Laser methods for circuit repair on integrated circuits and substrates

A maskless method of bridging small gaps between conductors on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

• transforming a thin layer at said surface of said substrate into an electrically conducting carbonaceous film by irradiating said surface with a first ion beam;
• submerging said surface in a metal plating medium;
• p1 heating a local region of said surface between said conductors to a temperature sufficient to cause said metal to plate to said carbonaceous layer in said region;
• and
• treating said surface with a second ion beam until said carbonaceous film is removed from the surface of said substrate outside said region.

A maskless method of bridging a gap in a conductor disposed on a substrate and covered by a passivation layer, comprising the steps of:

• exposing a region of said substrate including said gap and at least a portion of said conductor adjacent said gap by ablating said passivation layer above said gap and at least a portion of said conductor on either side of said gap to remove the passivation covering said gap and at least a portion of said conductor on either side of said gap by illuminating said passivation layer with a pulsed laser source at a first power level;
• preparing said conductor for metal deposition by illuminating said exposed portion of said conductor adjacent said gap with said pulsed laser source at a second power level;
• submerging said substrate in a metal deposition medium;
• heating a region of said substrate underlying said gap to a temperature sufficient to cause metal from said medium to plate to said conductor;
• and
• continuing to heat said region underlying said gap until said metal forms a bridge across said gap.

A maskless method of bridging a small gap in a conductor disposed on a substrate and covered by a passivation layer, comprising the steps of:

• exposing a region of said substrate including said gap and at least a portion of said conductor adjacent said gap by ablating said passivation layer above said gap and at least a portion of said conductor on either side of said gap to remove the passivation covering said gap and at least a portion of said conductor on either side of said gap by illuminating said passivation layer with a pulsed laser source at a first power level;
• preparing said conductor for plating by illuminating said exposed portion of said conductor adjacent said gap with said pulsed laser source at a second power level;
• forming a metallic base layer on said substrate;
• submerging said substrate in a metal deposition medium;
• heating a region of said metallic base layer between said conductors to a temperature sufficient to cause metal from said medium to plate to said conductors and to said metallic base layer;
• and
• continuing to heat said region of said metallic base layer underlying said gap until said metal forms a bridge across said gap.

A maskless method of bridging a small gap in a conductor disposed on a substrate and covered by a passivation layer, comprising the steps of:

• exposing a region of said substrate including said gap and at least a portion of said conductor adjacent said gap by ablating said passivation layer above said gap to remove the passivation covering said gap by illuminating said passivation layer with a pulsed laser source at a first predetermined power level;
• preparing said conductor for plating by illuminating said exposed portion of said conductors adjacent to said gap with said pulsed laser source at a second predetermined power level;
• forming a conductive layer in said exposed portion of said substrate;
• submerging said substrate in a metal deposition medium;
• and
• heating a region of said conductive layer underlying said gap to a temperature sufficient to cause said metal to plate to said conductor;
• and
• continuing to heat said region of said conductive layer underlying said gap until said metal forms a bridge across said gap.