Pattern transfer printing systems and methods

A pattern transfer printing (PTP) system comprising:

• a tape handling unit configured to handle a tape comprising, as sections thereof, a plurality of pattern transfer sheets having respective patterns of trenches, and to controllably deliver the pattern transfer sheets for paste filling and consecutively for pattern transfer,
• a paste filling unit configured to fill the trenches on the delivered pattern transfer sheets with conductive printing paste,
• a wafer handling and positioning unit configured to controllably deliver at least one wafer for the pattern transfer at a close proximity to the respective pattern transfer sheet,
• a paste transfer unit configured to transfer the conductive printing paste from the pattern transfer sheets filled with the conductive printing paste onto the wafer delivered in position, by releasing the conductive printing paste from the trenches upon illumination by a laser beam,
• wherein the tape handling unit is configured to move the tape from an unwinder roll to a re-winding roll in a step-and-repeat mode, and
• wherein the PTP system further comprises a trench alignment monitoring unit configured to monitor a position and a distortion of the trenches prior to the pattern transfer.

A pattern transfer printing (PTP) system comprising:

• a tape handling unit configured to handle a tape comprising, as sections thereof, a plurality of pattern transfer sheets having respective patterns of trenches, and to controllably deliver the pattern transfer sheets for paste filling and consecutively for pattern transfer,
• a paste filling unit configured to fill the trenches on the delivered pattern transfer sheets with conductive printing paste,
• a wafer handling and positioning unit configured to controllably deliver at least one wafer for the pattern transfer at a close proximity to the respective pattern transfer sheet,
• a paste transfer unit configured to transfer the conductive printing paste from the pattern transfer sheets filled with the conductive printing paste onto the wafer delivered in position, by releasing the conductive printing paste from the trenches upon illumination by a laser beam,
• wherein the tape handling unit is configured to move the tape from an unwinder roll to a re-winding roll in a step-and-repeat mode, and
• wherein the PTP system further comprises a wafer alignment unit configured to detect and measure features on the wafer and further adjust the wafer position in the pattern transfer unit accordingly, wherein the wafer alignment unit comprises multiple imaging cameras configured to capture at least a part of a perimeter of the wafer.

A pattern transfer printing (PTP) method comprising:

• handling a tape comprising, as sections thereof, a plurality of pattern transfer sheets having respective patterns of trenches, to controllably deliver the pattern transfer sheets for paste filling and consecutively for pattern transfer,
• filling the trenches on the delivered pattern transfer sheets with conductive printing paste,
• controllably delivering a plurality of wafers for the pattern transfer, and
• transferring the conductive printing paste from the pattern transfer sheets onto the delivered wafers, by releasing the conductive printing paste from the trenches upon illumination by a laser beam,
• wherein the handling of the tape comprises moving the tape from an unwinder roll to a re-winding roll in a step-and-repeat mode, and
• wherein the PTP method further comprises monitoring of the positions of the trenches prior to the pattern transfer using multiple imaging cameras configured to capture ends of the trenches.