Alien Technology Corporation

Frank Lowe

John Stephen Smith

Mark Alfred Hadley

Gordon S W Craig

Methods and apparatuses for assembling a structure onto a substrate. A method according to one aspect of the invention includes dispensing a slurry onto a substrate wherein the slurry includes a first plurality of elements, each of which is designed to mate with a receptor region on said substrate and each of which comprises a functional element, and wherein the slurry also includes a second plurality of elements which are not designed to mate with receptor regions on the substrate. Typically, these second plurality of elements help movement of the first plurality of elements.

Methods and apparatuses for fluidic self assembly

Methods and apparatuses for assembling a structure onto a substrate. A method according to one aspect of the invention includes dispensing a slurry onto a substrate wherein the slurry includes a first plurality of elements, each of which is designed to mate with a receptor region on said substrate and each of which comprises a functional element. The method further includes dispensing in a flow having a first direction a slurry onto a substrate, wherein the slurry includes a fluid.

Methods and apparatus for fluidic self assembly

Methods for forming openings having predetermined shapes in a substrate and apparatuses with these openings. The methods may be used to form assemblies which include the substrate with its openings and elements which are disposed in the openings. In one example of a method, each of the elements include an electrical component and are assembled into one of the openings by a fluidic self assembly process. In an particular example of a method to create such an opening, the substrate is etched through a first patterned mask and is later etched through a second patterned mask. Typically, the second patterned mask is aligned relative to the opening created by etching through the first patterned mask and has an area of exposure which is smaller than an area of exposure through the first patterned mask. In another example of a method, a photosensitive material is exposed through a patterned mask to oblique sources of light such that some of the light impinges into a first portion of the photosensitive material which is under the patterned mask, and the patterned mask and a second portion of the photosensitive material, which is under the patterned mask, is removed. In another example of a method, an opening in a first layer, which comprises silicon dioxide, is formed by depositing a second layer over the first layer and depositing a tungsten layer over the second layer. The tungsten and second layers are patterned to expose a portion of the first layer, and this portion is etched. Various apparatuses which may be made using these methods are also described.

Methods for forming openings in a substrate and apparatuses with these openings and methods for creating assemblies with openings

Methods and apparatuses for assembling a structure onto a substrate. A method according to one aspect of the invention includes dispensing a slurry onto a substrate wherein the slurry includes a first plurality of elements, each of which is designed to mate with a receptor region on said substrate and each of which comprises a functional element, and wherein the slurry also includes a second plurality of elements which are not designed to mate with receptor regions on the substrate. Typically, these second plurality of elements help movement of the first plurality of elements. A method according to another aspect of the invention includes dispensing in a flow having a first direction a slurry onto a substrate, wherein the slurry includes a fluid and a plurality of elements, each of which is designed to mate with a receptor region on the substrate and each of which includes a functional element, and vibrating substrate in a second direction which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A method according to another aspect of the invention includes creating a slurry comprising of fluid and a plurality of elements, each of which is designed to mate with a receptor region on the substrate and each of which comprises a functional element, and projecting the slurry through a nozzle toward the substrate. In one particular implementation of this aspect, additional nozzles may be used to provide suction or additional fluid or additional slurry. A method according to another aspect of the invention includes dissolving a bonding agent into a solvent to create a fluid, dispensing a slurry onto a substrate, wherein the slurry includes the fluid and a plurality of elements each of which is designed to mate with a receptor region on the substrate and each of which comprises a functional element, and evaporating the solvent after each of the plurality of elements has mated with a corresponding receptor, wherein the bonding agent bonds each of the plurality of elements to the corresponding receptor region.

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Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Frank Lowe