Method for assembly of complementary-shaped receptacle site and device microstructures

• US 7,018,575 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Brewer, Peter D., Hunter, Andrew T., Deckard, Luisa M.
• Primary Examiner(s): STEIN, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US10/218,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20030068519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 216/2, 216/13, 264/108, 264/129, 264/219, 264/241, 264/297.1, 264/220, 438/107, 438/689, 438/694
• US Class Current: 264/108
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8319 Arrangement of the layer connectors prior to mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8385 using a polymer adhesive, e.g. an adhesive based on silicone, epoxy, polyimide, polyester
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/95085 being a liquid, e.g. for fluidic self-assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/95136 involving guiding structures, e.g. shape matching, spacers or supporting members
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/95145 Electrostatic alignment, i.e. polarity alignment with Coulomb charges
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/13 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/26 Layer connectors, e.g. plate connectors, solder or adhesive layers; Manufacturing methods related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/83 using a layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/95 at chip-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a plurality of singulated devices, i.e. on diced chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0655 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/50 Multistep manufacturing processes of assemblies consisting of devices, each device being of a type provided for in group H01L27/00 or H01L29/00 H01L21/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0657 characterised by the shape of the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01024 Chromium [Cr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01027 : Cobalt [Co]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01061 : Promethium [Pm]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01072 : Hafnium [Hf]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 : Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01322 : Eutectic Alloys, i.e. obtained by a liquid transforming into two solid phases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07802 : not being an ohmic electrical conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 : Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10158 : at the passive surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 : Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1423 : Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit [MMIC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15153 : the die mounting substrate comprising a recess for hosting the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15157 : Top view
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15165 : Monolayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15787 : Ceramics, e.g. crystalline carbides, nitrides or oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 : being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 : being a resistor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12528 : Semiconductor component

Abstract

A method for assembly including the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of microstructure components with each of the components having a bottom with the same three dimensional shape;

(b) forming a mold with at least one protuberance from a surface thereof so that the at least one protuberance has the same shape;

(c) molding a moldable substrate with the mold to form a molded substrate having a surface with at least one recess having the same shape; and

(d) positioning a first of the plurality of microstructure components into said at least one recess. Each of the microstructure components may be formed by a masking and etching process, with the mold being formed by the same masking and etching process. The positioning step may consist of mixing the microstructure components with a fluid to form a slurry; and depositing the slurry on the surface of the molded substrate to cause the first of the plurality of microstructure components to self-align in the recess.

Claims

1. A method for assembly comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of microstructure components with each of the components having a bottom with the same three dimensional shape;

(b) forming a mold with at least one protuberance from a surface thereof so that the at least one protuberance has said same shape;

(c) molding a moldable substrate with the mold to form a molded substrate comprising a surface with at least one recess having said same shape; and

(d) positioning a first of the plurality of microstructure components into said at least one recess.

2. A method for assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the microstructure components is formed by a masking and etching process, said mold being formed by the same masking and etching process.

3. A method for assembly according to claim 1, wherein said positioning step comprises mixing said microstructure components with a fluid to form a slurry;

and depositing said slurry on the surface of said molded substrate to cause the first of the plurality of microstructure components to self-align in the recess.

4. A method for assembly according to claim 3, wherein said fluid is an inert fluid.

5. A method for assembly according to claim 3, wherein said slurry includes enough fluid to allow said microstructure components to slide across the surface of the molded substrate.

6. A method for assembly according to claim 1, wherein said molded substrate comprises a polymeric film.

7. A method for assembly according to claim 6, wherein the polymeric film comprises a thermoplastic polymer.

8. A method for assembly according to claim 1, wherein said forming step (b) comprises impressing the mold into said moldable substrate.

9. A method for assembly according to claim 1, wherein said forming step (b) comprises injecting said moldable substrate into said mold.

10. A method for assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the microstructure components comprises a semiconductor material with a crystalline orientation and the mold comprises the semiconductor material with the same crystalline orientation.

11. A method for assembly according to claim 10, wherein the semiconductor material comprises silicon or gallium arsenide or mercury cadmium telluride.

12. A method for assembly according to claim 1, comprising forming the mold in step (b) with a plurality of protuberances having said same shape, molding the moldable substrate in step (c) with the mold to form the molded substrate with a plurality of recesses having said same shape, and depositing a slurry of the microstructure components on the surface of the molded substrate to cause respective ones of the plurality of microstructure components to self-align in the recesses.

13. A method for assembly according to claim 12, wherein the molded substrate carries electronic microcircuits that cooperate functionally with said microstructure components.

14. A method for assembly according to claim 12, wherein the surface of the molded substrate in which the recesses are formed is planar.

15. A method for assembly according to claim 14, comprising forming each of the plurality of recesses with a depth that is the same as a thickness of the microstructure components so that respective top surfaces of the microstructure components aligned in the recesses are coplanar.

16. A method for assembly according to claim 12, wherein the surface of the substrate in which the recesses are formed is arcuate.

17. A method for assembly according to claim 12, comprising treating the at least one recess to alter a surface property thereof whereby to promote alignment of one of the plurality of micro structures in the at least one recess.