Laser-assisted deposition with improved coating
AssigneeAsmpt Smt Singapore Pte. Ltd.
InventorClive Howard Charles ASHMORE
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Abstract
A laser-assisted deposition apparatus for depositing deposition medium from a tape onto a workpiece, comprises a coating section with a deposition material source, first and second regulating members arranged downstream of the deposition material source in spaced relation on either side of the tape such that the distance between the first and second regulating members regulates the thickness of deposition material coated onto the tape in use, and a vibration unit which is operative to agitate the deposition material at the coating section.
Claims14
A laser-assisted deposition apparatus for depositing deposition medium from a tape onto a workpiece, the tape having two major surfaces, the laser-assisted deposition apparatus comprising:
- a tape advancement mechanism for moving the tape through the laser-assisted deposition apparatus along a movement path,
- a coating section for coating a first major surface of the tape with deposition medium,
- a laser source operative to direct a laser beam onto a second surface of the tape at an illumination region thereof, and
- a workpiece support for supporting a workpiece proximate the first surface, such that deposition medium, located on the first surface thereof and in alignment with the illumination region, is expelled from the second surface onto the workpiece when the laser beam is directed to the illumination region,
- wherein the coating section comprises:
- a deposition material source for applying deposition material to the first major surface,
- first and second regulating members arranged downstream of the deposition material source along the movement path, and in spaced relation on either side of the tape such that the distance between the first and second regulating members regulates the thickness of deposition material coated onto the first major surface of the tape in use, and
- a vibration unit which is operative to agitate the deposition material at the coating section.
A method for depositing deposition medium from a tape onto a workpiece, the tape having two major surfaces, the method comprising the steps:
- i) providing a laser-assisted deposition apparatus,
- ii) moving the tape through the laser-assisted deposition apparatus along a movement path,
- iii) coating a first major surface of the tape with deposition medium at a coating section of the laser-assisted deposition apparatus, and
- iv) directing a laser beam onto a second surface of the tape at an illumination region thereof, such that deposition medium, located on the first surface thereof and in alignment with the illumination region, is expelled from the second surface onto the workpiece when the laser beam is directed to the illumination region,
- wherein step iii) comprises applying deposition material to the first major surface,
- passing the tape with deposition material applied to the first major surface between first and second regulating members, to regulate the thickness of deposition material coated onto the first major surface of the tape, and
- agitating the deposition material at the coating section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.