Title of Invention

A METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MICROSYSTEMS

Abstract

NO.1575/CHENP/2005 ABSTRACT A METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MICROSYSTEMS The present invention relates to a method for producing microsystems comprising microelectronic components that are inserted into cavities created during the layered construction of a base body consisting of a photocurable material, said components being situated adjacent to and/or above one another on several planes and being interconnected either electrically or thermally. The invention is characterised in that once said microelectronic components have been inserted, the layered construction of the base body continues and that a structure is constructed consisting of an electrically or thermally conductive material that projects vertically above the contacts (pads) of the electronic component, said conductive material producing a direct connection to an additional electronic component above the first electronic component or to one or several additional electronic components that is or are located at a lateral distance from said first component by means of a conductor track that runs horizontally fi'om the conductive material projecting vertically above the pad. (fig 4)

Full Text

I Procedure for the Manufacture of a Microsvstem The invention concerns ttie procedure for the manufacture of microsystems with a base plate constructed from a photo-hardening material in several levels next to and/or over one another in layers in the assembly of which, micro electronic components are inserted into recessed cavities that are either electrically or thermally connected to one another in a conducting manner. Over and above this, the invention also concerns a device for the execution of the procedure. The layered design of micro structures composed of photo-hardening material and comprising of complex microsystems is, for example, established in DE-PS 44 20 996. In the procedure described there, a photo-hardening fluid is held only by surface tension between two coplanar plates. One of the plates can be penneated by electro magnetic waves. The 3D model in a PC is stored in individual layers in a de'pacl It is, however, not possible to mass-produce micro structures using this technique since only a limited number of micro structures can be generated in every device respectively. Thus, in the patent application 101 44 579.2, of which there has been no advance publication, the inventor proposes using a roller pair' to which other roller pairs can be attached in the place of the coplanar plates.. Using this device, the individual layers of the structure to be built are generated between two rollers that face each other respectively and form the restriction surfaces, whereby the distance between the rollers of the respective roller pairs is determined by the thickness of the layer to be formed and the thickness of the already existing layer. The first layer is, thus, positioned on a substrate backing film to be passed through the rollers and the exposure of the layer to be formed takes place through one of the rollers. This roller contains the source emitting electro magnetic waves. The exposure of photo-hardening fluid present between the rollers takes place through one of the respective screens that correspond to the layer structure; this screen can be found on the surface of the respective exposure roller but can also be passed through ttie rollers of the roller pair as a separate film. In this kind of a device, a flushing device is added to the roller pairs and the material that has not been hardened is rinsed in the same. Other stations are provided in order to fill the cavities present in the already built structure with, for example, electronic components. Setting-up of the micro structure is resumed after insertion of the respective electronic components. This kind of procedure is reminiscent of rotation pressure together with which it has the common advantage of preparing large "support plates" in the shortest of time spans. It has, however, been difficult till now to connect the individual electronic components electrically and thermally respectively to one another in a conducting manner, which is something that occurs to electronic components that are at the same level as well as to electronic components at different levels, The task forming the basis of the invention is thus to conduct a procedure of the type initially referred to in such a manner that the electrically and themially conducting connections between individual electronic components can also take place simultaneously during the setting up of the micro structure. The invention solves this task in accordance with the characterising part of Claim 1 in that after insertion of the electronic component, the layered construction of the base plate is continued and a structure, however, ascends vertically above the contacts (PADS) of the electronic component and is made from an electrically/thermally conducting material, whereby this conducting material establishes a direct connection with another electronic component that is located above the electronic component and alternatively by means of a conductor path that mns horizontally from the conducting material that ascends from the pad to another (several) electronic component(s) located at a distance at the side of the electronic component. The present invention thus enables generating the conducting connection in a vertical as well as a horizontal direction without disrupting the structural