by all the bonding heads at the Y-axis (MF BHy ). The dashed line with a larger interval represents the net force moment applied together by all the bonding heads at the X-axis (MF BHx ). The dashed line with a smaller interval represents the net force moment applied together by all the force applicators at the Y-axis (MF Ay ). The dotted line represents the net force moment applied together by all the force applicators at the X-axis (MF Ax ). As shown in Figure 7C, over the bonding process at any given time, the net force moment applied by the bonding heads at the X-axis and the Y-axis is counteracted by an equal and opposite net force moment applied by the force applicators. That is, line MF BHy is equal and opposite to line MF Ay , and line MF BHx is equal and opposite to line MF Ax . Therefore, when the net moment of the force caused by the bonding heads increases, the net moment of the force caused by the force applicators increases in the opposite direction for both the X-axis and the Y-axis. Similarly, when the net moment of the force caused by the bonding heads decreases, the net moment of the force caused by the force applicators decreases in the opposite direction for both the X-axis and the Y-axis. By balancing the net force moment throughout the bonding process, the tilt of the carriage is prevented or minimized.

[0127] The amount of force that each individual force applicator should apply to cancel out the net force moment at a specific time can be based entirely on predetermined information regarding the bonding force or on a combination of predetermined information collected during the bonding process and sensor information. The predetermined information is specifically predetermined information regarding when each individual bonding head contacts the bonding surface and how much force each individual bonding head applies through the bonding of a specific chip. As part of instructing the bonding head to perform the bonding process, at each instant during the bonding process, not only the magnitude of the force applied by the bonding head but also the movement in the Z direction towards the bonding surface is known in advance. That is, for each bonding head, the controller has information regarding when the chip contacts the bonding surface, how much force is applied at the time of contact, and how much force is applied during the bonding until the bonding is completed. The center of rotation of the carriage is also known based on all the components currently on the carriage, including the weight and each center of mass of the components of the carriage itself and any chips bonded in previous bonding processes on the substrate currently being worked on. Further, the location of each bonding head relative to the center of rotation is known. Therefore, at any given point in time, the controller has information regarding the force moment applied by each of the individual bonding heads and the net force moment applied together by all the bonding heads. The location of the force applicator relative to the center of rotation is also known. Based on all of this information, the controller can receive or determine how much force each individual force applicator should apply to the carriage so that Equation (5) can be satisfied throughout the bonding process. That is, in one exemplary embodiment, based on only the predetermined information, the controller can cause each individual force applicator to repeatedly / continuously apply a specific force throughout the chip bonding process so that Equation (5) is satisfied throughout the bonding process. Equation (5) is

[0128] [Number]

[0129] assuming it is known that

[0130]

Number

[0131] each can be solved.

[0132]

Number

[0133] The value of

[0134]

Number

[0135] may be measured and / or pre-determined. Depending on the number of force applicators M, Equation (5) can be an equation of an indeterminate system where one or more force applicators can be set to zero, any value, or a function of other force applicator values.

[0136]

Number

[0137] In almost all cases where the z-component is to be considered, the influence of the x- and y-components of these forces is relatively small compared to the z-component. In one embodiment, the space surrounding the center of rotation is divided into equal M angular sectors centered on each force applicator. The center of the joining head is located in a particular angular sector among the M angular sectors, or a part of the M angular sectors. The force applicator in that particular angular sector can be set to zero, and the others are determined using Equation (5). The value of the force applicator may also be limited by the range of force that the force applicator can supply. In most cases, only two force applicators need to be used at any time. If those forces are in one direction and in the same direction, the two force applicators selected may be on opposite sides of the center of rotation CR with respect to the joining head.

