Selective laser-assisted transfer of discrete components

Abstract

Electronic components are often assembled using robotic equipment, such as pick-and-place machines, that is not optimized for components such as ultra-thin semiconductor bare dice. Selective laser-assisted die transfer is described based on the unique blistering behavior of a multilayer dynamic release layer when irradiated by low energy focused laser pulse(s) in which the blister creates translation of the article being placed. Accurate placement results are provided with negligible lateral and angular displacement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of transferring articles, comprising:
 adhering an article to an adhesive layer of a laser-transparent carrier;   focusing a low-energy laser beam through the laser-transparent carrier on a blistering layer in said carrier, which is proximal said adhesive layer, to form a blister in the blistering layer which deforms said adhesive layer; and   transferring said article from said laser-transparent carrier to a receiving substrate placed in close proximity in response to separation of said article as the blister expands.   
     
     
         2 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said blister expands to a substantially fixed distance in response to receiving said low-energy laser beam. 
     
     
         3 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said blistering layer comprises a polymer, polyimide, or inorganic material selected for ablation in a controlled, and non-explosive, manner in response to irradiation with a laser beam of a given wavelength and pulse energy and which exhibits sufficient elastic behavior that a blister can be formed without rupturing. 
     
     
         4 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said blistering layer is subject to ablation that is limited to a non-penetrating ablation creating vapors to form said blister without rupturing said blister. 
     
     
         5 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said blister is formed in response to said low-energy laser beam evaporating a small amount of material from said blistering layer which generates gases that create a blister in said carrier which deforms said adhesive layer of said laser-transparent carrier. 
     
     
         6 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said low-energy laser beam comprises a laser beam output having an ultraviolet wavelength. 
     
     
         7 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said low-energy laser beam comprises a single pulse or series of pulses from a laser. 
     
     
         8 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said low-energy laser beam has a scanning pattern with a high repetition rate and scanning speed selected to create a continuous blister. 
     
     
         9 . The method recited in  claim 8 , wherein said scanning pattern is selected from a group of scanning patterns consisting of straight lines, curved lines, closed curves, circles, triangles, rectangles, and other geometric shapes. 
     
     
         10 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein said low-energy laser beam comprises less than 1 mJ of energy to assure that said blisters do not burst during transfer of said article. 
     
     
         11 . The method recited in  claim 10 , wherein said low-energy laser has on the order of 20 μJ of energy per pulse. 
     
     
         12 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein material vaporized by said low-energy laser beam are confined to an interior of said blister within said blistering layer. 
     
     
         13 . The method recited in  claim 12 , wherein said ultra-thin article has a thickness of less than 100 μm. 
     
     
         14 . The method recited in  claim 12 , wherein said ultra-thin article has a thickness of less than 50 μm. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for transferring ultra-thin articles from a carrier to a receiving substrate, comprising:
 a carrier having a laser-transparent layer, blistering layer, and an adhesive layer to which an ultra-thin article is attached in preparation for a transfer operation;   means for outputting a laser beam;   means for shaping said laser beam into a pattern; and   means for directing said laser beam through said laser-transparent layer of said carrier to said blistering layer, proximal said adhesive layer, to form a blister in the blistering layer which deforms said adhesive layer inducing separation of said ultra-thin article from said carrier for receipt by a receiving substrate;   wherein blistering layer thickness exceeds the depth of laser beam absorption to prevent rupturing of the blistering layer.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus recited in  claim 15 , wherein said ultra-thin article has a thickness of less than 100 μm. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus recited in  claim 15 , wherein said laser beam is output in an ultraviolet wavelength. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus recited in  claim 15 , wherein said laser beam comprises a single pulse or series of pulses from a laser. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus recited in  claim 15 , wherein said means for outputting a laser beam comprises at least one laser outputting a laser beam. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus recited in  claim 15 , wherein said means for shaping said laser beam into a pattern comprises optical components selected from a group of optical components consisting of half-waveplates, polarizers, beam expanders, beam shapers, and lenses. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus recited in  claim 15 , wherein means for directing said laser beam comprises a scanhead and/or a translation stage for directing said laser beam at specific positions on said carrier from which said ultra-thin article is to be transferred. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus recited in  claim 15 , wherein means for directing said laser beam through said laser-transparent layer of said carrier is configured for directing said laser beam to said blistering layer proximal a specific ultra-thin article on said carrier. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus recited in  claim 15 , wherein said blistering layer is subject to ablation that is limited to a non-penetrating ablation creating vapors to form said blister without rupturing said blister. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for transferring ultra-thin articles from a carrier to a receiving substrate, comprising:
 a carrier having a laser-transparent layer, blistering layer, and an adhesive layer to which an ultra-thin article is attached in preparation for a transfer operation;   a laser and optical elements for shaping an output of said laser into a desired pattern; and   at least one positioning device for directing said laser beam through said laser-transparent layer of said carrier to said blistering layer, proximal said adhesive layer, to form a blister in said blistering layer which deforms said adhesive layer inducing separation of said ultra-thin article from said carrier for receipt by a receiving substrate;   wherein said blistering layer is subject to ablation that is limited to a non-penetrating ablation creating vapors to form said blister without rupturing said blister.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus recited in  claim 24 , wherein said ultra-thin article has a thickness of less than 100 μm. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus recited in  claim 24 , wherein said laser beam is output in an ultraviolet wavelength. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus recited in  claim 24 , wherein said laser beam comprises a single pulse or series of pulses from a laser. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus recited in  claim 24 , wherein said optical elements for shaping said laser beam into a pattern comprises optical components selected from the group of optical components consisting of half-waveplates, polarizers, beam expanders, beam shapers, and lenses. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus recited in  claim 24 , wherein means for directing said laser beam comprises a scanhead and/or a translation stage for directing said laser beam at specific positions on said carrier from which said ultra-thin article is to be a transferred. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus recited in  claim 24 , wherein said laser beam has a scanning pattern with a high repetition rate and scanning speed selected to create said blister as a continuous blister.