Separating bonded wafers

Abstract

Separating bonded wafers. A bonded wafer pair is mounted between first and second bonding chucks having flat chuck faces, the first bonding chuck face including adjustable zones capable of movement relative to each other, at least a component of the relative movement is along an axis that is perpendicular to the flat first bonding chuck face. The adjustable zones of the first face are moved relative to each other in a coordinated manner such that a widening gap is formed between the bonding faces of the wafer pair.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to separate bonded wafers, comprising:
 mounting a bonded wafer pair between first and second bonding chucks having flat chuck faces, the first bonding chuck face comprising a plurality of zones capable of movement relative to each other, at least a component of the relative movement is along an axis that is perpendicular to the flat chuck face of the first bonding; and   moving a plurality of zones of the first bonding chuck face in coordinated relative movement such that a widening gap is formed between the bonding faces of the wafer pair.   
     
     
         2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the coordinated relative movement forms the widening gap along the lengths of all radii of a wafer bonding face from greater radial dimensions inward. 
     
     
         3 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the coordinated relative movement forms the widening gap along the length of a diameter of a wafer bonding face from one end of the diameter to the other end. 
     
     
         4 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising re-bonding the wafer pair. 
     
     
         5 . A bonding chuck in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of zones comprises one or more of: regular shaped zones, irregular shaped zones, and arbitrarily shaped zones. 
     
     
         6 . A bonding chuck in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of zones comprises a central elliptical zone and one or more contiguous elliptical annular zones.