Apparatus and methods for micro-transfer-printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9550353-B2
Application number	US-201514804047-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2015
Priority date	Jul 20, 2014
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

In an aspect, a system and method for assembling a semiconductor device on a receiving surface of a destination substrate is disclosed. In another aspect, a system and method for assembling a semiconductor device on a destination substrate with topographic features is disclosed. In another aspect, a gravity-assisted separation system and method for printing semiconductor device is disclosed. In another aspect, various features of a transfer device for printing semiconductor devices are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A conformable transfer device, the transfer device comprising:
a base comprising a first material;
a sub-base comprising a second material and disposed on the base, wherein the sub-base has a smaller cross-sectional area than the base;
a bulk volume having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface in contact with the sub-base and the base, the bulk volume comprising a material different from the first and second materials and disposed at least partly on the sub-base and at least partly on the base, wherein a thickness of a portion of the bulk volume that is disposed on the sub-base is less than a thickness of the sub-base; and
a plurality of posts disposed on the first surface of the bulk volume, opposite and above the sub-base, for picking up printable material, wherein the plurality of posts, the base, the sub-base, and the bulk volume are arranged such that a force applied to a surface of the base opposite the sub-base is transmitted to the plurality of posts.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises glass.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second materials are the same.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bulk volume and the plurality of posts are formed from a single material.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bulk volume comprises a polymer.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first material is transparent.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second material is transparent.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the posts have a first Young's modulus and the base has a second Young's modulus, greater than the first Young's modulus.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein a least a portion of the posts are arranged on the first surface from 1 mm to 15 mm away from an edge of the first surface.

10. The devices of claim 1 , wherein the bulk volume has a side surface between the first and second surfaces and the side surface has a rounded profile, convex profile or concave profile.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bulk volume has a side surface between the first and second surfaces and the side surface has a beveled edge forming an angle from horizontal (parallel to the first surface) of no greater than 75°.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of posts comprises a contact surface on the end of the post opposite the bulk volume, wherein the contact surfaces of the plurality of posts are substantially in a same plane.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the plurality of posts is from 1 micron to 100 microns.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the bulk volume is from 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a thickness of the plurality of posts to a thickness of the bulk volume is from 1:1 to 1:10.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein each post of the plurality of posts has at least one of a width, length, and height from 50 nanometers to 10 micrometers.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of posts are formed in a continuous, unitary layer.

18. The device of claim 1 , wherein an aspect ratio (height to width) of each post of the plurality of posts is less than or equal to 4:1.

19. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of posts comprises a contact surface on the end of the post opposite the bulk volume, wherein the contact surfaces of the plurality of posts are substantially in a same plane.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the posts is from 1 micron to 100 microns.

21. The device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the bulk volume is from 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

22. The device of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a thickness of the posts to a thickness of the bulk volume is from 1:1 to 1:10.

23. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bulk volume has a Young's modulus from 1 GPa to 10 GPa.

24. The device of claim 1 , wherein the posts have a Young's modulus from 1 MPa to 10 MPa.

25. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bulk volume comprises a polymer having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than or equal to 14.5 ppm.

26. The device of claim 1 , wherein the posts occupy an area selected from 10 cm 2 to 260 cm 2 .

27. The device of claim 1 , wherein each post of the plurality of posts has at least one of a width, length, and height from 50 nanometers to 10 micrometers.

28. The device of claim 1 , wherein the posts are formed in a continuous, unitary layer.

29. The device of claim 1 , wherein the posts comprise a polymer.

30. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bulk volume is Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

31. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bulk volume has a greater modulus than the posts.

32. The device of claim 1 , wherein an aspect ratio (height to width) of each post of the posts is less than or equal to 4:1.

33. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bulk volume has a side surface between the first and second surfaces, the side surface.

34. The device of claim 33 , wherein the side surface has at least one of a beveled edge and a rounded edge.

Assignees

• X Celeprint Ltd

Inventors

• Bower Christopher
• Meitl Matthew
• Gomez David
• Bonafede Salvatore
• Kneeburg David

Classifications

• H10W72/0198

  batch processes · CPC title

• H10W72/07141

  Means for applying energy, e.g. ovens or lasers · CPC title

• H10W72/07331

  Connecting techniques · CPC title

• H10W72/07304

  the auxiliary member being temporary, e.g. a sacrificial coating · CPC title

• H10W72/01371

  Cleaning, e.g. oxide removal or de-smearing · CPC title