Apparatus and method for printing micro metal structures
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsPaul Farrar, Jerome Eldridge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and device for printing liquid material such as liquid solder is provided. C4 structures as small as 10 microns in diameter can be produced using devices and methods described above. Further, devices and methods provided are able to operate at temperatures much higher than other print head designs such as piezoelectric actuated print heads. Additionally, due to the use of a gas flow restricting device and a recharging gas supply, ejection devices as described above can be used for a substantially extended lifetime, thus making devices and methods described above more economically desirable.
Claims31
A liquid material ejection device, comprising:
- a gas chamber;
- a film located within the gas chamber, the film capable of providing a gas that dissociates from the film when heated by a heating source;
- a conduit for ejecting liquid material in communication with the gas chamber;
- a recharging gas source coupled to the gas chamber;
- and
- a gas flow restricting device adapted to selectively provide gas from the recharging gas source to the gas chamber by actuation of the gas flow restricting device.
A liquid material ejection device, comprising:
- a gas chamber;
- a film located within the gas chamber, the film capable of providing a gas that dissociates from the film when heated by a heating source;
- a conduit for ejecting liquid material in communication with the gas chamber;
- a recharging gas source coupled to the gas chamber;
- and
- a valve adapted to selectively provide gas from the recharging gas source to the gas chamber by selective positioning of a gas blocking mass.
A liquid material ejection device, comprising:
- a gas chamber;
- a film located within the gas chamber, the film capable of providing a gas that dissociates from the film when heated by a heating source;
- a conduit for ejecting liquid material in communication with the gas chamber;
- a recharging gas source coupled to the gas chamber;
- and
- a membrane adapted to selectively provide gas from the recharging gas source to the gas chamber by selectively altering a permeability of the membrane.
A liquid material ejection device, comprising:
- a plurality of print heads, including:
- a gas chamber;
- a film located within the gas chamber, the film capable of providing a gas that dissociates from the film when heated by a heating source;
- a conduit for ejecting liquid material in communication with the gas chamber;
- at least one recharging gas source coupled to at least one of the gas chambers;
- at least one gas flow restricting device adapted to selectively provide gas from the recharging gas source to at least one of the gas chambers by actuation of the gas flow restricting device;
- and
- a print positioning system capable of locating at least one of the print heads relative to a substrate surface.
A liquid material ejection device, comprising:
- a gas chamber;
- a means for storing gas located within the gas chamber, wherein the gas dissociates from the means when heated by a heating source;
- a conduit for ejecting liquid material in communication with the gas chamber;
- a recharging gas source coupled to the gas chamber;
- and
- a selective gas access means for selective introduction of the gas from the recharging gas source to the gas chamber.
31-55. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.