Sandia Corporation

Memx, Inc.

Norman Frank Smith

Samuel Lee Miller

Michael B Sinclair

Maarten P DeBoer

Brian D Jensen

Murray Steven Rodgers

Multiple cutting blades () are fabricated from a wafer (). This wafer () is disposed on a blade handle mounting fixture () such that a blade handle () maybe mounted on each of the individual blades (). A cutting edge () of each blade () is maintained in spaced relation to the fixture () as these blade handles () are being mounted. Thereafter, the wafer () is transferred to a blade separation fixture (). Each bladeis suspended above the fixture (). An appropriate force is transmitted to the individual blades () to separate the same from the wafer (). Separation preferably occurs before the blade () contacts the fixture (). Thereafter, the blade () in effect pivots into an inclined position where its cutting edge () projects at least generally upwardly. Preferably, at no time does the cutting edge () of any blade () contact either the blade handle mounting fixture () or the blade separation fixture ().

Multi-fixture assembly of cutting tools

Disclosed is a long working distance interference microscope suitable for three-dimensional imaging and metrology of MEMS devices and test structures on a standard microelectronics probe station. The long working distance of 10-30 mm allows standard probes or probe cards to be used. This enables nanometer-scale 3-D height profiles of MEMS test structures to be acquired across an entire wafer. A well-matched pair of reference/sample objectives is not required, significantly reducing the cost of this microscope, as compared to a Linnik microinterferometer.

Long working distance interference microscope

A new approach toward MEMS quality control and materials characterization is provided by a combined test structure measurement and mechanical response modeling approach. Simple test structures are cofabricated with the MEMS devices being produced. These test structures are designed to isolate certain types of physical response, so that measurement of their behavior under applied stress can be easily interpreted as quality control and material properties information.

Growing community of inventors

Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

Norman Frank Smith