design of the microsystem, while being practically integrated in the procedure. An altemative proposal in accordance with Claim 2 is to generate the conducting, vertically ascending structure in unsealed openings above the pads in successive layers with the help of screen-printing whereby the openings in the layers of the photo-hardening material above the pads are filled with the electrically conducting material, which concludes with the horizontally-running conductor path being printed. An electrical conducting adhesive has emerged that is specially meant for this screen-printing process (Claim 3). The adhesive properties result in good electrical contact with the pads as well as during the setting-up of the conducting structure of the layers one below the other. The horizontally-running conductor paths lead to a component that is located at the side of the first component. The structure can then be assembled further through resumption of the procedure, whereby other connections can now be created upwards in accordance with the procedure in Claim 2, from this component that is located at the side. A heater that could, for example, comprise of a continuous reheating furnace, is provided to enable quicker hardening of the conducting adhesive. In order to be able to achieve high packing density in the case of microsystems created in this manner, it is preferable that the electronic components be contactable not only from above, as just described, but also if there were a possibility of providing contact from below. This means that a direct electrically conducting connection can be established between electronic components (chips, for example) located one above the other. This takes place preferably in accordance with Claim 4 in that the electrically conducting, vertically ascending structure comprises of a solder paste pile that is raised on the respective pad through the corresponding opening of a stencil and this pile Is formatted in to a solder ball (bump) through heating in the following step after removing the stencil and after further layered setting-up of the base plate and creation of a corresponding cavity in the same, another electronic component is inserted in such a manner that the bumps previously created can be connected with the pads of the second component through heating. In this manner the chip with the upward pads is connected to a chip located on top of it that has downward pads. The second heating of the bump can take place in a subonjinated roller column in which a roller is furnished with a heater. Although the creation of the corresponding bump in the present case has been described using a procedure in accordance with Claim 4, it is, however, also possible to create a design of the kind that has been described in DE-PS 44 20 996, using the procedure that has been described. Naturally, the procedures from patent claim 2 and patent claim 4 can be combined with one another and can, for example, be first perfomied with the screen-printing technique (conducting adhesive) and subsequently (if two electronic components one directly on top of the other are to be connect to one another) using the "bump technique". Other designs and details pertaining to the invention arise from sub claims 8 to 17. Figure 1 displays a roller pair during the creation of a first substrate layer Figure 2 displays a roller pair with a screen film in accordance with Figure 1 Figure 3 displays a roller pair during the creation of the second layer Figure 4 displays a roller pair and supply device for components to be inserted Figure 5 displays a roller pair with film being supplied Figure 6 illustrates the setting-up of a structure made from a photo-hardening material with conductor paths made from conducting adhesive Figure 7a-e procedure steps for the manufacture of a conducting connection between two electronic components, one on top of the other. A roller pair is illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 respectively and is generally provided with reference sign 1. For the device in accordance with the invention one has to Imagine n of this roller pair to be switched on together in-line, whereby n is subject to the height of the stmcture and to the properties respectivefy that this kind of structure should have. However, a roller pair can alternatively also be provided for which the distance of the rollers is increased by the thid(ness of the layer in every cycle. Figure 1 illustrates the first roller pair within the device, which comprises of (as do, in principle, the other roller pairs too) an exposure roller 2 composed of a material that can be permeated by electro magnetic waves and an impression roller 3 that allows a roller clearance 4 between them.. A source 5 (UV source, laser etc.) emitting electro magnetic waves is located in the exposure roller 2. A stationary exposure slot 6 is provided in the roller 2 between the light source 5 and the roller clearance 4. A substrate backing film 7 is provided that is passed through the roller clearance, between which and the exposure rollers 2 is a photo-hardening fluid B that is held by adhesive force. A screen is provided on the surface of the exposure roller 2 (for example, a chrome-glass screen) that presents a negative for the layer-topography of the first layer to be created. The fluid 8 is exposed through the exposure slot 6 with the help of the light source 5. The fluid polymerises at the point where the light can penetrate the fluid {i.e., not hidden by the screen) and turns hard. The first layer 9 of the structure to be generated