Laser circuit etching by additive deposition
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of depositing metal structures, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a metal sheet;
providing a target structure; and
controlling a laser to generate a laser beam toward said metal sheet such that said laser beam ablates portions of said metal sheet and deposits circuit structures on said target structure.
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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 a metal 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 structural integrity of the tape. The ablated metal becomes deposited to form circuit structures on a target structure.
44 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of depositing metal structures, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a metal sheet; providing a target structure; and controlling a laser to generate a laser beam toward said metal sheet such that said laser beam ablates portions of said metal sheet and deposits circuit structures on said target structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. 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 metal tape; a laser that generates a laser beam having a power sufficient to ablate metal from said metal tape; and a mirror that controllably moves to direct said laser beam toward said metal tape such that said laser beam ablates portions of said metal tape and deposits circuit structures on a target structure. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. An apparatus including a laser ablation machine for patterning metal onto a target, said laser ablation machine comprising:
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a laser; and a patterning control system that positions said laser in relation to a metal sheet, wherein said laser generates a laser beam having a power sufficient to ablate metal from metal sheet, and wherein said laser beam ablates portions of said metal sheet, and deposits circuit structures on a target structure. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An apparatus including an electrical circuit, said electrical circuit produced by a method comprising the steps of:
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providing a metal sheet; providing a target structure; and controlling a laser to generate a laser beam toward said metal sheet such that said laser beam ablates portions of said metal sheet and deposits said portions having been ablated to form said electrical circuit on said target structure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification