Abstract:
A fuel cell device includes a housing containing a fuel processor that generates fuel gas and a fuel cell having electrodes forming an anode and cathode, and an ion exchange electrolyte positioned between the electrodes. The housing can be formed as first and second cylindrically configured outer shell sections that form a battery cell that is configured similar to a commercially available battery cell. A thermal-capillary pump can be operative with the electrodes and an ion exchange electrolyte, and operatively connected to the fuel processor. The electrodes are configured such that heat generated between the electrodes forces water to any cooler edges of the electrodes and is pumped by capillary action back to the fuel processor to supply water for producing hydrogen gas. The electrodes can be formed on a silicon substrate that includes a flow divider with at least one fuel gas input channel that can be controlled by a MEMS valve.
Abstract:
A fuel cell device includes a housing containing a fuel processor that generates fuel gas and a fuel cell having electrodes forming an anode and cathode, and an ion exchange electrolyte positioned between the electrodes. The housing can be formed as first and second cylindrically configured outer shell sections that form a battery cell that is configured similar to a commercially available battery cell. A thermal-capillary pump can be operative with the electrodes and an ion exchange electrolyte, and operatively connected to the fuel processor. The electrodes are configured such that heat generated between the electrodes forces water to any cooler edges of the electrodes and is pumped by capillary action back to the fuel processor to supply water for producing hydrogen gas. The electrodes can be formed on a silicon substrate that includes a flow divider with at least one fuel gas input channel that can be controlled by a MEMS valve.
Abstract:
A system and method is disclosed for increasing the strength of a bond made by a small diameter wire in ball bonding. In one embodiment of the invention a structure for receiving a ball bond comprises substrate material that has portions that form a substrate cavity and a wire bond pad that covers and fills the substrate cavity. The wire bond pad also has portions that form a wire bond cavity for receiving the ball bond. The ball is wirebonded to the sides and bottom of the wire bond cavity. The sides of the wire bond cavity provide additional strength to the bond to resist shear and tensile forces that may act on the wire.
Abstract:
A large diameter glass wafer is pattern-etched to provide a plurality of elongated lens elements arranged side-by-side, the etching leaving small rods in place to keep the lens elements connected to the wafer during mirror processing. The etching provides curved surfaces for lenses and flat surfaces for mirrors. The mirrors are formed by selectively depositing reflective material on the flat surfaces. The reflective material may comprise an oxide, nitride, sulfide, or fluoride of a transition metal. The flat surfaces that define the mirrors are disposed at angles to the longitudinal dimension of each lens element. In use in an optical disc system, light from a laser diode is reflected by the mirrors and directed at an optical disc through a first lens. Light returns from the disc on a parallel path through a second lens, passes through the lens element, and is directed at a photodetector. The system may include an elongated base element attached to each lens element. Pattern-etching of a second glass wafer provides multiple base elements per wafer. Each base element may include an angled surface on which a reflective material is deposited to form a mirror for reflecting laser light during use in the system.
Abstract:
A flat filter layer is received between upper and lower mold portions of a mold for packaging an integrated circuit sensor device, held by the mold over and in contact with the integrated circuit's sensing surface, in light compression between the sensing surface and a mold surface. The filter layer includes slots allowing passage of injected encapsulating material to cover the integrated circuit die, with overlap portions embedded in the encapsulating material, while preventing such encapsulating material from flowing onto the sensing surface. The filter layer may be, for example, a liquid and/or light filter, and may include a protective or supportive backing. The filter is thus affixed to the packaged integrated circuit sensor device, while mold residue is reduced and mold life extended.
Abstract:
A stacked die integrated circuit assembly comprising: 1) a substrate; 2) a first integrated circuit die mounted on the substrate; 3) a copper interposer mounted on the first integrated circuit die; and 4) a second integrated circuit die mounted on the copper interposer. The copper interposer significantly reduces the warping of the stacked die IC assembly caused by the warping of the substrate due to thermal changes in the substrate. The copper interposer has a significantly higher coefficient of thermal expansion than a conventional silicon (Si) interposer. The higher CTE enables the copper interposer to counteract the substrate warping.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit (IC) device comprising: 1) an integrated circuit (IC) die having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and sidewalls extending between the first surface and the second surface; 2) an integrated circuit (IC) package for supporting the IC die, wherein the IC package is attached to at least one of the sidewalls of the IC die such that at least a portion of the IC die first surface and at least a portion of the IC die second surface are exposed; and 3) at least one auxiliary component attached to at least one of the exposed portion of the IC die first surface and the exposed portion of the IC die second surface.
Abstract:
A system and method is disclosed for aligning an integrated circuit die on an integrated circuit substrate. A plurality of deposits of deformable material are placed on the substrate where the integrated circuit die is to be aligned. In one advantageous embodiment a stamping tool is indexed to a first tooling hole and to a second tooling hole in the substrate. The stamping tool imprints the deposits of deformable material to a tolerance of less than one hundred microns with respect to the first and second tooling holes. The imprinted portions of the deposits a form a pocket for receiving the integrated circuit die. This enables the integrated circuit die to be precisely aligned on the substrate in three dimensions.
Abstract:
Silver interconnects are formed by etching deep grooves into an insulating layer over the contact regions, exposing portions of the contact regions and defining the interconnects. The grooves are etched with a truncated V- or U-shape, wider at the top than at any other vertical location, and have a minimum width of 0.25 &mgr;m or less. An optional adhesion layer and a barrier layer are sputtered onto surfaces of the groove, including the sidewalls, followed by sputter deposition of a seed layer. Where aluminum is employed as the seed layer, a zincating process may then be optionally employed to promote adhesion of silver to the seed layer. The groove is then filled with silver by plating in a silver solution, or with silver and copper by plating in a copper solution followed by plating in a silver solution. The filled groove which results does not exhibit voids ordinarily resulting from sputter deposition of metal into such narrow, deep grooves, although seams may be intermittently present in portions of the filled groove where metal plated from the opposing sidewalls did not fuse flawlessly at the point of convergence. Portions of the silver and other layers above the insulating material are then removed by chemical-mechanical polishing, leaving a silver interconnect connected to the exposed portion of the contact region and extending over adjacent insulating regions to another contact region or a bond pad. Silver interconnects thus formed may have smaller cross-sections, and thus a greater density in a given area, than conventional metallic interconnects.
Abstract:
Silver interconnects are formed by etching deep grooves into an insulating layer over the contact regions, exposing portions of the contact regions and defining the interconnects. The grooves are etched with a truncated V- or U-shape, wider at the top than at any other vertical location, and have a minimum width of 0.25 .mu.m or less. An optional adhesion layer and a barrier layer are sputtered onto surfaces of the groove, including the sidewalls, followed by sputter deposition of a seed layer. Where aluminum is employed as the seed layer, a zincating process may then be optionally employed to promote adhesion of silver to the seed layer. The groove is then filled with silver by plating in a silver solution, or with silver and copper by plating in a copper solution followed by plating in a silver solution. The filled groove which results does not exhibit voids ordinarily resulting from sputter deposition of metal into such narrow, deep grooves, although seams may be intermittently present in portions of the filled groove where metal plated from the opposing sidewalls did not fuse flawlessly at the point of convergence. Portions of the silver and other layers above the insulating material are then removed by chemical-mechanical polishing, leaving a silver interconnect connected to the exposed portion of the contact region; and extending over adjacent insulating regions to another contact region or a bond pad. Silver interconnects thus formed may have smaller cross-sections, and thus a greater density in a given area, than conventional metallic interconnects.