[0138] In another exemplary embodiment, rather than depending on predetermined information regarding what forces are applied by each bonding head through the bonding process, the force applied by a bonding head at a particular instant can be determined based on measured values. In this exemplary embodiment, much of the same information as in the above-described embodiments is used, such as the location of the bonding head, the location of the force applicator, and the center of rotation. However, rather than determining the amount of force to be applied by the force applicator based on a predetermined bonding head force over a particular period of time, a sensor can be used to measure the current or voltage of the bonding force actuator in the z-direction of each bonding head at a particular time. The bonding force in the z-direction can also be estimated based on a plurality of control values and / or measured values of a plurality of actuators. These measured values can be correlated with the forces for determining the bonding force currently applied by each bonding head. That is, the sensor enables the controller to determine not only what the expected force is but also what the actual force being applied by the bonding head is. The bonding force information for each bonding head at a particular time can be used in the same manner as the predetermined force information used in the above-described embodiments. That is, throughout the bonding process, the measured values of current and / or voltage can be used to determine the bonding force, and the bonding force can be used to determine the net force moment caused by the bonding head. This information can then be used to determine how much force each force applicator should apply to the carriage in order to satisfy equation (5). The exemplary embodiment of using a sensor to determine the actual bonding force requires additional sensors and feedback, but has the advantage of taking into account factors that may have caused a deviation from the expected bonding force.

[0139] After all of the chips 124 on the bonding head 134 are completely bonded to the bonding surface, all of the bonded chips 124 are released from their bonding heads 134. That is, with one surface of the chip bonded to the bonding surface, the bonding head can release the opposite side of the chip held by the bonding head. Once released, the bonding process is complete. At this point, the bonding process can be repeated using more chips.

[0140] FIG. 8A is a schematic enlarged view of a portion of the joint 106 (similar to FIG. 6) during a subsequent joint process in which a second set of 224 chips are joined to the joint surface after completion of the first joint process. FIG. 8B shows a schematic top view of the same moment shown in FIG. 8A. Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, the first set of chips 124 from the previous joint process are already joined to the joint surface 140. At the moment shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the second set of chips 224 are just beginning to contact the joint surface 140. However, since this second set of chips 224 are joined to the joint surface 140 at a position different from the joint position of the first set of chips 124, the joint head 134 and the chips 224 are located at different X-axis and Y-axis positions with respect to the joint surface 140 as compared to the joint head / chip positions during the previous joint process. That is, the carriage 142 is moved so that the joint head 134 and the second set of chips 224 are at the appropriate predetermined X and Y positions, and the chips 224 are joined at the desired location. Similarly, in the illustrated embodiment, since the force applicator 116 is attached to the bridge 132, the force applicator 116 is also at different X-axis and Y-axis locations with respect to the joint surface 140 as compared to the location of the force applicator 116 during the previous joint process. Therefore, the location of the force applicator in the second joint process shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B is different from the location of the force applicator in the first joint process shown in FIGS. 3-6. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, all three force applicators face the surface 144. However, as described above, in certain examples, at least two of the force applicators may face the surface 144 and other force applicators may not face the surface 144. In such a case, the force applicator that does not face the surface 144 is not used as part of the balance of the moment of force. Also, the center of rotation CR changes slightly depending on the mass of the chips joined in the previous step.

[0141] The process of bonding the second set of chips 224 is the same as the above-described method 200 for bonding the first set of chips 124. Thus, during the bonding of the second set of chips 224, the net force moment about the center of rotation imparted when the bonding head bonds the chip 224 to the bonding surface 140 is similarly balanced by the force applied by the applicator 116. This difference is that, since the X-axis and Y-axis locations are different, the individual force moments about the center of rotation caused by each bonding head and each force applicator are different. This is shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, where the vector representing the location of the bonding head 134 and the vector representing the location of the force applicator 116 are different from the location vectors of FIGS. 5 and 6. However, the balancing of the net force moment about the center of rotation to satisfy equation (5) is the same, and the same process as described above is used. In other words, regardless of where the bonding head and the force applicator are located, the same process as described above for satisfying equation (5) is performed.

[0142] Once the second set of chips 224 is fully bonded to the bonding surface 140 and the second set of chips 224 is released, the process can be repeated until all of the desired number of chips are bonded to the bonding surface. For example, hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of chips can be bonded to the bonding surface. Although four bonding heads are shown in the exemplary embodiment, 300 bonding heads can be used in a single bonding process. The greater the number of bonding heads, the more chips can be bonded during the same bonding process. Even if the number of bonding heads is many times greater (e.g., up to 100 times) than the number of force applicators, equation (5) can still be satisfied using the method described above. For example, in such a case where there are 300 bonding heads and 3 force applicators, at any given point in the bonding process, the 3 force applicators can be instructed to apply the amount of force necessary to balance the net force moment caused by the 300 bonding heads.

