Pin-deposition of conductive inks for microelectrodes and contact via filling

• US 20050136639A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Krulevitch, Peter A., Hamilton, Julie K., Benett, William J., Maghribi, Mariam N., Tovar, Armando R., Davidson, J. Courtney
• Granted Patent: US 7,036,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/612
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76838 characterised by the formation and the after-treatment of the conductors etching for patterning the conductors H01L21/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0195 Tool for a process not provided for in H05K3/00, e.g. tool for handling objects using suction, for deforming objects, for applying local pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0338 Transferring metal or conductive material other than a circuit pattern, e.g. bump, solder, printed component affixing a prefabricated conductor pattern H05K3/20
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4053 by thick-film techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A system for metalization of an integrated microsystem. The system comprises providing a substrate and applying a conductive material to the substrate by taking up small aliquots of conductive material and releasing the conductive material onto the substrate to produce a circuit component.

Claims

1. A method of metalization in an integrated microsystem, comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate, and

applying a conductive material to said substrate by taking up small aliquots of conductive material and releasing said conductive material onto said substrate to produce a circuit component.

2. The method of metalization of claim 1 wherein said circuit component is a metal electrode.

3. The method of metalization of claim 1 wherein said circuit component is a via for multilevel metallization.

4. The method of metalization of claim 1 wherein said conductive material comprises conductive ink.

5. The method of metalization of claim 1 wherein said conductive material comprises electrode metal.

6. The method of metalization of claim 1 wherein said step of applying a conductive material to said substrate is accomplished using a precision pin tip to take up small aliquots of conductive material, positioning said pin tip over said substrate, and releasing said conductive material onto said substrate to produce said circuit component.

7. The method of metalization of claim 6 wherein said circuit component is a metal electrode.

8. The method of metalization of claim 6 wherein said circuit component is a via for multilevel metallization.

9. The method of metalization of claim 6 wherein said conductive material comprises conductive ink.

10. The method of metalization of claim 6 wherein said conductive material comprises electrode metal.

11. The method of metalization of claim 1 wherein said step of applying a conductive material to said substrate is accomplished using a precision pin tip to take up small aliquots of conductive ink or electrode metal, positioning said pin tip over said substrate, and releasing said conductive ink or electrode metal onto said substrate to produce a metal electrode or fill a via for multilevel metallization.

17. The method of metalization of claim 6 wherein said step of applying a conductive material to said flexible polymer substrate is accomplished using a precision pin tip to take up conductive ink or electrode metal, positioning said pin tip over said flexible polymer substrate, and releasing said conductive ink or electrode metal onto said flexible polymer substrate.

18. The method of metalization of claim 17 wherein said flexible polymer substrate is silicone.

19. The method of metalization of claim 17 wherein said flexible polymer substrate comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane).

20. The method of metalization of claim 17 wherein said step of applying a conductive material to said flexible polymer substrate comprises producing three-dimensional microfluidic channels in said flexible polymer substrate and filling said three-dimensional microfluidic channels with conductive ink.

12. A method of metalization in an integrated polymer microsystem, comprising the steps of:

providing a flexible polymer substrate, and

applying a conductive material to said flexible polymer substrate by taking up small aliquots of conductive material and releasing said conductive material onto said flexible polymer substrate to produce a circuit component.

13. The method of metalization of claim 12 wherein said circuit component is a metal electrode.

14. The method of metalization of claim 12 wherein said circuit component is a via for multilevel metallization.

15. The method of metalization of claim 12 wherein said conductive material comprises conductive ink.

16. The method of metalization of claim 12 wherein said conductive material comprises electrode metal.