Methods and systems for aligning and coupling devices
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsCarl Picciotto, Peter Hartwell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A first device has a micrometer-scale or smaller first structure and is flexibly coupled to a first substrate. A second device has a micrometer-scale or smaller second structure and is coupled to a second substrate. At least one actuator displaces at least one of the first and second devices relative to the other in response to a control signal. The control signal is generated by a controller to align the first and second structures and to control the at least one actuator to connect the displaced first and second devices.
Claims32
A method for coupling a first device having a first micrometer-scale or smaller first structure to a second device having a micrometer-scale or smaller second structure where the first device is flexibly coupled to a first substrate and the second device is coupled to a second substrate comprising:
- coupling the first substrate to the second substrate;
- actuating the first device relative to the second device to substantially align the first and second structures;
- and
- coupling the first device to the second device.
A method for aligning a first micrometer-scale or smaller structure of a first device with a second micrometer-scale or smaller structure of a second device where the first device is flexibly coupled to a first substrate and the second device is coupled to a second substrate comprising:
- coupling the first substrate to the second substrate;
- displacing the first device to an alignment position where the first structure is in substantial alignment with the second structure;
- bonding the first device to the second device.
A system comprising:
- a first substrate including a first device flexibly coupled thereto, the first device having a micrometer-scale or smaller first structure;
- a second substrate including a second device coupled thereto, the second device having a micrometer-scale or smaller second structure;
- at least one actuator for displacing at least one of the first and second devices relative to the other in response to a control signal;
- and
- a controller for generating the control signal to align the first and second structures and to control the at least one actuator to couple the displaced first and second devices.
A system comprising:
- a first substrate including a first device flexibly coupled thereto, the first device having a micrometer-scale or smaller first structure;
- a second substrate including a second device coupled thereto, the second device having a micrometer-scale or smaller second structure;
- first means for displacing the first and second devices relative to each other in response to a control signal;
- second means for generating the control signal to control the first means for displacing to align the first and second structures and to connect the first and second devices after alignment of the structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.