Abstract:
Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a printed circuit panel. The method is carried out without a cleanroom, but in a clean room environment. The first step is to place a thin, non-rigid panel in a suitable fixture, for example, for transfer and also for processing. The fixtured panel is then placed in an air tight transfer container, which has a substantially contaminant free atmosphere. The transfer container has a sealed door at one end. The transfer container is then brought into a seaiable, substantially airtight interlock with a process enclosure. This process enclosure also has a substantially contaminant free atmosphere, and a sealed door at one end. An airtight seal is formed between the transfer container and the process enclosure, and also between the surfaces of the two doors. This is to avoid introducing surface contaminants into the process enclosure and transfer container atmospheres. Next, the two doors are opened simultaneously. This is to allow the transfer of at least one panel and its fixture from the transfer container into the process enclosure. Inside the process enclosure the panel is transferred to a process station for a manufacturing process. Finally, the panel and its fixture are transferred from the process enclosure into the transfer container. This may be the same container or a different container. The doors of the process enclosure and the transfer container are then closed and sealed.
Abstract:
The method and apparatus described in the disclosure utilizes the known technique of extrusion to form a plurality of very small pins, with diameters of 0.020 inch or smaller, in a substrate of electrically nonconductive material. The number of pins is 360 or more, and the electrically conductive material described in the extrusion process is copper. A pin die is formed with the same number and pattern of holes as are in a blank substrate, and it is positioned over an extrusion die with matching orifices that is fixed on an extrusion press. A head die presses the blank substrate firmly on the pin die during the extrusion operation, and when completed, the pins are sheared and the substrate is ejected as a new blank is positioned to repeat the cycle.
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 method for bonding heat sinks to packaged electronic components comprises the steps of: (a) exposing to a plasma a surface of a molded polymer formed on a substrate; (b) allowing the plasma to at least partially convert silicon-containing residue on the surface to silica; and (c) bonding an article to the surface by applying an adherent between the article and the surface. Often, the silicon-containing residue is silicone oil, a mold release compound, which may prevent the formation of a bond when using conventional bonding methods and materials. The silica layer formed on the surface of the molded polymer assists in formation of a proper bond. The plasma may be an oxygen plasma and the adherent may be selected from either a heat cured silicone-based paste adhesive with a metal oxide filler or a heat cured porous polymer film impregnated with adhesive. In particular, the film may be polytetrafluoroethylene, the adhesive may be polybutadine, and the film may be further impregnated with a metal oxide heat transfer medium, such as zinc oxide. An alternate method comprises applying the porous polymer film without plasma treatment and heat curing the film to form a proper bond.
Abstract:
A method for bonding heat sinks to packaged electronic components comprises the steps of: (a) exposing to a plasma a surface of a molded polymer formed on a substrate; (b) allowing the plasma to at least partially convert silicon-containing residue on the surface to silica; and (c) bonding an article to the surface by applying an adherent between the article and the surface. Often, the silicon-containing residue is silicone oil, a mold release compound, which may prevent the formation of a bond when using conventional bonding methods and materials. The silica layer formed on the surface of the molded polymer assists in formation of a proper bond. The plasma may be an oxygen plasma and the adherent may be selected from either a heat cured silicone-based paste adhesive with a metal oxide filler or a heat cured porous polymer film impregnated with adhesive. In particular, the film may be polytetrafluoroethylene, the adhesive may be polybutadine, and the film may be further impregnated with a metal oxide heat transfer medium, such as zinc oxide. An alternate method comprises applying the porous polymer film without plasma treatment and heat curing the film to form a proper bond.
Abstract:
A method of forming a plurality of individual semiconductor chip modules wherein a plurality of chips are placed in a plurality of chip compartments formed by adhering a support panel to the first surface and a cover panel to the second surface of a stiffener panel having openings defining sidewalls of the chip compartments. The resulting laminated panel structure is then cut into a plurality of modules each having at least one compartment containing at least one chip. Each chip is electrically connected to interior conductive pads on the inner surface of the support panel, and these interior pads in turn are connected by conductive paths to exterior conductive terminals deposited on the outer surface of the support panel. The electrical connections between the chip and the interior conductive pads of the support panel may be encapsulated in a polymeric material before the cover panel is adhered to the stiffener panel.
Abstract:
A method and structure for conductively coupling a metallic stiffener to a chip carrier. A substrate has a conductive pad on its surface and an adhesive layer is formed on the substrate surface. The metallic stiffener is placed on the adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer mechanically couples the stiffener to the substrate surface and electrically couples the stiffener to the pad. The adhesive layer is then cured such as by pressurization at elevated temperature. Embodiments of the present invention form the adhesive layer by forming an electrically conductive contact on the pad and setting a dry adhesive on the substrate, such that the electrically conductive contact is within a hole in the dry adhesive. The electrically conductive contact electrically couples the stiffener to the pad. The curing step includes curing both the dry adhesive and the electrically conductive contact, resulting in the dry adhesive adhesively coupling the stiffener to the substrate. The electrically conductive contact may include an electrically conductive adhesive or a metallic solder. Additional embodiments of the present invention form the adhesive layer by applying an electrically conductive adhesive on the substrate, wherein after the stiffener is placed on the adhesive layer, the electrically conductive adhesive mechanically and electrically couples the stiffener to the surface of the substrate.
Abstract:
A method of making an electrically conductive contact on a substrate by applying a layer of solder paste to a circuitized feature on a substrate and selectively heating and melting the solder paste over the feature to form a solder bump. The excess solder paste is removed. A focused energy heat source such as a laser beam or focused Infrared heats the solder paste. A reflective mask with apertures may be used to allow focused heating source to selectively melt areas of the solder paste layer applied to a circuitized feature. The mask and excess solder paste are removed.
Abstract:
A surface metal balancing structure for a chip carrier, and an associated method of fabrication, to reduce or eliminate thermally induced chip carrier flexing. A substrate, such as a chip carrier made of organic dielectric material, is formed and includes: internal circuitization layers, a plated through hole, and outer layers comprised of an allylated polyphenylene ether. A stiffener ring for mechanically stabilizing the substrate is bonded to an outer portion, such as an outer perimeter portion, of the top surface of the substrate, in light of the soft and conformal organic material of the substrate. The top and bottom surfaces of the substrate have metal structures, such as copper pads and copper circuitization, wherein a surface area (A) multiplied by a coefficient of thermal expansion (C) is greater for the metal structure at the bottom surface than for the metal structure at the top surface. A metal pattern is adjacent to the top surface so as to make the product AC of metal structures at or near the top and bottom surfaces approximately equal. The metal pattern reduces or eliminates flexing of the substrate in an elevated temperature environment, such as during a reflow of solder that couples a semiconductor chip to the substrate.
Abstract:
A device and process for applying mixtures of adhesive formulations combined with solder flux such that flip chips may be rapidly encapsulated with such combinations without interfering with subsequent wafer processing steps are provided. Also provided is a wafer stencil designed in such a manner that the saw kerf lines separating individual chip dies are protected from coming into contact with the formulation. Extrusion screening using such wafer stencil is also provided.