Patent ID: 7612895

Claim:
A method for measuring the bonding time between two semiconductor structures in-situ and in real time during a bonding operation comprising: positioning a first surface of a first semiconductor structure directly opposite and in contact with a first surface of a second semiconductor structure; initiating bonding between said first surfaces of said first and second semiconductor structures by applying a force at a first point of a second surface of said first semiconductor and thereby forming a bond interface between said first surfaces of said first and second semiconductor structures, wherein said second surface is opposite to said first surface of said first semiconductor structure; measuring a deflection of a second point of said second surface of said first semiconductor away from said first surface of said second semiconductor structure during the propagation of said bond interface throughout the entire first surface areas of said first and second semiconductor structures, wherein said second point is positioned at a first distance from said first point; and measuring said bonding time by taking the difference between the time said deflection reaches a minimum value and the time said force is applied.