The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 19, 2008
Filed:
Jan. 03, 2005
Kieun Kim, Pasadena, CA (US);
Adam L. Cohen, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Willa M. Larsen, Reseda, CA (US);
Richard T. Chen, Burbank, CA (US);
Ananda H. Kumar, Fremont, CA (US);
Ezekiel J. J. Kruglick, San Diego, CA (US);
Vacit Arat, La Canada Flintridge, CA (US);
Gang Zhang, Monterey Park, CA (US);
Michael S. Lockard, Lake Elizabeth, CA (US);
Kieun Kim, Pasadena, CA (US);
Adam L. Cohen, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Willa M. Larsen, Reseda, CA (US);
Richard T. Chen, Burbank, CA (US);
Ananda H. Kumar, Fremont, CA (US);
Ezekiel J. J. Kruglick, San Diego, CA (US);
Vacit Arat, La Canada Flintridge, CA (US);
Gang Zhang, Monterey Park, CA (US);
Michael S. Lockard, Lake Elizabeth, CA (US);
Microfabrica, Inc., Van Nuys, CA (US);
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to the formation of microprobe tips elements having a variety of configurations. In some embodiments tips are formed from the same building material as the probes themselves, while in other embodiments the tips may be formed from a different material and/or may include a coating material. In some embodiments, the tips are formed before the main portions of the probes and the tips are formed in proximity to or in contact with a temporary substrate. Probe tip patterning may occur in a variety of different ways, including, for example, via molding in patterned holes that have been isotropically or anisotropically etched silicon, via molding in voids formed in over exposed photoresist, via molding in voids in a sacrificial material that have formed as a result of the sacrificial material mushrooming over carefully sized and located regions of dielectric material, via isotropic etching of a the tip material around carefully sized placed etching shields, via hot pressing, and the like.