[0143] After the step of joining the chips to the bonding surface (hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of chips can be joined, including many cycles of joining method 200), the product substrate 138 is removed from the chip joints 106, for example, by a transfer robot 126. The product substrate can then be subjected to an annealing process (which may include one or both of heat and pressure) in which the hybrid bonding process is completed. The product substrate may be subjected to additional processes in which additional chips are added to the product substrate before or after the annealing process. The product substrate may then be subjected to additional processes such as singulation, testing, encapsulation, etc., which are used to manufacture a plurality of articles from the product substrate.

[0144] As described above, all of the force applicators are shown as being coupled to the bridge in FIGS. 1, 3A-3C, and 6, but in other embodiments one or more or all of the force applicators may be coupled to the surface 144 of the frame 120. FIG. 9 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment where the force applicator 116 is on the frame 120 and the operating end 122 faces the surface 150 of the bridge 132. If any or all of the force applicators are coupled to the frame 120, the force applicator applies the force to the surface 150 of the bridge 132 instead of the surface 144 of the frame 120. Since the bridge 132 is stationary, the operation for the force applicator 116 to apply a force to the surface 150 of the bridge 132 still causes the force applicator 116 to apply a force moment around the rotation center CR of the carriage 142. In addition, since the force applicator is carried by the carriage 142, the force applicator contributes to the location of the rotation center CR of the carriage 142. Thus, the rotation center CR can be different from the embodiment where the force applicator is attached to the bridge 132. Further, when the force applicator is attached to the carriage 142, the positions of the force applicator in the X and Y axes are always the same with respect to the bonding surface regardless of the location where the bonding head is bonding the chip to the bonding surface. That is, in such an embodiment, even when the carriage is moved so that the bonding head is repositioned to bond the chip at another location on the bonding surface, the force applicator moves with the carriage and maintains their positions with respect to the bonding surface. Nevertheless, the above-described method for balancing the net force moment during the bonding process to satisfy equation (5) is the same.

[0145] Note that not all of the activities described above are required in a general description or example, some of the specific activities may not be required, and one or more additional activities may be performed in addition to those described. Further, the order in which the activities are listed is not necessarily the order in which they are performed. The above description has been presented in the context of a hybrid bonding process, but other bonding processes may be used, such as soldering, flip chip bonding, ball grid array bonding, or another process used to form multiple electrical connections between chips.

[0146] Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with respect to specific implementations. However, benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any feature that may give rise to or become more pronounced any benefit, advantage, or solution should not be construed as critical, required, or essential features of any or all of the claims.

[0147] The specification and examples of the implementations described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various implementations. The specification and examples are not intended to comprehensively and inclusively describe all of the elements and features of the apparatus and systems that use the structures or methods described herein. Separate implementations may also be provided in combination in a single implementation, and conversely, various features described in the context of a single implementation may be provided separately or in any sub-combination. Further, references to values described in ranges include each and every value within that range. Many other implementations may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading this specification. Other implementations may be used and derived from this disclosure so that structural substitutions, logical substitutions, or other changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, this disclosure should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A bonding method for bonding chips, comprising the steps of: operating the plurality of bond heads to bond the plurality of chips to a bond surface supported by a carriage; operating a plurality of force applicators to collectively impart a net force moment about a center of rotation of the carriage to the carriage during the step of bonding the plurality of chips to the bond surface, the net force moment about a center of rotation of the carriage being opposed to a net force moment about a center of rotation of the carriage collectively imparted to the carriage by the plurality of bond heads; A bonding method comprising the steps of:

2. the step of operating the plurality of bonding heads to bond the plurality of chips to the bonding surface occurs over a bonding period; the method further comprising repeatedly operating the plurality of force applicators to apply a net force moment opposing the net force moment imparted by the plurality of bond heads throughout the bonding period. The bonding method according to claim 1 .

