Method of using frozen epoxy for placing pin-mounted components in a circuit module
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorWilliam E. Burdick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Pin-mounted components, such as DIP-packaged devices, multi-pin toroids and memory cubes are integrated into high density interconnect (HDI) structures by external attachment. Frozen spheres of conductive epoxy are placed, using automated pick-and-place equipment, into laser-drilled well-like via holes in an HDI module and then thawed under temperature and vacuum, prior to component pin insertion. Precision dispensing and uniform dispersion of adhesive results.
Claims18
A method of placing a predetermined quantity of uncured epoxy in a hole of predetermined dimensions within an electronic circuit module, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a body of uncured frozen epoxy of predetermined volume;
- placing the body of uncured frozen epoxy in the hole;
- placing the electronic circuit module and body of frozen epoxy in a chamber;
- and
- warming the electronic circuit module and body of epoxy to thaw the body of epoxy while at least partially evacuating the chamber so that a pressure differential is created sufficient to cause the epoxy to be drawn into the hole as the body of frozen epoxy thaws.
A method of integrating a pin-mounted component with an electronic circuit module, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an electronic circuit module having a generally planar surface with interconnect pads on the module surface;
- applying a polymer mask layer to the module surface;
- laser-drilling holes in the polymer mask layer over the interconnect pads;
- providing a plurality of bodies of uncured frozen epoxy, each body being of predetermined volume;
- placing each body of uncured frozen epoxy in a separate respective one of the holes;
- warming the electronic circuit module and the bodies of epoxy to thaw the bodies of epoxy;
- inserting each connection pin of a pin-mounted component into a separate respective one of the holes;
- and
- curing the epoxy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.