Apparatus and method for characterization and optional sorting and assembly of microelectronic components according to warpage

A method of processing microelectronic components, comprising:

• measuring parameter values of at least one of a nature and a first degree of warpage of singulated microelectronic components in an unconstrained state at a first temperature;
• predicting second parameter values including a second degree of warpage of the singulated microelectronic components expected at a second temperature;
• and
• sorting the singulated microelectronic components responsive to the measured parameter values of at least one of the nature and the first degree of warpage at the first temperature and the second parameter values including the second degree of warpage expected at the second temperature.

A method of processing microelectronic components, comprising:

• retrieving a singulated microelectronic component from a carrier structure;
• measuring parameter values of at least one of a nature of warpage and a degree of warpage of the singulated microelectronic component in an unconstrained state;
• characterizing the singulated microelectronic component responsive to the measured parameter values of at least one of the nature and the degree of warpage;
• and
• placing the characterized singulated microelectronic component on an unsingulated microelectronic component location of a base substrate or on another singulated microelectronic component on the base substrate based at least in part on the characterization of the placed microelectronic component.

A microelectronic component processing apparatus, comprising:

• a pick arm assembly operably coupled to a controller for retrieving singulated microelectronic components from a carrier structure;
• a device for measuring at least one of a nature and a degree of warpage of a singulated microelectronic component supported in an unconstrained state, the device configured to move along at least one scanning path;
• the controller comprising at least one microprocessor configured for initiating retrieval of a singulated microelectronic component from the carrier structure with a pick arm of the pick arm assembly using a vacuum, inverting the singulated microelectronic component on the pick arm, releasing the vacuum and initiating measurements of the at least one singulated microelectronic component on the pick arm by the device and receiving signals from the device including parameter values of data representative of the at least one of the nature and the degree of warpage of the at least one singulated microelectronic component;
• and
• memory operably coupled to the controller for receiving and storing the data;
• a component storage platform, comprising a number of pockets, each pocket configured for receiving a singulated microelectronic component, each pocket associated upon insertion therein of a singulated microelectronic component with the particular bin thereof, and further comprising storage memory for storing bin and associated pocket location of the inserted singulated microelectronic component;
• and
• a device for retrieving singulated microelectronic components from the component storage platform and transferring each respective measured singulated microelectronic component to an unsingulated microelectronic component location on a base substrate if the bin of the respective retrieved singulated microelectronic component stored in storage memory indicates acceptability in terms of the nature and the degree of warpage for placement on the unsingulated microelectronic component location.