Reverse side film laser circuit etching
First Claim
1. A method of etching metal structures on a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a coated sheet, said coated sheet having a first side that comprises a dielectric substrate and a second side that comprises a metal; and
controlling a laser to generate a laser beam toward said first side of said coated sheet such that said laser beam passes through said first side and ablates portions of said second side.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment the present invention includes a direct-write laser lithography system. The system includes a reel-to-reel feed system that presents the clear film-side of a single-sided metal-clad tape to a laser for direct patterning of the metal. The laser beam is swept laterally across the tape by a moving mirror, and is intense enough to ablate the metal but not so strong as to destroy the tape substrate. In another instance, two specialized lasers are used, one tuned to ablate large field areas, and the other tuned to scribe fine features and lines. The ablated metal blows off in a downward direction and is collected for recycling.
67 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of etching metal structures on a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a coated sheet, said coated sheet having a first side that comprises a dielectric substrate and a second side that comprises a metal; and controlling a laser to generate a laser beam toward said first side of said coated sheet such that said laser beam passes through said first side and ablates portions of said second side. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus including a flexible circuit etching system, said flexible circuit etching system comprising:
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a reel-to-reel tape system that linearly presents a coated tape, wherein said coated tape has a first side that comprises a dielectric substrate and a second side that comprises a metal; a laser that generates a laser beam having a power sufficient to ablate said metal from said second side of said coated tape; and a mirror that controllably moves to direct said laser beam toward said first side of said coated tape such that said laser beam passes through said first side and ablates portions of said second side. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus including a dual laser flexible circuit etching system, said dual laser flexible circuit etching system comprising:
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a reel-to-reel tape system that linearly presents a coated tape, wherein said coated tape has a first side that comprises a dielectric substrate and a second side that comprises a metal; a first laser that generates a first laser beam having a power sufficient to ablate a large area of said metal from said second side of said coated tape; a first mirror that controllably moves to direct said first laser beam toward said first side of said coated tape such that said first laser beam passes through said first side and ablates large portions of said second side; a second laser that generates a second laser beam having a power sufficient to ablate a small area of said metal from said second side of said coated tape; and a second mirror that controllably moves to direct said second laser beam toward said first side of said coated tape such that said second laser beam passes through said first side and ablates small portions of said second side. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. An apparatus including a laser ablation machine for patterning metal cladding on a dielectric substrate, said laser ablation machine comprising:
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a laser; and a patterning control system that positions said laser in relation to a coated sheet, wherein said coated sheet has a first side that comprises a dielectric substrate and a second side that comprises a metal, wherein said laser generates a laser beam having a power sufficient to ablate said metal from said second side of said coated tape, and wherein said laser beam passes through said first side and ablates portions of said second side. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An apparatus including an electrical circuit, said electrical circuit produced by a method comprising the steps of:
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providing a coated sheet, said coated sheet having a first side that comprises a dielectric substrate and a second side that comprises a metal; and controlling a laser to generate a laser beam toward said first side of said coated sheet such that said laser beam passes through said first side and ablates portions of said second side to form said electrical circuit on said coated sheet. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification