SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGH RESOLUTION, HIGH THROUGHPUT PROCESSING OF CONDUCTIVE PATTERNS OF FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATES

• US 20140013566A1
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flex, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Flextronics International USA Incorporated (Flex, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Murray, Galen, Corrigan, Kevin, Mahagnoul, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,282,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/407.09
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0268 for electrical inspection or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0269 for visual or optical inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/166 Alignment or registration; Control of registration
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4638 Aligning and fixing the circuit boards before lamination; Detecting or measuring the misalignment after lamination; Aligning external circuit patterns or via connections relative to internal circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49778 with aligning, guiding, or instruction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53022 with means to test work or product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53174 Means to fasten electrical component to wiring board, base, or substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53261 Means to align and advance work part

Abstract

Alignment markers are added to each layer of a multiple layer substrate for proper alignment. Optical alignment markers are applied on the surface of each substrate layer. Groups of alignment markers are arranged in localized areas on each substrate layer. Each localized group of alignment markers are referred to as alignment target areas. The alignment markers in a first alignment target area on the first substrate layer are to be aligned with corresponding alignment markers in a second alignment target area on the second substrate layer. In some embodiments, the first alignment target area includes an alignment marker configured for manual alignment and another alignment marker configured for machine alignment. The second alignment target area has a corresponding manual alignment marker and machine alignment marker.

Claims

1. An alignment feedback apparatus for aligning multiple substrate layers, the apparatus comprising:

a. a first substrate layer having a first portion of an alignment target area formed on a surface, wherein the first portion of the alignment target area includes a first manual alignment marker and a first machine alignment marker; and

b. a second substrate layer having a second portion of the alignment target area formed on a surface, the second substrate layer coupled to the first substrate layer,

wherein the second portion of the alignment target area includes a second manual alignment marker and a second machine alignment marker, wherein when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned with each other, the first manual alignment marker is aligned with the second manual alignment marker, and the first machine alignment marker is aligned with the second machine alignment marker.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second manual alignment markers each comprise a square and the first and second machine alignment markers are each circular.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first manual alignment marker comprises a first square and the second manual alignment marker comprises a second square, wherein the first square is smaller than the second square and the first square fits within the second square when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first machine alignment marker is donut-shaped having a hole and the second machine alignment marker comprises a circle, wherein the circle is smaller than the hole and the circle fits within the hole when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the alignment target area further comprises a registration coupon.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the registration coupon comprises conductive traces formed around the first manual alignment marker and the first machine alignment marker.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the conductive traces comprise ITO.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the alignment target area further comprises an etch coupon.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the etch coupon comprises conductive traces formed around the second manual alignment marker and the second machine alignment marker.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the conductive traces comprise silver ink.

11. A method of aligning multiple substrate layers, the method comprising:

a. forming a first substrate layer having a first portion of an alignment target area formed on a surface, wherein the first portion of the alignment target area includes a first manual alignment marker and a first machine alignment marker; and

b. forming a second substrate layer having a second portion of the alignment target area formed on a surface, the second substrate layer coupled to the first substrate layer, wherein the second portion of the alignment target area includes a second manual alignment marker and a second machine alignment marker; and

c. aligning the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer such that the first manual alignment marker is aligned with the second manual alignment marker, and the first machine alignment marker is aligned with the second machine alignment marker.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first and second manual alignment markers are each formed as squares and the first and second machine alignment markers are each circularly formed.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first manual alignment marker is formed as a first square and the second manual alignment marker is formed as a second square, wherein the first square is smaller than the second square and the first square fits within the second square when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first machine alignment marker is formed donut-shaped having a hole and the second machine alignment marker is formed as a circle, wherein the circle is smaller than the hole and the circle fits within the hole when the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer are properly aligned.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein forming the first portion of the alignment target area further comprises forming a registration coupon.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein forming the registration coupon comprises forming conductive traces around the first manual alignment marker and the first machine alignment marker.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the conductive traces comprise ITO.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein forming the second portion of the alignment target area further comprises forming an etch coupon.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein forming the etch coupon comprises forming conductive traces around the second manual alignment marker and the second machine alignment marker.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive traces comprise silver ink.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein aligning the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer such that the first manual alignment marker is aligned with the second manual alignment marker comprises manually aligning the first manual alignment marker and the second manual alignment marker.

22. The method of claim 11 wherein aligning the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer such that the first machine alignment marker is aligned with the second machine alignment marker comprises machine aligning the first machine alignment marker and the second machine alignment marker.