Method and system for high-speed, precise micromachining an array of devices
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for high-speed, precise micromachining an array of devices are disclosed wherein improved process throughput and accuracy, such as resistor trimming accuracy, are provided. The number of resistance measurements are limited by using non-measurement cuts, using non-sequential collinear cutting, using spot fan-out parallel cutting, and using a retrograde scanning technique for faster collinear cuts. Non-sequential cutting is also used to manage thermal effects and calibrated cuts are used for improved accuracy. Test voltage is controlled to avoid resistor damage.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1-30. -30. (canceled)
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31. A method of micromachining selected substantially identical conductive circuit elements in an array of such elements arranged in at least one of one or more rows and one or more columns, the micromachining selectively removing material from the selected elements, the method comprising:
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generating at least one laser pulse; and
substantially simultaneously irradiating the selected elements, the step of irradiating comprising;
spatially splitting and focusing the at least one pulse to produce a distribution pattern of multiple focused beams to each of a plurality of selected elements of the array and along the at least one or more rows and/or columns of the array, wherein the step of splitting is carried out, at least in part, with at least one acousto-optic deflector and wherein at least one focused beam impinges each selected array element substantially simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 53)
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48. A method of micromachining a conductive circuit element in an array of such elements arranged in at least one of one or more rows and one or more columns, the micromachining selectively removing material from the selected element, the method comprising:
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generating at least one laser pulse; and
substantially simultaneously irradiating the selected element with two spatially separated laser beams, the step of irradiating comprising;
spatially splitting and focusing the at least one pulse to produce a distribution pattern of multiple focused beams to different portions of the selected element, wherein the step of splitting is carried out, at least in part, with at least one acousto-optic deflector and wherein at least one focused beam impinges each portion of the selected element substantially simultaneously.
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49. A system for high-speed, precise micromachining an array of devices, the system comprising:
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a controller to generate control signals that correspond to steps in a laser micromachining process that processes selected target material in an array of devices;
a laser subsystem to generate a pulsed laser output having one or more laser pulses at a repetition rate, each laser pulse having a pulse energy, and a pulse duration;
a multi-beam generating device that includes at least one spatial beam splitting element that generates divergent beams and receives control signals that corresponds to at least two of beam energy, spot separation, single-axis beam deflection, two-dimensional beam deflection, multi-beam beam divergence angle, number of diverging beams, retrograde scanning mode, switched optical path selection, single or multiple spot mode selection, spot alignment, spot array alignment, spot array orientation, and spot array rotation;
wherein the multi-beam generating device receives the pulsed laser output and thereby generates multiple controlled and aligned beams, each beam associated with an element in the array of devices to be processed; and
a beam positioning system that receives control signals from the controller, receives beams from the multi-beam generating device, focuses the beams into spots, and positions the focused spots relative to the array of devices;
wherein the control signals correspond to relative focused laser spot positions across the array of devices whereby the focused laser spot positions are aligned to respective associated elements and selected target material is processed. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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Specification