Abstract:
Compliant electrically conductive connection bumps (10) for an adhesive flip chip (12) integrated circuit device and various methods for forming the bumps include the steps of forming polymer bumps (24) on a substrate (12) or an integrated circuit die and coating the polymer bumps with a metallization layer (26). The polymer bump forming step includes the steps of coating a polymer material on a substrate, curing the polymer, and etching the bump pattern from the polymer material. The overcoating step includes electrolessly plating a ductile metal such as gold on the polymer bump.
Abstract:
The field of the invention is laser-induced direct copper writing. The problem is crystallization of the initially amorphous copper formate films upon drying. The problem is solved by copper formate precursor solutions that contain a crystallization-inhibiting agent selected from glycerol, citric acid, malic acid, malonic acid and glycine. The principal use is direct copper writing of thin conductive links or traces on microelectronic substrates.
Abstract:
The field of the invention is making bonding bumps (22) on the pad areas (12) of a substrate (10). The technical problem is the time-consuming conventional processes for making thick (1-20 micron) bumps (22). The invention's solution is depositing the bumps (22) by localized metal cluster ion deposition. One embodiment includes depositing a layer (18a) of metallic adhesion material over a surface on substrate (10a), depositing metallic bumps (40) on the metallic adhesion material over each of the pad areas (12a) using a focused liquid metal ion source (20), and chemically etching the layer (18a) of metallic adhesion material off the surface outside of the deposited bumps (40). The principal use of the invention is making bonding bumps on integrated circuit chips.
Abstract:
A matrix addressable flat panel display includes a flat cathode (31) operable for emitting electrons to an anode (15) when an electric field is produced across the surface of the flat cathode by two electrodes (34) placed on each side of the flat cathode. The flat cathode (31) may consist of a cermet or amorphic diamond or some other combination of a conducting material and an insulating material such as a low effective work function material. The electric field produced causes electrons to hop on the surface of the cathode (31) at the conducting-insulating interfaces. An electric field produced between the anode (15) and the cathode (31) causes these electrons to bombard a phosphor layer (16) on the anode (15).
Abstract:
The process is initiated by the recipient's requesting an artifact (100) from the sender, who then obtains the recipient's transmission key (102) and separately encrypts the requested artifact and an acknowledgement such that they are decryptable with first and second strictly private keys, respectively, known to and controlled by the sender (104). Next, the sender encrypts the encrypted artifact and encrypted acknowledgement together using the transmission key such that the message is decryptble only with a third strictly private key known to and controlled by the recipient (106), and transmits the encrypted message to the recipient (108). The recipient decrypts the message (110) to recover the encrypted artifact, as well as the encrypted acknowledgement which is returned to the sender (112). The sender decrypts the acknowledgement using the second strictly private key (114) to verify receipt by the recipient of the encrypted artifact and then sends the first strictly private key to the recipient (116) to enable decryption of the encrypted artifact (118).
Abstract:
A method of making sub-micron low work function field emission tips (32, 66) without using photolithography. The method includes physical vapor deposition of randomly located discrete nuclei to form a discontinuous etch mask (20, 50). In one embodiment an etch is applied to low work function material (14) covered by randomly located nuclei to form emission tips (32) in the low work function material (14). In another embodiment an etch is applied to base material (44) covered by randomly located nuclei to form tips (58) in the base material (44) which are then coated with low work function material (60) to form emission tips (66). Diamond is the preferred low work function material (14, 60).
Abstract:
A flat panel display for displaying visual information includes a plurality of corresponding light-emitting anodes (130), and field-emission cathodes (170), each of the anodes emitting light in response to emission from each of the corresponding cathodes, each of the cathodes (170) including a layer of low work function material having a relatively flat emission surface of a plurality of distributed localized electron emission sites and a grid assembly (102) interposed between the corresponding anodes (130) and cathodes (170) to thereby control emission levels to the anodes from the corresponding cathodes.
Abstract:
A matrix addressed diode flat panel display (820) including a diode pixel structure. The flat panel display includes a cathode assembly having a plurality of cathodes (210-280), each cathode including a plurality of cathode conductive material (440) and a layer of low effective work-function material (460) deposited over the cathode conductive material and an anode assembly having a plurality of anodes (290-292), each anode including a layer of anode conductive material (410) and a cathodoluminescent material (430) deposited over the anode conductive material, the anode assembly located proximate the cathode assembly to thereby receive the charged particle emissions from the cathode assembly. The display further includes means (100) for selectively varying field emissions between the plurality of corresponding light-emitting anodes and field-emission cathodes.
Abstract:
An improved method for inhibiting tin whisker growth involving the implantation in a tin coating of an ion or ions selected from the group Pb, Bi, Sb, Tl, Cu, Ag, Au, Cd, Mo, Cr, W, Ar, He, Ne and Kr.
Abstract:
The field of invention is processes and solutions for etching copper and copper oxides. The technical problem is that existing copper etching techniques are not sufficiently selective of the materials that are etched, and in particular may cause unacceptable damage to a thin protective nickel overcoat. The invention overcomes this problem by providing for copper etching without affecting other metals such as nickel, chromium and titanium. A principle use of the present invention is in the fabrication of microelectronic components such as high density substrates. The present invention copper etchant is best characterized as a nonaqueous solution of dimethyl sulfoxide and a halocarbon compound.