Ulvac, Inc.

Litrex Corporation

Apple Inc.

Luxvue Technology Corporation

David Albertalli

Charles O Edwards

James N Middleton

Andreas Bibl

John A Higginson

Paul Argus Parks

Oleg N Gratchev

George H Fellingham

Robert F Taff

Roy M Patterson

Robert G Boehm, Jr

Perry West

Howard Walter Bielich

Ben John Sy

Scott R Bruner

Cheuk Ming Lee

Ralph D Fox

Daniel Sramek

Scott D Slade

Systems and methods for transferring a micro device from a carrier substrate are disclosed. In an embodiment, a mass transfer tool includes an articulating transfer head assembly, a carrier substrate holder, and an actuator assembly to adjust a spatial relationship between the articulating transfer head assembly and the carrier substrate holder. The articulating transfer head assembly may include an electrostatic voltage source connection and a substrate supporting an array of electrostatic transfer heads.

Mass transfer tool

According to the present disclosure, a printer apparatus may include a chuck configured to support a substrate thereon, a rail spaced apart from the chuck, a printhead carriage frame coupled to the rail and containing a printhead carriage housing at least one printhead therein, a first camera assembly configured to capture image data of the printhead and provide the image data to a computer, and a computer receiving the image data from the first camera assembly and configured to determine a deviation between a desired position of the printhead and an actual position of the printhead.

Camera-based automatic nozzle and substrate alignment system

According to the present disclosure, a printer apparatus may include a chuck configured to support a substrate thereon, a rail spaced apart from the chuck, a printhead carriage frame coupled to the rail, and a printhead carriage coupled to the printhead carriage frame. The printhead carriage may include a printhead and an actuation mechanism. The actuation assembly may be coupled to the printhead carriage and may be selectively engagable with the printhead for selective displacement of the printhead relative to the printhead carriage.

Dynamic printhead alignment assembly

According to the present disclosure, a printer apparatus may include a chuck configured to support a substrate thereon, a rail spaced apart from the chuck, a printhead carriage frame coupled to the rail, and a printhead carriage pivotally coupled to the printhead carriage frame.

Rotatable printhead array

The present teachings relate to a printhead maintenance station for an industrial printing apparatus which is used to prevent clogging of the printhead, particularly during periods in which the printheads are idle. The maintenance station includes a capping station which has sockets for keeping the printheads moist and a blotting station for cleaning any residual printing fluids prior to carrying out a print function.

Printhead maintenance station

A drop analysis/drop check system allows a plurality of printheads to remain stationary during analysis to emulate operation of an actual piezoelectric microdeposition system. The system provides accurate tuning of individual nozzle ejectors and allows for substrate loading and alignment in parallel with drop analysis/drop check. The drop analysis/drop check system includes a motion controller directing movement of a stage, a printhead controller controlling a printhead to selectively eject drops of fluid material to be deposited on a substrate, and a camera supported by the stage for movement relative to the printheads. The camera receives a signal from the motion controller to initiate exposure of the camera and captures an image of the drops of fluid material ejected by the printheads. A light-emitting device includes a strobe controller that receives a signal from the camera to supply light to an area including the liquid drops during camera exposure.

Drop analysis system

The present invention relates to an integral printhead assembly for use in association with an industrial printing apparatus. The integral printhead assembly is a self-contained unit which can be quickly removed and replaced with another assembly with minimum downtime to the printing apparatus.

Integral printhead assembly

A microdeposition system microdeposits droplets of fluid material to define a feature pattern on a substrate. The feature pattern for the substrate is defined. A mask is created for the feature pattern that reduces a density of defects that occur due to a malfunctioning nozzle of the microdeposition head. The droplets of fluid material are microdeposited onto the substrate based on the mask to define sub-features of the feature pattern. One of the nozzles of the microdeposition head is assigned to each of the sub-features in the feature pattern. The nozzles may be assigned randomly or using other functions. The assigned nozzles in the mask are assigned to one of a plurality of passes of the microdeposition head.

Industrial microdeposition system including masking to reduce the impact of droplet alignment and droplet volume tolerances and errors

A microdeposition system and method includes a head with a plurality of nozzles. A controller generates nozzle firing commands that selectively fire the nozzles to create a desired feature pattern. Configuration memory stores voltage waveform parameters that define a voltage waveform for each of the nozzles. A digital to analog converter (DAC) sequencer communicates with the configuration memory and the controller and outputs a first voltage waveform for a first nozzle when a nozzle firing command for the first nozzle is received from the controller. A resistive ladder DAC receives the voltage waveforms from the DAC sequencer. An operational amplifier (opamp) communicates with the resistive ladder DAC and amplifies the voltage waveforms. The nozzles fire droplets when the voltage waveforms received from the opamp exceed a firing threshold of the nozzle.

Waveform generator for microdeposition control system

A microdeposition system microdeposit droplets of fluid material to define a feature pattern on a substrate. The feature pattern for the substrate is defined. A mask is created for the feature pattern that reduces a density of defects that occur due to a malfunctioning nozzle of the microdeposition head. The droplets of fluid material are microdeposited onto the substrate based on the mask to define subfeatures of the feature pattern. One of the nozzles of the microdeposition head is assigned to each of the sub-features in the feature pattern. The nozzles may be assigned randomly or using other functions. The assigned nozzles in the mask are assigned to one of a plurality of passes of the microdeposition head.

A microdeposition system () and method includes a head with a plurality of nozzles (). A controller () generates nozzle firing commands that selectively fire the nozzles to create a desired feature pattern. Configuration memory stores voltage waveform parameters that define a voltage waveform () for each of the nozzles. A digital to analog converter (DAC) sequencer communicates with the configuration memory and the controller and outputs a first voltage waveform for a first nozzle when a nozzle firing command for the first nozzle is received from the controller (). A resistive ladder DAC receives the voltage waveforms from the DAC sequencer. An operational amplifier (opamp) communicates with the resistive ladder DAC and amplifies the voltage waveforms. The nozzles fire droplets when the voltage waveforms received from the opamp exceed a firing threshold of the nozzle ().

A microdeposition system () and method deposits precise amounts of fluid material onto a substrate. A microdeposition head () includes a plurality of spaced nozzles. A positioning device controls a position of the microdeposition head relative to the substrate. A controller () includes a positioning module that communicates with the positioning device and that generates position control signals for the positioning device. A nozzle firing module communicates with the microdeposition head () and selectively generates nozzle firing commands to define features of at least one layer of an electrical device, such as resistors, traces and capacitors on a printed circuit board, polymer light emitting diodes, and light panels.

Industrial microdeposition system for polymer light emitting diode displays, printed circuit boards and the like

A microdeposition system () and method deposits precise amounts of fluid material onto a substrate. A microdeposition head () includes a plurality of spaced nozzles that fire droplets having a deposited width when deposited on the substrate. A positioning device moves the microdeposition head () relative to the substrate at a head speed. A controller () generates over-clocking signals at a rate that is substantially greater than the head speed divided by the droplet width to improve resolution. The controller () includes a positioning module that generates position control signals for the positioning device. The controller () includes a nozzle firing module () that generates nozzle firing commands based on the over-clocking rate to fire the nozzles to form droplets that define features on the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

David Albertalli