Texas Instruments Corporation

Robert J Lessard

Roger J Stierman

Gregory Barton Hotchkiss

A method for assembling electronic devices by moving particles (,) on an adhesive sheet (,) having a plurality of adhesive areas (,), comprising the steps of loading the particles (,) onto the adhesive sheet (,) and transferring kinetic energy from a mechanical device (,) to the particles (,) for moving the particles (,) is disclosed. The adhesive sheet (,) may be composed of an adhesive coating (,) laminated to a film (,). The particles (,) may be composed of a variety of materials, including minerals and compounds such as solder or polymers.

Method and apparatus for populating an adhesive sheet with particles

This disclosure describes a plating fixture to hold a silicon wafer containing integrated circuits in a metal plating bath. The wafer is coated with photoresist to a thickness equal to the desired bump height and the desired bump locations patterened by standard photolithographic techniques. The wafer is then loaded in the fixture and the fixture placed in the plating bath so that the patterned side of the wafer is facing up and the plating anode is located directly above the wafer. Systems presently on the market have the wafer positioned with the patterned side facing down and the anode located below it, or the wafer faces sideways and the anodes are access from it. These present systems allow air to be entrapped in the pattern of the photoresist, lowering yield by under plating or uneven plating of the bumps on the wafer. This disclosure prevents such yield loss and also allows cleanups on the wafer after it is loaded in the fixture.

Fixture and a method for plating contact bumps for integrated circuits

This disclosure describes a plating fixture to hold a silicon wafer containing integrated circuits in a metal plating bath. The wafer is coated with photoresist to a thickness equal to the desired bump height and the desired bump locations patterned by standard photolithographic techniques. The wafer is then loaded in the fixture and the fixture placed in the plating bath so that the patterned side of the wafer is facing up and the plating anode is located directly above the wafer. Systems presently on the market have the wafer positioned with the patterned side facing down and the anode located below it, or the wafer faces sideways and the anodes are access from it. These present systems allow air to be entrapped in the pattern of the photoresist, lowering yield by under plating or uneven plating of the bumps on the wafer. This disclosure prevents such yield loss and also allows cleanups on the wafer after it is loaded in the fixture.

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Garland, TX, United States of America

Robert J Lessard