Method and apparatus for detethering mesoscale, microscale, and nanoscale components and devices

• US 8,739,398 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Mayyas, Mohammad A., Shiakolas, Panayoitis S.
• Primary Examiner(s): ANGWIN, DAVID PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/744,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• Field of Search: 298/32, 298/40, 228/44.7, 228/120, 228/138, 228/177, 228/191, 414/935, 414/936, 257/737
• US Class Current: 29/832
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00873 characterised by special arrangements of the devices, allowing an easier separation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49144 by metal fusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

A method for forming an electronic device includes designing a tether having first and second ends; selecting an attachment point on the electronic device; attaching the first end of the tether to the attachment point, the electronic device being encapsulated in a cell; selecting an anchor point; attaching the second end of the tether to the anchor point; determining fracture condition at which the first end of the tether detaches from the attachment point; agitating the cell at the fracture conditions so as to detach the first end of the tether from the attachment point; and separating the electronic device from the cell. Also provided is a method for designing a plurality of electronic devices, wherein each of the electronic devices is encapsulated in a cell of a wafer, die or other holder and wherein the fracture conditions are the same for a group of the electronic devices.

Claims

1. A method for forming an electronic device, comprising:

designing a tether, wherein the tether includes a first end and a second end;

selecting an attachment point on the electronic device;

attaching the first end of the tether to the attachment point, wherein the electronic device is encapsulated in a cell;

selecting an anchor point;

attaching the second end of the tether to the anchor point;

determining fracture conditions at which the first end of the tether detaches from the attachment point;

agitating the cell at the fracture conditions so as to detach the first end of the tether from the attachment point; and

separating the electronic device from the cell.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is encapsulated in the cell of a wafer, die or other holder.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cell includes a cell frame.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the anchor point is on the cell frame.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the anchor point is a proof mass.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mesoscale, microscale or nanoscale device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising designing the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is one or more components.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each component is attached to the cell by one or more tethers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the electronic device is a safety inertial sensor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fracture conditions comprise agitation frequency, agitation amplitude, and directional agitation angle with respect to the tether.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the tether is a linear breadth tapered cantilever beam, prismatic cantilever beam, tapered cantilever beam of truncated wedges, tapered cantilever beam of truncated cone, doubly-tapered cantilevered beam, or a group of cantilever beams truncated at different shape-functions.

12. A method, comprising:

designing a plurality of electronic devices, wherein each of the electronic devices is encapsulated in a cell of a wafer, die or other holder;

designing a plurality of tethers, wherein each tether includes a first end and a second end;

selecting an attachment point on each of the plurality of electronic devices, respectively;

attaching the first end of each of the plurality of tethers to a respective one of the attachment points;

selecting a plurality of anchor points;

attaching the second end of each of the plurality of tethers to a respective one of the anchor points;

determining, for each of the electronic devices, fracture conditions at which the first end of the respective tether detaches from the attachment point of the respective electronic device, wherein the fracture conditions are the same for a group of electronic devices among the plurality of electronic devices;

agitating the wafer, die or other holder at the fracture conditions for the group of electronic devices so as to selectively and in parallel detach the first ends of the respective tethers from the attachment points of the respective electronic devices of the group; and

separating the electronic devices of the group from the wafer, die or other holder.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the cell includes a cell frame.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein one or more of the anchor points is on the cell frame.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein one or more of the anchor points is a proof mass.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic devices are mesoscale, microscale or nanoscale devices.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein one or more of the electronic devices includes one or more components.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each component is attached to the cell by one or more tethers.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein one or more of the electronic devices is a safety inertial sensor.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the fracture conditions comprise agitation frequency, agitation amplitude, and directional agitation angle with respect to the respective tether.