# US 8,739,398 B2 · Method and apparatus for detethering mesoscale, microscale, and nanoscale components and devices

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,739,398 B2
- Document ID: US8739398B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/744,049
- Filed: 2008-11-20
- Published: 2010-12-09
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2007-11-20
- Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
- Applicants: Mohammad A. Mayyas; Panayoitis S. Shiakolas
- Inventors: Mohammad A. Mayyas; Panayoitis S. Shiakolas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739398B2

## CPC

- B81C 1/00873: {characterised by special arrangements of the devices, allowing an easier separation}
- Y10T 29/49002: Electrical device making
- Y10T 29/4913: Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
- Y10T 29/49144: by metal fusion
- Y10T 29/5313: Means to assemble electrical device
- B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method for forming an electronic device includes designing a tether having first and second ends; selecting an attachment point on the electronic device; attaching the first end of the tether to the attachment point, the electronic device being encapsulated in a cell; selecting an anchor point; attaching the second end of the tether to the anchor point; determining fracture condition at which the first end of the tether detaches from the attachment point; agitating the cell at the fracture conditions so as to detach the first end of the tether from the attachment point; and separating the electronic device from the cell. Also provided is a method for designing a plurality of electronic devices, wherein each of the electronic devices is encapsulated in a cell of a wafer, die or other holder and wherein the fracture conditions are the same for a group of the electronic devices.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for forming an electronic device, comprising:
designing a tether, wherein the tether includes a first end and a second end;
selecting an attachment point on the electronic device;
attaching the first end of the tether to the attachment point, wherein the electronic device is encapsulated in a cell;
selecting an anchor point;
attaching the second end of the tether to the anchor point;
determining fracture conditions at which the first end of the tether detaches from the attachment point;
agitating the cell at the fracture conditions so as to detach the first end of the tether from the attachment point; and
separating the electronic device from the cell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is encapsulated in the cell of a wafer, die or other holder.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the cell includes a cell frame.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the anchor point is on the cell frame.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the anchor point is a proof mass.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mesoscale, microscale or nanoscale device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising designing the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is one or more components.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein each component is attached to the cell by one or more tethers.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the electronic device is a safety inertial sensor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the fracture conditions comprise agitation frequency, agitation amplitude, and directional agitation angle with respect to the tether.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tether is a linear breadth tapered cantilever beam, prismatic cantilever beam, tapered cantilever beam of truncated wedges, tapered cantilever beam of truncated cone, doubly-tapered cantilevered beam, or a group of cantilever beams truncated at different shape-functions.

### Claim 12

A method, comprising:
designing a plurality of electronic devices, wherein each of the electronic devices is encapsulated in a cell of a wafer, die or other holder;
designing a plurality of tethers, wherein each tether includes a first end and a second end;
selecting an attachment point on each of the plurality of electronic devices, respectively;
attaching the first end of each of the plurality of tethers to a respective one of the attachment points;
selecting a plurality of anchor points;
attaching the second end of each of the plurality of tethers to a respective one of the anchor points;
determining, for each of the electronic devices, fracture conditions at which the first end of the respective tether detaches from the attachment point of the respective electronic device, wherein the fracture conditions are the same for a group of electronic devices among the plurality of electronic devices;
agitating the wafer, die or other holder at the fracture conditions for the group of electronic devices so as to selectively and in parallel detach the first ends of the respective tethers from the attachment points of the respective electronic devices of the group; and
separating the electronic devices of the group from the wafer, die or other holder.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the cell includes a cell frame.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein one or more of the anchor points is on the cell frame.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein one or more of the anchor points is a proof mass.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic devices are mesoscale, microscale or nanoscale devices.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein one or more of the electronic devices includes one or more components.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein each component is attached to the cell by one or more tethers.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein one or more of the electronic devices is a safety inertial sensor.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the fracture conditions comprise agitation frequency, agitation amplitude, and directional agitation angle with respect to the respective tether.