Gallium liquid metal embrittlement for device rework

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10559549-B2
Application number	US-201715432015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2017
Priority date	Feb 14, 2017
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A method for removing an electrical component from a substrate where the component is coupled to the substrate by connection elements. The method includes disposing liquid gallium (Ga) at or near an edge of the component and dispersing the liquid Ga between the substrate and the component such that the liquid Ga contacts one or more of the connection elements. The method also includes maintaining the liquid Ga between the substrate, component and one or more of the connection elements for a prescribed time period and removing the component from the substrate by applying a mechanical force to the component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical component removal apparatus used in a process to remove the electrical component from a substrate to which it is attached by one or more connection elements, the apparatus including:
an inlet wall;
an outlet wall;
side walls connecting the inlet and outlet walls;
a top connecting the inlet wall, the outlet wall and the side walls;
an inlet into which liquid gallium (Ga) is received;
an outlet through which air is extracted causing the liquid gallium (Ga) to travel from the inlet wall towards the outlet wall when the apparatus is disposed over the electrical component; and
a filter that blocks the liquid gallium (Ga) from entering the outlet.

2. The electrical component removal apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a component removal outlet formed in the top.

3. The electrical component removal apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the component removal outlet is in fluid communication with the top to allow for a suction force to be applied to the top by removing air from through the component removal outlet when the apparatus is disposed over the component.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Danovitch David
• Dongmo Yolande Elodie Nguena
• Langlois Richard

Classifications

• B23K3/082

  Flux dispensers; Apparatus for applying flux · CPC title

• B23K1/018 Primary

  Unsoldering; Removal of melted solder or other residues · CPC title

• H10W72/0711

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• H10W90/724

  between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL · CPC title

• H10W72/252

  comprising solid metals or solid metalloids, e.g. PbSn, Ag or Cu · CPC title