is formed in this manner. Figure 2 portrays a device that is inherently the same. Here the screen is, however, not positioned on the surface of the exposure roller 2 but is passed through Uie exposure slot and the surface of the fluid in the forni of an exposure film 10. Figure 3 illustrates a roller pair 1' that is subordinate to the roller pair 1 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, through which the second layer 9' is generated in ttie same manner on the first layer 9 as has been described in this context in Figures 1 and 2. The substance for creating the second layer 9' can thereby t>e the same as the substance of the first layer 9 but can, however also be composed from another materia) with deviating properties. A roller pair 1" is again Illustrated in Figure 4 to which previously generated structures 11 that are already provided with a trough are added and where (for example) components 13 that are supplied by a spool 112 can be mounted. The components 13 can be appended to a film 14. After insertion of components 13 into the trough of the structure 11, the same are disconnected from the film 14 using a parer 16. Adhesive technology which also uses photo-hardening substances and, in fact, in the manner as described above, can be applied in order to fix the part 13 in the trough. 8 Lastly, Figure 5 illustrates a concluding roller pair 1'" in which the manufactured structures 11 are covered with a covering film 15 for protection and for transport. Here too the adhesion of the film to the structures 11 can take place using the procedure mentioned above-Just as illustrated in Figure 5, films can be supplied in the course of production too i.e., in the generation of structures 11 that then form the individual layers of the structure subject to chemical, physical and biological properties. The invention is however not limited to the designs illustrated in Figures 1 to 5. Figure 6 displays an already much advanced structure of a microsystem that is assembled in layers on a film. The assembled base plate is provided with reference sign 20. A cavity 21 is left unsealed during setting-up of the base plate 20 in which an electronic component 13 (in this case, a micro chip) has been inserted. In the course of further setting-up of the base plate structure 20, openings are left in the individual layers above the pads 22 and these openings are filled in layer by layer using a conducting adhesive in a screen-printing process. A vertically ascending structure 23 made from a conducting material tiius results from which then, in a simitar manner, a conductor path 24 that runs horizontally is positioned at the current last layer of the base plate 20, using the screen-printing process. This conductor path (and conductor paths respectively) leads to other electronic components or to lateral contacts through which electrical functions are implemented. Figure 7 illustrates how two electronic components vertically one on top of the other (in this case, two micro chips) can be directly connected to one another in a conducting manner. Figure 7a illustrates the condition in which, similar to that in Figure 6, a base plate 20 is designed on the film 7 in which a micro chip 13 is already inserted in a corresponding cavity. The electrical connections (pads) 22 point upwards. Above these PADS 22, openings are left in the material of the base plate 20 that correspond to the openings in a stencil 25. Solder paste is now applied through the openings of the stencit 25 that fill the space above the pads 22. Figure 7b demonstrates the condition after removal of the stencil 25. Solder paste piles 26 are left behind above the pads 22. The solder paste piles 26 are heated in a subsequent station so that the solder paste turns into a fluid and fonms so-called bumps 27. This condition is illustrated in Figure 7c. Figure 7d illustrates the further assembly of the base ptate 20, whereby an additional cavity 28 has developed in which another microchip 13' with pads 22' are inserted below. The pads 22' lie on top of the re-solidified solder bumps 27. In a subsequent roller device in which one of the rollers is provided with a heater, a second microchip 13' is now pushed into the cavity 28, whereby as a result of the heating, the solder bumps turn into a fluid again and establish electric contact with the pads 22'. This condition is illustrated in Figure 7e. Hereafter, the further layered setting-up of the micro structure and of the microsystem respectively can continue, as just desaibed above, whereby the aKematives from Figure 6 and Figure 7a up to e can also be combined with one another. 10 WE CLAIM : 1. A method for the manufacture of microsystems with a base plate made from a photo-hardening material in several levels next to or over one another in layers in the assembly of which micro electronic components are inserted into recessed cavities and these components are either electrically or thermally connected to one another in a conducting manner characterised in that the method comprises the steps of: continuing the layered assembly of the base plate (29) after the insertion of the electronic component (13), forming a vertically ascending structure (23, 26) made from the elecfrically/thermally conducting material on the contacts (22, 22') of the electronic component, whereby establishing a direct connection by this conducting material with another electronic component (13') located above the electronic component, or, alternatively, using a conductor path (24) that runs horizontally from the conducting material that arises from the pad (22) to another electronic component(s) that is located at a distance at the side of the electronic component(s). 