X Display Company Technology Limited

X-celeprint Limited

Carl Ray Prevatte, Jr

Christopher Andrew Bower

Matthew Alexander Meitl

Salvatore Bonafede

Ronald S Cok

Brook David Raymond

Erich Radauscher

Tanya Yvette Moore

Robert R Rotzoll

David Julian Gomez

António José Marques Trindade

An exemplary wafer structure comprises a source wafer having a patterned sacrificial layer defining anchor portions separating sacrificial portions. A patterned device layer is disposed on or over the patterned sacrificial layer, forming a device anchor on each of the anchor portions. One or more devices are disposed in the patterned device layer, each device disposed entirely over a corresponding one of the one or more sacrificial portions and spatially separated from the one or more device anchors. A tether structure connects each device to a device anchor. The tether structure comprises a tether device portion disposed on or over the device, a tether anchor portion disposed on or over the device anchor, and a tether connecting the tether device portion to the tether anchor portion. The tether is disposed at least partly in the patterned device layer between the device and the device anchor.

Multi-level micro-device tethers

A method of printing comprises providing a component source wafer comprising components, a transfer device, and a patterned substrate. The patterned substrate comprises substrate posts that extend from a surface of the patterned substrate. Components are picked up from the component source wafer by adhering the components to the transfer device. One or more of the picked-up components are printed to the patterned substrate by disposing each of the one or more picked-up components onto one of the substrate posts, thereby providing one or more printed components in a printed structure.

Printing components to adhesive substrate posts

A method of making a repaired electrical connection structure comprises providing a substrate having first and second contact pads electrically connected in parallel, providing first and second functionally identical components, disposing a first adhesive layer on the substrate, transferring the first component onto the first adhesive layer, electrically connecting the first component to the first contact pad, testing the first component to determine if the first component is a faulty component and, if the first component is a faulty component, disposing a second adhesive layer on the substrate and transferring the second component onto the second adhesive layer, and electrically connecting the second component to the second contact pad. The first and second adhesive layers can be unpatterned or patterned and the first and second components can be electrically connected to the first and second contact pads, respectively, with connection posts or photolithographically defined electrodes.

Pressure-activated electrical interconnection with additive repair

An exemplary micro-device and substrate structure includes a destination substrate and one or more contact pads disposed thereon, a micro-device disposed on or over the destination substrate, and a layer of cured adhesive disposed on the destination substrate. The micro-device comprises at least one electrical contact. The at least one electrical contact is in direct electrical contact with the one or more contact pads. The adhesive layer adheres the micro-device to the destination substrate and is in contact with the one or more contact pads. An exemplary method of making a micro-device and substrate structure includes providing a destination substrate and one or more contact pads disposed thereon, coating a layer of curable adhesive, disposing a micro-device comprising at least one electrical contact on the layer and curing the layer thereby directly electrically contacting the at least one electrical contact with the one or more contact pads.

Structures and methods for electrical connection of micro-devices and substrates

A micro-transfer printable electronic component includes one or more electronic components, such as integrated circuits or LEDs. Each electronic component has device electrical contacts for providing electrical power to the electronic component and a post side. A plurality of electrical conductors includes at least one electrical conductor electrically connected to each of the device electrical contacts. One or more electrically conductive connection posts protrude beyond the post side. Each connection post is electrically connected to at least one of the electrical conductors. Additional connection posts can form electrical jumpers that electrically connect electrical conductors on a destination substrate to which the printable electronic component is micro-transfer printed. The printable electronic component can be a full-color pixel in a display.

Micro-transfer printable electronic component

A transfer print structure comprises a destination substrate having a substrate surface and one or more substrate conductors disposed on or in the destination substrate. One or more interconnect structures are disposed on and protrude from the destination substrate in a direction orthogonal to the substrate surface. Each interconnect structure comprises one or more notches, each notch having an opening on an edge of the interconnect structure and extending at least partially through the interconnect structure in a direction parallel to the substrate surface from the edge and a notch conductor disposed at least partially in the notch and electrically connected to one of the substrate conductors. In some embodiments, an electronic component comprising connection posts is transfer printed into electrical contact with a corresponding notch conductor by laterally moving the electronic component over the substrate surface to electrically contact the connection post to the notch conductor.

Interconnection by lateral transfer printing

A printed electrical connection structure includes a substrate having one or more electrical connection pads and a micro-transfer printed component having one or more connection posts. Each connection post is in electrical contact with a connection pad. A resin is disposed between and in contact with the substrate and the component. The resin has a reflow temperature less than a cure temperature. The resin repeatedly flows at the reflow temperature when temperature-cycled between an operating temperature and the reflow temperature but does not flow after the resin is exposed to a cure temperature. A solder can be disposed on the connection post or the connection pad. After printing and reflow, the component can be tested and, if the component fails, another component is micro-transfer printed to the substrate, the resin is reflowed again, the other component is tested and, if it passes the test, the resin is finally cured.

Pressure-activated electrical interconnection by micro-transfer printing

A micro-printed display includes a display substrate. An array of row conductors, an array of column conductors, and a plurality of micro-pixels are disposed on the display substrate. Each micro-pixel is uniquely connected to a row and a column conductor and comprises a pixel substrate separate from the display substrate and the pixel substrate of any other micro-pixel. Pixel conductors are patterned on each pixel substrate and one or more LEDs are disposed on or over the pixel substrate. Each LED is electrically connected to one or more of the pixel conductors and has an LED substrate separate from any other LED substrate, the display substrate, and any pixel substrate. A pixel controller disposed on the pixel substrate can control the LEDs. The micro-pixel can be electrically connected to the display substrate with connection posts. Redundant or replacement LEDs or micro-pixels can be provided on the pixel or display substrate.

Micro-printed display

The present invention provides structures and methods that enable the construction of micro-LED chiplets formed on a sapphire substrate that can be micro-transfer printed. Such printed structures enable low-cost, high-performance arrays of electrically connected micro-LEDs useful, for example, in display systems. Furthermore, in an embodiment, the electrical contacts for printed LEDs are electrically interconnected in a single set of process steps. In certain embodiments, formation of the printable micro devices begins while the semiconductor structure remains on a substrate. After partially forming the printable micro devices, a handle substrate is attached to the system opposite the substrate such that the system is secured to the handle substrate. The substrate may then be removed and formation of the semiconductor structures is completed. Upon completion, the printable micro devices may be micro transfer printed to a destination substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Carl Ray Prevatte, Jr