Reverse side film laser circuit etching
First Claim
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1. A method for etching metal on a substrate, comprising:
- placing a laminated sheet of metal and dielectric substrate in a vacuum;
directing a beam from a laser, also disposed in said vacuum, at the laminated sheet from the side of its dielectric substrate;
causing said laser beam to pass through said dielectric substrate and to ablate portions of said metal from underneath; and
using two beams from separate lasers wherein one is tuned to ablate wide field areas of metal and the other laser is optimized for scribing fine lines and features, and wherein the two lasers are coordinated to provide a single result.
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Abstract
A direct-write laser lithography system comprises a reel-to-reel feed system in a vacuum chamber 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 rotating mirrors, and is intense enough to ablate the metal but not so strong as to destroy the tape substrate. In one instance, two specialized lasers are used, one set 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.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for etching metal on a substrate, comprising:
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placing a laminated sheet of metal and dielectric substrate in a vacuum; directing a beam from a laser, also disposed in said vacuum, at the laminated sheet from the side of its dielectric substrate; causing said laser beam to pass through said dielectric substrate and to ablate portions of said metal from underneath; and using two beams from separate lasers wherein one is tuned to ablate wide field areas of metal and the other laser is optimized for scribing fine lines and features, and wherein the two lasers are coordinated to provide a single result. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A dual-laser reel-to-reel direct write lithography system, comprising:
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a vacuum chamber in which all other components are disposed; a first laser for providing a laser beam sufficient to ablate wide areas of metal from a laminated film; a first rotating laser beam mirror positioned to receive light from the first laser; a second laser for providing a laser beam sufficient to ablate fine lines and features of metal from said laminated film; a second rotating laser beam mirror positioned to receive light from the second laser; and a reel-to-reel tape system for linearly presenting a laminated tape of a single side of metal on a dielectric substrate, and with said substrate facing up and to receive a transverse scan by the rotating first and second laser-beam mirrors; wherein, laser energy is directed through the dielectric substrate of the laminated tape to ablate said metal from underneath.
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8. A method for patterning metal cladding on a dielectric substrate, comprising:
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placing a laser over a laminated sheet of metal and dielectric substrate; directing a beam from said laser at the laminated sheet from the side of its dielectric substrate; causing said laser beam to pass through said dielectric substrate and to ablate portions of said metal from underneath; and using two beams from separate lasers wherein one is tuned to ablate wide field areas of metal and the other laser is optimized for scribing fine lines and features, and wherein the two lasers are coordinated to provide a single result. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A laser ablation machine for patterning metal cladding on a dielectric substrate, comprising:
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means for placing a laser over a laminated sheet of metal and dielectric substrate; means for directing a beam from said laser at the laminated sheet from the side of its dielectric substrate; means for causing said laser beam to pass through said dielectric substrate and to ablate portions of said metal from underneath; and means for using two beams from separate lasers wherein one is tuned to ablate wide field areas of metal and the other laser is optimized for scribing fine lines and features, and wherein the two lasers are coordinated to provide a single result. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification