Methods for encapsulating electronic devices
AssigneeAT&T Bell Laboratories
InventorsRichard McBride, Ching-Ping Wong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a substrate (11) is cleaned by immersing it in an organic solvent (17) and subjecting it to acoustic energy, immersing it in alcohol, immersing it in a surfactant, subjecting it to a cascading rinse in deionized water, baking it (FIG. 3 ), and thereafter subjecting it to ultraviolet light in an ozone ambient (FIG. 4). When the foregoing steps are followed, the contact angle is significantly reduced, and an encapsulant (14) that is thereafter applied provides more reliable protection to an encapsulated device (12) from outside contaminants.
Claims15
A method for encapsulating an electronic device supported on a substrate comprising the steps of:
- cleaning the substrate;
- mounting an electronic device on one surface of the substrate;
- encasing the electronic device in a fluid encapsulant;
- and
- causing the encapsulant to harden and to adhere to both the substrate and the device;
- wherein the cleaning step comprises the steps of:
- immersing the substrate in an organic solvent;
- subjecting the immersed substrate to acoustic energy;
- removing the organic solvent from the substrate;
- and
- exposing the substrate to ultraviolet light in an environment containing ozone to provide to the substrate a relatively low contact angle, thereby to increase wetting of the substrate by the fluid encapsulant.
A method for encapsulating an electronic device supported on a first surface of a substrate comprising the steps of:
- immersing the substrate in an organic solvent;
- subjecting the immersed substrate to acoustic energy;
- removing the organic solvent from the substrate;
- providing to the first surface of the substrate a relatively low contact angle comprising the step of exposing the first surface of the substrate to ultraviolet light in an environment containing ozone;
- completely encasing the electronic device in a fluid encapsulant, the fluid encapsulant covering at least part of the first surface of the substrate;
- and
- causing the encapsulant to harden and to adhere to both the substrate and the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.