2. The method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the conducting, vertically ascending structure is generated in unsealed openings above the pads (22) in successive layers with the help of screen-printing, thereby the openings in the layers of the photo-hardening material above the pads are filled with the electrically conducting material after which the horizontal ly-nmning conductor path (24) is printed. 3. The method as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the conducting material is an adhesive. 4. The method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the electrically conducting, vertically ascending structure (26) comprises of solder paste piles raised through the corresponding opening of a stencil (25) on the respective pad (22), which then, in a following step, get 11 formatted into a solder ball after removal of the stencil (25) through heating and after further layered assembling of the base plate (20) and generation of a corresponding cavity (28) in the same, another electronic component (13') of this type is inserted, so that the previously created bumps (27) get connected with the pads (22") of the second component (13'). 5. The method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the layered assembly of the microsystem takes place between two plates of which at least one can be permeated by electro magnetic waves, whereby the fluid of a photo-hardening material is present between the plates, which corresponding to layers, exposes and hardens a stored in-layers 3D model of a structure to be created. 6. The method as claimed in any one of Claims I to 5 wherein the layered assembling of the microsystem takes place between at least one pair of rollers, whereby the area between the rollers is filled with a photo-hardening fluid and the exposure of the respective fluid layer takes place through one of the rollers and one of the screens corresponding to the sandwich structure 7. The device for performing the method as claimed in the preceding claims characterized in that there is at least one roller pair (1, 1', 1", 1'") for which the distance between the rollers (2, 3) can be changed, whereby in each case one roller (2) of the roller pair (1, ]', 1", 1'") is made from a material that can be permeated by electro magnetic waves, whereby a source (5) is located in this roller (2) that emits electro magnetic waves, a screen (10) that is allocated to every exposure roller (2) with regions that can be permeated by electro magnetic waves as well as regions that can not, as well as of a substrate backing film (7) that is passed through at least one of the roller pairs (1, 1', 1, 1"') as abase for the generated structures (11). 12 8. The device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the screen is found on the surface of the exposure roller (2). 9. The device as claimed in Claim 8 wherein a stationary exposure slot (6) Is located in the exposure roller (2) between the light source (5) and the roller surface and that the screen is designed as a directed band of film (10) beneath the slot (6) at the surface of the exposure roller (2). 10. The device as claimed in any one of Claims 8 or 9 wherein several roller pairs are located in-line, one after the other. 11. The device as claimed in any one of Claims 8 to 10 wherein a flushing device is located between individual roller pairs (1, 1', 1,',1"')- 12. The device as claimed in any one of Claims 8 to 11 wherein the film winding (112, 15) is located between the roller pairs (1, 1', 1", 1'") whose film can be designed as a carrier for an adhesive layer or electric or electronic or mechanic or optical or biological components (13). 13. The device as claimed in any one of Claims 8 to 11 wherem film winding is located betweenthe roller pairs (1, 1', 1", 1"). 14. The device in as ciaimed in any one of Claims 8 to 13 wherein at least the exposure roller (2) is provided with an anti-adhesive coating. 15. The device as claimed in any one of Claims 8 to 14 wherein at least one heater is added to at least one of the roller pairs (1, 1', 1 ",1"'). 13 16. The device as claimed in any one of Claims 8 to 14 wherein at least one screen-printing device is added to at least one of the roller pairs {1, 1', V\\"'). 14

Documents:

1575-chenp-2005 abstract duplicate.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 abstract.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 assignment.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 claims duplicate.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 claims.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 correspondence-others.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 correspondence-po.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 descrption (complete) duplicate.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 descrption (complete).pdf

1575-chenp-2005 drawings duplicate.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 drawings.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 form-1.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 form-18.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 form-26.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 form-3.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 form-5.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 form-6.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 pct.pdf

1575-chenp-2005 petition.pdf