Bonding apparatus and method

1. A bonding system adapted to bond a first body having a thickness to a second body, the system comprising:

a stationary support comprising

a lower shelf, having a vertical wall and an horizontal ledge, disposed around a first interior space corresponding in lateral extent to the first body, and

an upper shelf, having a vertical wall and a horizontal ledge, disposed above the lower shelf around a second interior space, corresponding in lateral extent to the second body, wherein the respective horizontal ledges of the upper and lower shelves are separated vertically by a distance greater than the thickness of the first body and the lateral extent of the second interior space is greater than the lateral extent of first interior space;

a lower heat-transfer body, having an upper interface, disposed under and spaced apart from the first interior space and capable of rising into the first interior space;

an upper heat-transfer body disposed above and spaced apart from the second interior space; and

a lift assembly configured to raise the lower heat-transfer body into the first space and to press the lower heat-transfer body in opposition to the upper heat-transfer body.

2. The bonding system of claim 1 wherein the upper heat-transfer body has a lower interface facing the second interior space and an aperture at a right angle to the lower interface and further comprising a plunger configured to reversibly descend through the aperture, toward the second interior space.

3. The bonding system of claim 1 further comprising a gimbal plate, coupled to the lower heat-transfer body and adapted to passively adjust the orientation of the upper interface, when the lower heat-transfer body is pressed in opposition to the upper heat-transfer body.

4. The bonding system of claim 1 wherein the heat-transfer bodies are electrically conductive and further comprising a voltage supply configured to apply a bias between the lower heat-transfer body and the upper heat-transfer body.

5. The bonding system of claim 2 wherein the lower heat-transfer body and the plunger are electrically conductive and further comprising a voltage supply configured to apply a bias between the lower heat-transfer body and the plunger.

6. The bonding system of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum chamber housing the support, the lift assembly, and the lower and upper heat-transfer bodies and wherein the vacuum chamber comprises an input gate and an output gate opposing the input gate.

7. The bonding system of claim 6 further comprising an input transfer device configured to convey the first and second bodies into the vacuum chamber through the input gate and deposit the first and second bodies onto the support.

8. The bonding system of claim 1 wherein the support comprises a support plate and a plurality of pins each having a proximal end and a distal end, each distal end being affixed to the support plate and each proximal end being contoured to form lower and upper steps, the lower and upper steps on the pins in aggregate constituting the lower and upper shelves, respectively.

9. The bonding system of claim 8 wherein the lower heat-transfer body has cutouts accommodating the pins.

10. The bonding system of claim 1 wherein the lower and upper heat-transfer bodies are susceptors and further comprising an apparatus configured to supply electromagnetic energy to the lower and upper susceptors.

11. The bonding system of claim 1 wherein the first body has a diameter equal to a standard semiconductor wafer diameter and a thickness less than 1 mm.