Micro pick up array pivot mount with integrated strain sensing elements

• US 9,624,100 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bathurst, Stephen P., Parks, Paul Argus, Light, Nile Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Danny
• Application Number:
  US14/303,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20150360940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 361234
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0085 with means for applying an electrostatic force on the object to be gripped
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/02 Sensing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 7/00 Micromanipulators specimen supports for investigating or analysing materials G01N23/2204; associated with microscopes G02B21/32; means for supporting or positioning the objects or the material in discharge tubes H01J37/20
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0163 Spring holders
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 99/002 Apparatus for assembling MEMS, e.g. micromanipulators micromanipulators per se B25J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 13/00 Clutches or holding devices using electrostatic attraction, e.g. using Johnson-Rahbek effect
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20006 Resilient connections

Abstract

Systems and methods for aligning a transfer head assembly with a substrate are disclosed. In an embodiment a pivot mount is used for generating a feedback signal in a closed-loop motion control system. In an embodiment, the pivot mount includes a plurality of spring arms, with each spring arm including a switch-back along an axial length of the spring arm such that a pair of first and second lengths of the spring arm are immediately adjacent the switch-back and are parallel to each other. A first strain sensing element is located at the first length, and a second strain sensing element is located at the second length.

Claims

1. A pivot mount comprising:

a pivot platform;

a base;

a plurality of spring arms, each spring arm fixed to the pivot platform at a corresponding inner root, and fixed to the base at a corresponding outer root;

wherein each spring arm includes;

a switch-back along an axial length of the spring arm such that a pair of first and second lengths of the spring arm immediately adjacent the switch-back are parallel to each other;

a first strain sensing element at the first length; and

a second strain sensing element at the second length.

2. The pivot mount of claim 1, wherein the switch-back is an inner switch-back along an inner length of the spring arm, and further comprising an outer switch-back along an outer length of the spring arm.

3. The pivot mount of claim 1, further comprising a first reference gage adjacent the first strain sensing element at the first length.

4. The pivot mount of claim 3, further comprising a second reference gage adjacent the second strain sensing element at the second length.

5. The pivot mount of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spring arms comprises three or more spring arms.

6. The pivot mount of claim 5, wherein the switch-back is an inner switch-back along an inner length of the spring arm, and further comprising an outer switch-back along an outer length of the spring arm.

7. The pivot mount of claim 1, wherein the inner root is perpendicular to an inner length of the spring arm extending from the pivot platform, and the outer root is perpendicular to an outer length of the spring arm extending from the base.

8. The pivot mount of claim 1, wherein the pivot platform is movable relative to the base in a direction orthogonal to a contact surface of the pivot platform, wherein movement of the pivot platform in the direction orthogonal to the contact surface of the pivot platform causes a normal strain that is characterized as being parallel to the axial length of the spring arm at the first and second lengths of the spring arm.

9. The pivot mount of claim 8, wherein the normal strain comprises opposite sign on the first and second lengths of the spring arm.

10. The pivot mount of claim 1, wherein the first and second strain sensing elements are strain gages.

11. The pivot mount of claim 10, wherein the strain gages are bonded to the spring arm, deposited on the spring arm, or doped regions in the spring arm.

12. A pivot mount comprising:

a pivot platform including a plurality of compliant voltage contacts;

a clamping electrode on the pivot platform, wherein each compliant voltage contact protrudes from the pivot platform such that they are elevated above the pivot platform and the clamping electrode;

a base; and

a plurality of spring arms, each spring arm fixed to the pivot platform at a corresponding inner root, and fixed to the base at a corresponding outer root.

13. The pivot mount of claim 12, wherein each compliant voltage contact comprises a channel extending through the pivot platform.

14. The pivot mount of claim 13, wherein the channel for each compliant voltage contact is characterized as a winding contour or switch-back.

15. A transfer tool comprising:

an articulating transfer head assembly;

a pivot mount, mountable onto the articulating transfer head assembly comprising;

a pivot platform;

a base;

a plurality of spring arms, each spring arm fixed to the pivot platform at a corresponding inner root, and fixed to the base at a corresponding outer root;

wherein each spring arm includes;

a switch-back along an axial length of the spring arm such that a pair of first and second lengths of the spring arm immediately adjacent the switch-back are parallel to each other;

a first strain sensing element at the first length;

a second strain sensing element at the second length; and

a micro pick up array mountable onto the pivot platform of the pivot mount, the micro pick up array including an array of electrostatic transfer heads.

16. The transfer tool of claim 15, wherein the pivot platform comprises a plurality of compliant voltage contacts.

17. The transfer tool of claim 16, wherein the micro pick up array comprises a plurality of voltage contacts arranged to mate with the plurality of compliant voltage contacts of the pivot platform.

18. The transfer tool of claim 15, wherein each electrostatic transfer head has a localized contact point characterized by a maximum dimension of 1-100 μ

m in both x- and y-dimensions.