International Business Machines Corporation

Francis Charles Burns

Victor Y Lee

William Weathers Fleming

Randy William Snyder

John J Kaufman

Alan D Knight

Gary R Carden

David E King

William T Chen

Robert David Sebesta

Russell W Dreyfus

Robert Lee Lewis

John R Susko

Stanley M Albrechta

Eugene P Skarvinko

Andrew R Gresko

Nadia Tonsi

Steven W Opie

The present invention provides an ablatively photodecomposable polymer having a photoabsorber bound to the polymer (the 'ablatively photodecomposable polymer') which does not phase separate, nor does it crystallize. The ablatively photodecomposable polymer provides even ablation, high resolution and in preferred embodiments, can withstand potassium permanganate etchant and ferric chloride etchant. The ablatively photodecomposable polymer is strippable, although it can remain on the substrate if desired. The ablatively photodecomposable polymer comprises a polymer to which a photoabsorber is bound, either covalently or ionically. The present invention is also directed to a process for forming a metal pattern on a substrate employing the ablatively photodecomposable polymer.

Ablatively photodecomposable compositions

A pattern is provided on a substrate by providing the substrate with at least two layers of material thereon and providing a layer of dry imaging polymer compositions thereon. The layer of the dry imaging polymer composition is laser ablated to provide the desired personality pattern. The top exposed portion of at least the top layer is removed and the desired select pattern is laser ablated. The exposed portions of said first layer is removed and the pattern is completed through the other layers of material to thereby expose the substrate surface, without the substrate surface being subjected to laser ablating to thereby provide the desired pattern on the substrate.

Method employing laser ablating for providing a pattern on a substrate

A method of making an electrical contact comprised of at least one, and preferably several, conical projections, is provided. The individual conical projections are comprised of an ablative material, and at least some of the conical projections include a surface which is substantially comprised of material in a thickness capable of making ohmic contact, either by wiping with an intermeshing like structure or by contacting a substantially flat contact pad. An interconnection, in this invention, is the combination of at least one contact having individual conical projections and another contact, optionally having individual conical projections. The conical projections are formed by laser. The conical projections are optionally formed on the head of a contact pin.

Method of making cone electrical contact

An electrical interconnection, which includes a method for fabricating the device, is disclosed. The interconnection comprises two contact surfaces, on at least one of which is disposed at least one conical projection in predetermined dimension and location. Rather than being permanently cojoined, the contact surfaces are attachable and detachable when desired. The individual conical projections are comprised of an ablative material, and at least some of the conical projections include a surface which is substantially comprised of material in a thickness capable of making ohmic contact, either by wiping with an intermeshing like structure or by contacting a substantially flat contact pad. An interconnection, in this invention, is the combination of at least one contact having individual conical projections and another contact, optionally having individual conical projections. The conical projections are formed by laser. The conical projections are optionally formed on the head of a contact pin.

Cone electrical contact

A flexible supporting cable for an electronic device which includes a steel foil substrate, a layer of polymer on portions of the substrate, circuit pads on the polymer layer having both the bottom and top surfaces of the pads exposed; circuit lines extending from the top surface of the pads, a window free from steel beneath a portion of the circuit lines, and a second, smaller window free from both steel and the polymer beneath a portion of the circuit lines. Methods are provided for fabricating these flexible supporting cables.

Flexible supporting cable for an electronic device and method of making

An end point detection technique indicates when a pulsed excimer laser, operating on a chromium clad copper substrate in the presence of chlorine gas, has etched through the chromium layer. The excimer laser vaporizes successive layers of the chromium chloride reaction product, which form on the region being etched, until, when all of the chromium has been removed from the region, a copper chloride reaction product layer forms on the region and is vaporized. A dye laser directs a probe beam into a zone spaced above the region being etched and is pulsed about 12 microseconds after each pulse of the excimer laser to allow time for the vaporized reaction products to reach the zone. The probe beam has a first wavelength of 433.3 nm. which induces the vaporized copper chloride in the zone to fluoresce at a second wavelength of 441.2 nm. A narrow band photodetector detects the fluoresced 441.2 nm. wavelength light to indicate that the end point has been reached, and the detection of the end point is used to terminate the pulsing of the excimer laser to end the etching process.

End point detection and control of laser induced dry chemical etching

A method for performing differential etching of material by using electromagnetic radiation. Material having two predetermined regions is provided. A beam of electromagnetic radiation is generated. The energy intensity of predetermined areas within the beam of electromagnetic radiation is selectively varied so that both of the predetermined regions of the material are etched simultaneously and each of the predetermined regions is etched at a rate independent of the etching rate of the other of the predetermined regions. In an alternate embodiment, a substance having at least two materials is provided. A beam of electromagnetic radiation is generated. The energy intensity of predetermined areas within the beam of electromagnetic radiation is selectively varied so that the time required to etch one of the materials is substantially equal to the time required to etch any selected combination of the materials remaining.

Growing community of inventors

Apalachin, NY, United States of America

Francis Charles Burns