3. the plurality of force applicators are operated such that the net force moment imparted by the plurality of force applicators opposes the net force moment imparted by the plurality of bonding heads. The bonding method according to claim 1 .

4. the plurality of force applicators are operated such that the net force moments imparted by the plurality of force applicators counteract the net force moments imparted by the plurality of bonding heads. The bonding method according to claim 1 .

5. a magnitude of the net force moment imparted by the plurality of force applicators is ±5% of a magnitude of the net force moment imparted by the plurality of bonding heads; The bonding method according to claim 1 .

6. a magnitude of the net force moment imparted by the plurality of force applicators is equal to a magnitude of the net force moment imparted by the plurality of bonding heads; The bonding method according to claim 1 .

7. said step of operating said plurality of bond heads occurs simultaneously with said step of operating said plurality of force applicators. The bonding method according to claim 1 .

8. the net force moment imparted by the plurality of force applicators is a sum of force moments about a center of rotation of the carriage imparted to the carriage by each force applicator of the plurality of force applicators; the net force moment imparted by the plurality of bonding heads is a sum of force moments imparted to the carriage by each bonding head of the plurality of bonding heads about a center of rotation of the carriage. The bonding method according to claim 1 .

9. the plurality of force applicators comprises 2 to 30 force applicators; The bonding method according to claim 1 .

10. the plurality of force applicators includes three force applicators; The bonding method according to claim 1 .

11. The plurality of bonding heads includes 2 to 300 bonding heads. The bonding method according to claim 1 .

12. each force applicator of the plurality of force applicators is configured to act on the operational surface at a distance from the operational surface; The bonding method according to claim 1 .

13. each force applicator of the plurality of force applicators includes a nozzle configured to dispense compressed gas; the step of operating the plurality of force applicators includes distributing the compressed gas from at least two force applicators of the plurality of force applicators to the operating surface. The bonding method according to claim 12 .

14. each force applicator of the plurality of force applicators includes an electromagnet; The actuating of the plurality of force applicators includes actuating the electromagnets of at least two of the plurality of force applicators toward the actuation surface. The bonding method according to claim 12 .

15. the operating surface is a surface of the carriage or a surface of a bridge above the carriage; 13. The method of claim 12.

16. operating the plurality of bonding heads to bond a plurality of other chips to the bonding surface; and during the step of bonding the other chips to the bond surface, operating the plurality of force applicators to collectively apply a net force moment about the center of rotation of the carriage that opposes a net force moment about the center of rotation of the carriage collectively imparted to the carriage by the plurality of bond heads; a location of the center of rotation of the carriage during the joining of the other chips is different from a location of the center of rotation of the carriage during the joining of the other chips. The bonding method according to claim 1 .

17. The bonding surface is a surface of a substrate. The bonding method according to claim 1 .

18. The bonding surface is a surface of one or more chips. The bonding method according to claim 1 .

19. 1. A bonding system for bonding chips, comprising: A plurality of joining heads; A plurality of force applicators; a carriage having a center of rotation; one or more processors; and one or more memories storing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to: operating the plurality of bond heads to bond the plurality of chips to a bond surface supported by a carriage; operating a plurality of force applicators to collectively impart a net force moment about a center of rotation of the carriage to the carriage during the step of bonding the plurality of chips to the bond surface, the net force moment about a center of rotation of the carriage being opposed to a net force moment about a center of rotation of the carriage collectively imparted to the carriage by the plurality of bond heads; A bonding system characterized by executing the above.

20. 1. A method of manufacturing a plurality of articles, comprising: operating the plurality of bond heads to bond the plurality of chips to a bond surface supported by a carriage; operating a plurality of force applicators to collectively impart a net force moment about a center of rotation of the carriage to the carriage during the step of bonding the plurality of chips to the bond surface, the net force moment about a center of rotation of the carriage being opposed to a net force moment about a center of rotation of the carriage collectively imparted to the carriage by the plurality of bond heads; singulating a substrate to produce the plurality of articles; A manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

Images