Anodic bonding

Abstract

A controller is used with an anodic bonding system that has a charge flowpath for supplying charge to bond materials together. The controller includes a switch and a circuit. The switch is configured to control a flow of the charge through the charge flowpath. The circuit is configured to monitor a rate of the flow, use the rate to determine an amount of the charge supplied for bonding, and based on the amount or rate, operate the switch to control the flow.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A method for anodically bonding two materials together, comprising: 
 placing the two materials in contact with each other to form a junction between the materials;    applying a current through the materials to transfer charge to the junction;    monitoring the current to determine the amount of the charge being transferred to the junction; and    based on the monitoring, controlling the current.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the controlling includes halting the current after a predetermined amount of the charge is transferred to the junction.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the act of applying includes attaching electrodes to the materials.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 monitoring a level of the current; and    temporarily halting the current when the level exceeds a predetermined threshold.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the act of temporarily halting includes waiting for a predetermined duration.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the act of monitoring the current to determine the amount of charge entering the junction comprises integrating the current.  
   
   
       27 . A method for bonding a number of first materials to a second material at different regions of the second material, comprising: 
 placing each of the first materials in contact with the second material;    applying currents through the first and second materials to transfer charge to the regions;    monitoring the amounts of the charges transferred to each of the regions; and    based on the monitoring, selectively controlling the currents.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the act of selectively controlling includes selectively halting the currents.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the act of selectively halting comprises: 
 for each junction, determining when the amount of charge entering the junction exceeds a predetermined amount; and    selectively removing the currents to prevent the amount of charge in any of the junctions from being exceeded.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the materials comprise a face plate of a flat panel display and glass spacer rods and the regions are located between the face plate and glass spacer rods.  
   
   
       31 . A method for anodically bonding slices of glass spacer rods to a face plate of a flat panel display, the face plate having a conductive layer for causing the emission of electrons from a base plate, comprising: 
 placing the slices of glass spacer rods in contact with the face plate to create junctions between the slices of glass spacer rods and the face plate;    placing an electrode in contact with each slice of glass spacer rods to form a charge flowpath between each electrode and the conductive layer;    applying a potential between the electrodes and the conductive layer to cause charges to flow through the charge flowpaths;    for each charge flowpath, monitoring an amount of charge flowing through the charge flowpath; and    selectively controlling the flow of charge through each flowpaths based on the monitoring.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the act of controlling includes selectively halting the flow of charge through the flowpaths.  
   
   
       33 . A method for bonding glass spacer rods to a face plate of a flat panel display, comprising: 
 connecting electrodes to the face and glass spacer rods to establish charge flowpaths, each different flowpath associated with a junction located between a different one of the glass spacer rods and the face plate;    connecting an energy source to the electrodes; and    for each flowpath, allowing charge to flow from the energy source through the flowpath until a predetermined amount of the charge flows into the junction associated with the flowpath.