Abstract:
Optical cubes and optical cube assemblies for directing optical beams are provided. The optical cubes are optically transparent modules that can be adapted to reflect, transmit, and/or partially reflect and transmit optical beams. The optical cubes may include bi-direction or multi-direction beam directing elements for directing optical beams. The optical cube assemblies may include flexible chip assemblies attached to optical cubes. The chip assemblies may include vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers for emitting optical beams or receivers for receiving optical beams mounted on a flexible and electrical interconnect mounting assembly.
Abstract:
A large liquid crystal display optical structure can be created by providing a transparent substrate with a dark mesh pattern disposed thereon. A means for optical scattering is over, adjacent, or surrounding the dark mesh, with a polarizer laminated to a smooth surface of the means for optical scattering.
Abstract:
A method and device for testing and burning-in semiconductor circuits. The method and device permit the entire wafer to be tested by temporarily attaching the wafer to a test substrate using electrically conductive adhesive (ECA). The ECA conforms to deviations from co-planarity of the contact points of both the wafer and test substrate while providing a quality electrical connection at each point. ECA material can be deposited on either the wafer contacts or the substrate pads. In addition, the ECA may be deposited on C4 bumps or tin-capped lead bases. Variations in the method and device include filling vias of a non-conductive interposer with ECA. The electrical connection may be enhanced by forming conductive dendrites on test pads while the ECA is deposited on the wafer contacts. To further enhance the electrical connection, the ECA material can be plasma etched to remove some of its polymer matrix and to expose the electrically conductive particles on one side and then plating with palladium. After the palladium-plated ECA is brought into contact with aluminum pads, palladium-coated aluminum pads, or even C4 solder bumps, conductive dendrites are formed on the palladium-treated ECA bumps.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit assembly has pads of a chip electrically connected to pads of a substrate with rolling metal balls. A pliable material bonds the balls in movable contact with pads of the chip and substrate. Because the balls are relatively free to move, thermal expansion differences that would ordinarily cause enormous stresses in the attached joints of the prior art, simply cause rolling of the balls of the present invention, avoiding thermal stress altogether. Reliability of the connections is substantially improved as compared with C4 solder bumps, and chips can be safely directly mounted to such substrates as PC boards, despite substantial thermal mismatch.
Abstract:
A method and device for testing and burning-in semiconductor circuits. The method and device permit the entire wafer to be tested by temporarily attaching the wafer to a test substrate using electrically conductive adhesive (ECA). The ECA conforms to deviations from co-planarity of the contact points of both the wafer and test substrate while providing a quality electrical connection at each point. ECA material can be deposited on either the wafer contacts or the substrate pads. In addition, the ECA may be deposited on C4 bumps or tin-capped lead bases. Variations in the method and device include filling vias of a non-conductive interposer with ECA. The electrical connection may be enhanced by forming conductive dendrites on test pads while the ECA is deposited on the wafer contacts. To further enhance the electrical connection, the ECA material can be plasma etched to remove some of its polymer matrix and to expose the electrically conductive particles on one side and then plating with palladium. After the palladium-plated ECA is brought into contact with aluminum pads, palladium-coated aluminum pads, or even C4 solder bumps, conductive dendrites are formed on the palladium-treated ECA bumps.
Abstract:
Apparatus for connecting a first area array component to a substrate with a joining material. The apparatus has a nozzle directing heat toward both the first area array component and the portion of the substrate beneath the first area array component to melt the joining material. An elastic seal contacts the substrate and prevents the heat from affecting other components adjacent the first area array component. The nozzle is pressed against the substrate to restrain warping of the substrate, which might be caused by the heating of the first area array component, and to prevent damage to the substrate. The nozzle can tilt so that it conforms to the surface of the substrate. The first area array component is allowed to move freely in the direction of a plane of the substrate under the surface tension of the molten joining material during heating to center the first area array component.
Abstract:
A display panel and method of making same in which the panel comprises a plurality of display devices mounted between light-transmitting plates. The structure includes clear and opaque bonding materials positioned to retain alignment and provide acceptable brightness, contrast, and resolution while holding the display devices in contact with the light-transmitting plates.
Abstract:
A method of applying bonding agents, such as solder pastes and conductive adhesives, to pad sites in the manufacture of electronic circuits uses a paste injection head. A permanent mask with cavity openings is applied around conductive pads on a carrier. The conductive pads correspond to chip attachment sites. The injection head is brought into contact with a surface of the mask, and pressure is applied to a bonding agent in the injection head. The injection head is then moved over the surface of the mask, filling cavity openings with the bonding agent. The injection head is then removed from the surface of the mask. If a solder paste is used, infrared radiation is applied to filled cavity openings to evaporate a paste flux and reflow solder to form solder balls within the cavity openings projecting above the mask. If a conductive adhesive is used, a stencil is applied to the surface of the mask prior to contacting the mask with said injection head. When the cavity openings are filled, stencil is removed from the mask and the conductive adhesive filling the cavity openings is dried.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a manufacturing system having isolated islands of "clean room" environment connected by inter-process transfer containers for transfering in-process workpieces. The system has airlock transfer ports between the process enclosures and the inter-process transfer containers. The make and break airlock transfer ports have facing sealable doors in the process enclosure and the transfer container. These doors are in air sealable facing recesses of the process enclosure and the transfer container. At least one peripheral gasket surrounds the recesses and the pair of doors. This provides a substantially clean room environment in the airlock. The sealable door in the interprocess transfer container is fabricated of a ferromagnetic material and is seated on a ferromagnetic gasket, while the sealable door in the process enclosure has a controllable electromagnetic clamp. After establishment of an airtight seal between the two recesses, the doors are opened by activating the electromagnetic clamp in the process enclosure door to pull the ferromagnetic door in the interprocess transfer container away from the ferromagnetic gasket. The results in the simultaneous opening of the of the process enclosure door and the ferromagnetic interprocess transfer container door, while avoiding contamination inside either of the containers.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a system for handling large area, in-process, circuit panel layers. The circuit panel layers are thin and flimsy, and require rigid support for certain processing steps. The system includes a peripheral frame fixture for surrounding and supporting the in process circuit panel layer, and a a loading chuck for mounting the in-process circuit panel layer in the peripheral frame fixture. The peripheral frame fixture includes a bottom plate having a central opening to expose the circuit panel layer, a top frame having a corresponding central opening to expose the opposite surface of the circuit panel layer, and a compressive apparatus, as screws, bolts, or the like, for applying a z axis compressive force to the bottom plate, the top frame, and a panel layer therebetween. Optionally, the fixture may include alignment pins or fiducials for aligning the bottom plate, a panel layer, and the top frame, and a robotic interface for a robotic arm to grasp and transfer the peripheral frame fixture. The system also includes a loading chuck for mounting the in-process circuit panel layer in the peripheral frame fixture. The loading chuck includes a peripheral edge for receiving the bottom plate of the peripheral frame fixture. This provides co-planarity of the in-process circuit panel layer, the bottom plate of the peripheral frame fixture, and the vacuum table. The vacuum table is within the area bounded by the peripheral edge of the loading chuck and the peripheral frame of the peripheral frame fixture, and is coplanar with them. The vacuum table includes slidable bearing surfaces, with vacuum apertures for drawing a vacuum to hold the panel in place, and slide actuators for moving the slidable bearing surfaces to apply x-y axis tension to a panel on the bearing surfaces.