Patent ID: 8821659

Claim:
An apparatus for real-time alignment and lamination of substrates, the apparatus comprising: a first substrate holder configured for receiving a first substrate together with a second substrate located over the first substrate in a fixed relative position, the first substrate holder being operative to support the first substrate; a second substrate holder that is operative to contact and control the position of the second substrate relative to the first substrate; a pattern recognition system operative to view reference marks on the first and second substrates for determining their relative alignment; and a positioning mechanism coupled to the first substrate holder and/or the second substrate holder for aligning the first substrate relative to the second substrate based on their relative alignment as determined by the pattern recognition system, and a lamination machine operative: to mount the first substrate onto a carrier comprising stepped support surfaces located at different heights; to dispense an adhesive onto at least one of the first and second substrates; and to locate the second substrate over the first substrate with the adhesive between the first and second substrates so that the first and second substrates are supported by separate stepped support surfaces of the carrier, before the first substrate together with the second substrate are introduced to the first substrate holder.