Plates for vacuum thermal fusion

Patent · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2001

OSTI ID:874352

Davidson, James C ^[1]; Balch, Joseph W ^[1]

---

1. Livermore, CA

A process for effectively bonding arbitrary size or shape substrates. The process incorporates vacuum pull down techniques to ensure uniform surface contact during the bonding process. The essence of the process for bonding substrates, such as glass, plastic, or alloys, etc., which have a moderate melting point with a gradual softening point curve, involves the application of an active vacuum source to evacuate interstices between the substrates while at the same time providing a positive force to hold the parts to be bonded in contact. This enables increasing the temperature of the bonding process to ensure that the softening point has been reached and small void areas are filled and come in contact with the opposing substrate. The process is most effective where at least one of the two plates or substrates contain channels or grooves that can be used to apply vacuum between the plates or substrates during the thermal bonding cycle. Also, it is beneficial to provide a vacuum groove or channel near the perimeter of the plates or substrates to ensure bonding of the perimeter of the plates or substrates and reduce the unbonded regions inside the interior region of the plates or substrates.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6372328
• OSTI ID: 874352
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/428/
active
alloys
application
apply
arbitrary
beneficial
bonded
bonding
bonding process
channel
channels
contact
contain
curve
cycle
effective
effectively
enables
ensure
essence
etc
evacuate
filled
force
fusion
glass
gradual
groove
grooves
hold
incorporates
increasing
inside
interior
interstices
involves
melting
moderate
near
opposing
perimeter
plastic
plates
positive
process
provide
providing
pull
reached
reduce
region
regions
shape
size
softening
source
substrate
substrates
surface
surface contact
techniques
temperature
thermal
time
unbonded
uniform
vacuum
void