Method of increasing tab bond strength using reactive ion etching
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsJames Michael Mrvos, Michael Raulinaitis, Carl Edmond Sullivan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of tape automated bonding a heater chip of an ink jet printer to a flexible circuit includes the step of attaching an electrically conductive bonding pad to a first portion of a surface of the heater chip. A mask is applied to a second portion of the surface of the heater chip. An exposed surface of the bonding pad is chemical dry etched for a predetermined time period to thereby remove contaminants from the etched exposed surface. The chemical dry etching is terminated at an end of the predetermined time period such that substantially none of the bonding pad is removed. Lastly, the flexible circuit is electrically connected to the etched exposed surface.
Claims19
A method of tape automated bonding a heater chip of an ink jet printer to a flexible circuit, said method comprising the steps of:
- attaching an electrically conductive bonding pad to a first portion of a surface of said heater chip, said first portion being a bonding area of said surface of said heater chip, said bonding pad having an exposed surface with contaminants thereon;
- applying a mask to a second portion of said surface of said heater chip, said second portion being a non-bonding area of said surface of said heater chip;
- chemical dry etching said exposed surface of said bonding pad for a predetermined time period to thereby remove said contaminants from said exposed surface of said bonding pad to define an etched exposed surface of said bonding pad;
- terminating said chemical dry etching at an end of said predetermined time period such that substantially none of said bonding pad is removed;
- and
- electrically connecting said flexible circuit to said etched exposed surface of said bonding pad.
A method of tape automated bonding a heater chip of an ink jet printer to a flexible circuit, said method comprising the steps of:
- attaching an electrically conductive bonding pad to a surface of said heater chip, said bonding pad having an exposed surface with contaminants thereon;
- reactive ion etching said exposed surface of said bonding pad for a time period such that substantially only said contaminants on said exposed surface are removed and said exposed surface remains substantially intact;
- and
- electrically connecting said flexible circuit to said exposed surface.
A method of tape automated bonding a heater chip of an ink jet printer to a flexible circuit, said method comprising the steps of:
- attaching an electrically conductive bonding pad to a bonding area of a surface of said heater chip, said bonding pad having an exposed surface with contaminants thereon;
- chemical dry etching said exposed surface of said bonding pad for a predetermined time period to thereby remove said contaminants from said exposed surface of said bonding pad to define an etched exposed surface of said bonding pad;
- terminating said chemical dry etching at an end of said predetermined time period such that substantially none of said bonding pad is removed;
- and
- electrically connecting said flexible circuit to said etched exposed surface of said bonding pad.
A method of tape automated bonding a heater chip of an ink jet printer to a flexible circuit, said method comprising the steps of:
- attaching an electrically conductive bonding pad to a bonding area of a surface of said heater chip, said bonding pad having an exposed surface with contaminants thereon;
- applying a mask to a non-bonding area of said surface of said heater chip;
- chemical dry etching said exposed surface of said bonding pad for a predetermined time period to thereby remove said contaminants from said exposed surface of said bonding pad to define an etched exposed surface of said bonding pad;
- terminating said chemical dry etching at an end of said predetermined time period such that substantially none of said bonding pad is removed;
- and
- electrically connecting said flexible circuit to said etched exposed surface of said bonding pad.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.