Self-alignment due to wettability difference of an interface
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsJay Lai, Ying-Hao Kuo, Hai-Ching Chen, Tien-I Bao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Some embodiments relate to a method of processing a workpiece. The workpiece includes a first surface region having a first wettability coefficient, and a second surface region having a second wettability coefficient that differs from the first wettability coefficient. A liquid, which corresponds to an optical structure, is dispensed on the first and second surface regions of the workpiece, wherein the liquid self-aligns to the second surface region due to the difference between the first and second wettability coefficients. The self-aligned liquid is hardened to form the optical structure.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- providing a planar workpiece surface that includes a first surface region having a first wettability coefficient and a second surface region having a second wettability coefficient, wherein the first and second surface regions are co-planar and where second wettability coefficient is different from the first wettability coefficient, wherein the second surface region includes first and second sub-region surfaces which are separated from one another by the first surface region, and wherein the first and second sub-region surfaces have first and second lengths, respectively, wherein the first length is different from the second length;
- dispensing a liquid corresponding to an optical structure on the first and second surface regions of the workpiece, wherein the liquid self-aligns to the first and second sub-region surfaces due to the difference between the first and second wettability coefficients;
- and
- hardening the self-aligned liquid to form a first optical structure on the first sub-region surface and a second optical structure on the second sub-region surface.
6-9. (canceled)
11-16. (canceled)
A method of forming an optical structure, comprising:
- providing a workpiece having an exposed planar surface, the exposed planar surface including:
- a first surface region having a first wettability coefficient, and a lens surface region and a waveguide surface region both having a second wettability coefficient, wherein the second wettability coefficient is different from the first wettability coefficient, wherein the lens surface region has a first length along a first direction and the waveguide surface region has a second length along the first direction that is larger than the first length;
- and
- dispensing a liquid corresponding to an optical structure on the exposed planar surface, wherein the liquid self-aligns to the lens surface region and the waveguide surface region, due to the difference between the first and second wettability coefficients, to form a waveguide and ball lens on the waveguide and lens surface regions.
(canceled)
A method, comprising:
- providing a substrate including a lens surface region and a waveguide surface region that each have a first wettability coefficient, wherein the lens surface region and the waveguide surface region are separated from one another by a second surface region having a second wettability coefficient that differs from the first wettability coefficient, wherein the lens surface region has a first length along a first direction and the waveguide surface region has a second length along the first direction that differs from the first length;
- and
- dispensing a liquid on the lens surface region and the waveguide surface region, wherein the liquid self-aligns to the lens surface region and the waveguide surface region due to the difference between the first and second wettability coefficients;
- and
- hardening the self-aligned liquid to form a ball lens and an optical waveguide on the substrate.
23-24. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.