International Business Machines Corporation

James C Utter

Michael E Cropp

John Ulrich Knickerbocker

Krishna Gandhi Sachdev

Glenn A Pomerantz

Candace A Sullivan

Donald W Diangelo

Daniel S Mackin

John F Harmuth

Bruce E Tripp

David E Speed

James N Humenik

David Clifford Long

Jon Alfred Casey

Renee L Weisman

Robert J Sullivan

John T Butler

Gerald H Leino

Rao Venkateswara Vallabhaneni

Ryan Elsasser

Jason R Eagle

Jawahar P Nayak

Enrico A Romano

John R Lankard, Jr

Alvin W Buechele

Robert L Baan

John A Trumpetto

Daniel Ruiz

Deborah Anne Sylvester

Karl Otto Muggenburg

Ahmed Sayeed Shah

Eric Mallery

Raymond H Turcotte

Joseph Scaglione

Richard J Cassidy

Michael John Matts

James M Blazick

Frank V Ranalli

An imaging device is provided that may be used for visually inspecting structures. In one embodiment, the imaging device includes an image capture device; and a rail system having a stationary component connected to the image capture device and a sliding component for movement along a horizontal axis. The system can further include a jig structure engaged to the sliding component of the rail system. The jig structure may include a first mount location for engagement to a first type connector and a second mount location for engagement to a second type connector. The jig structure is engaged to the sliding component to position the housing so that the first and second mount locations are in line and parallel to a direction of travel along the horizontal axis including a point at which the first and second mount locations pass through the imaging location.

Alignment system and tool for visual inspection

This invention relates to the cleaning of objects that relate to semiconductor printing, such as, for example, screening masks. This invention is basically directed to removing, for example, an organic polymer-metal composite paste from screening masks used in printing conductive metal patterns onto ceramic green sheets in the fabrication of semiconductor packaging substrates. More particularly, this invention is concerned with the automated in-line cleaning of paste screening masks with an aqueous alkaline solution of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide as a more environmentally friendly alternative to non-aqueous organic solvents-based cleaning in screening operations for the production multilayer ceramic (MLC) substrates.

Aqueous quaternary ammonium hydroxide as a screening mask cleaner

Disclosed is a flexible sheet handling apparatus including a frame having a vacuum passage located around the periphery of the frame. There is also a porous, polymeric plug which covers the vacuum passage. When a vacuum is applied to the vacuum passage and the porous, polymeric plug, a flexible sheet in contact with the porous, polymeric plug is uniformly held only around the periphery of the flexible sheet by the applied vacuum.

Flexible sheet handling apparatus

A process of forming a multi-layer feature on a ceramic or organic article in which first and second layers of paste are sequentially screened through a screening mask wherein the screening mask has not been moved between screening steps. A structure produced by this process is also disclosed.

Single mask screening process

A screening apparatus including a table for holding an article; and a dual reservoir dispensing assembly. The dual reservoir assembly includes first and second reservoirs for holding first and second materials to be dispensed; first and second nozzles in communication with first and second reservoirs, respectively, for dispensing first and second materials; tilting apparatus for tilting the nozzles in a first direction so that the first nozzle is tilted into position for dispensing the first material and for tilting the nozzles in a second direction so that the first nozzle is tilted out of position and the second nozzle is tilted into position for dispensing the second material; and apparatus for moving the dual reservoir dispensing assembly with respect to the table wherein, in operation, the first nozzle is tilted into position during a first movement across the article and the second nozzle is titled into position during a second movement across the article.

Screening apparatus including a dual reservoir dispensing assembly

A cleaning method and related apparatus for cleaning semiconductor screening masks using an aqueous alkali detergent solution applied under high pressure simultaneously from both sides of the mask, followed by a drying step that uses air knives to blow off the mask surface any residual cleaner solution.

System for cleaning residual paste from a mask

Optimized in-line mask cleaning system

An improved mask for screening a conductive paste onto a microelectronic substrate is disclosed. The mask comprises a metal foil having a thickness of less than about 200 microns, having a stencil formed in the foil and extending inwardly to a first depth from a first exterior surface of the foil, said stencil comprising a plurality of voids corresponding to the desired pattern, and having a mesh formed in the foil and extending inwardly to a second depth from a second exterior surface of the foil opposite said first exterior surface, said mesh comprising a plurality of voids in communication with the voids of the stencil, wherein the ratio of said first depth to said second depth is less than 60:40, and wherein the mask is produced from an essentially homogenous metal sheet. Such masks are useful for fabricating microelectronic substrates having screened lines of conductive paste.

Reduced cavity depth screening stencil

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Fishkill, NY, United States of America

James C Utter