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US 7,681,307 B2Granted
Soldering a flexible circuit
AssigneeFUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey Birkmeyer, Andreas Bibl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques are provided for controlling solder flow in applications where a flexible circuit is soldered to a microelectromechanical structure. A metal layer is formed on a substrate. A solder mask is formed on the metal layer such that portions of the metal layer are covered by the mask and portions are left exposed. A flexible circuit is soldered to the metal layer in at least some of the areas where the metal layer is exposed.
Claims20
A method of forming a microelectromechanical device, comprising:
- forming an actuator over a chamber in a substrate, the actuator including a piezoelectric layer and a first electrode;
- forming a solder mask on the first electrode so that a first portion of the first electrode is exposed to the environment and a second portion of the first electrode is covered by the solder mask, wherein the second portion overlies the length of the chamber;
- applying solder to the first electrode at the first portion of the first electrode;
- contacting a flexible circuit to the solder;
- and
- heating the solder to cause the solder to electrically connect the flexible circuit to the first electrode wherein the solder mask prevents the solder from flowing over the second portion when the solder is heated.
3 more elements
A method of forming a microelectromechanical device, comprising:
- forming an actuator over a chamber in a substrate, the actuator including a piezoelectric layer and a first electrode;
- forming a solder mask on the first electrode so that a first portion of the first electrode is exposed to the environment and a second portion of the first electrode is covered by the solder mask, wherein the second portion overlies the length of the chamber;
- after forming the solder mask, applying solder to the first electrode at the first portion of the first electrode;
- contacting a flexible circuit to the solder;
- and
- heating the solder to cause the solder to flow and electrically connect the flexible circuit to the first electrode wherein when the solder flows toward the solder mask and is directly adjacent to the solder mask while the solder mask prevents the solder from flowing over the second portion.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.