Abstract:
A MEMS chip assembly includes: a support structure having a chip mounting surface; a MEMS chip mounted on the chip mounting surface, the MEMS chip having an active surface including one or more rows of MEMS devices and a row of bond pads disposed alongside a connection edge of the MEMS chip and parallel with the rows of MEMS devices; electrical connectors connected to the bond pads; and an encapsulant material covering the electrical connectors. The MEMS chip has a plurality of trenches defined in the active surface, the trenches extending parallel with the rows of MEMS devices and disposed between the bond pads and the MEMS devices. The encapsulant material does not encroach past the trenches towards the MEMS devices.
Abstract:
An inkjet printhead includes: an elongate support having a printhead mounting surface; a plurality of butting printhead chips mounted on the printhead mounting surface, each printhead chip having an ink ejection surface including one or more nozzle rows; and a grout material disposed between butting edges of each butting pair of printhead chips. Each printhead chip has a grouting trench defined in the ink ejection surface, the grouting trench extending alongside at least one butting edge and the grouting trench being disposed between an endmost nozzle of each nozzle row and the butting edge.
Abstract:
A process for filling one or more etched holes defined in a frontside surface of a wafer substrate. The process includes the steps of: depositing a layer of a thermoplastic first polymer onto the frontside surface and into each hole until the holes are overfilled with the first polymer; depositing a layer of a photoimageable second polymer different than the first polymer; selectively removing the second polymer from regions outside a periphery of the holes; exposing the wafer substrate to a controlled oxidative plasma so as to reveal the frontside surface of the wafer substrate; and planarizing the frontside surface to provide holes filled with a plug of the first polymer only, each plug having a respective upper surface coplanar with the frontside surface.
Abstract:
An inkjet nozzle device includes: a nozzle chamber having a floor, a roof and perimeter sidewalls extending between the floor and the roof, wherein a nozzle aperture is defined in the roof; a heating element for generating gas bubbles in the nozzle chamber so as to eject ink through the nozzle aperture, wherein a centroid of the heating element is aligned with a centroid of the nozzle aperture; and a pair of chamber inlets defined in the floor of the nozzle chamber, the chamber inlets being symmetrically disposed about the centroid of the heating element. The inkjet nozzle device has a pair of orthogonal symmetry planes passing through the centroid of the nozzle aperture.
Abstract:
A wafer assembly for use in a MEMS fabrication process. The wafer package includes: a MEMS wafer having a first side and an opposite second side; a silicone-free peel tape releasably attached to the first side of the wafer; a wafer bonding tape attached to the peel tape; and a carrier substrate releasably attached to the first wafer bonding tape.
Abstract:
A MEMS chip assembly including: a support structure having a chip mounting surface; a MEMS chip mounted on the chip mounting surface, each MEMS chip having an active surface including one or more MEMS devices and a plurality of bond pads disposed alongside a connection edge of the MEMS chip; electrical connectors connected to the bond pads; and an encapsulant material covering the electrical connectors. The MEMS chip has encapsulant-retaining trenches defined in the active surface extending alongside the connection edge, each encapsulant-retaining trench being disposed between the bond pads and the MEMS devices.
Abstract:
A process for filling one or more etched holes defined in a frontside surface of a wafer substrate. The process includes the steps of: depositing a layer of a thermoplastic first polymer onto the frontside surface and into each hole until the holes are overfilled with the first polymer; depositing a layer of a photoimageable second polymer different than the first polymer; selectively removing the second polymer from regions outside a periphery of the holes; exposing the wafer substrate to a controlled oxidative plasma so as to reveal the frontside surface of the wafer substrate; and planarizing the frontside surface to provide holes filled with a plug of the first polymer only, each plug having a respective upper surface coplanar with the frontside surface.
Abstract:
A MEMS chip assembly includes: a support structure having a chip mounting surface; a MEMS chip mounted on the chip mounting surface, the MEMS chip having an active surface including one or more rows of MEMS devices and a row of bond pads disposed alongside a connection edge of the MEMS chip and parallel with the rows of MEMS devices; electrical connectors connected to the bond pads; and an encapsulant material covering the electrical connectors. The MEMS chip has a plurality of trenches defined in the active surface, the trenches extending parallel with the rows of MEMS devices and disposed between the bond pads and the MEMS devices. The encapsulant material does not encroach past the trenches towards the MEMS devices.
Abstract:
A process for handling MEMS wafers includes the steps of: (i) attaching a first carrier substrate to a first side of a MEMS wafer, the first carrier substrate being attached via a first wafer bonding tape and a silicone-free peel tape, the peel tape contacting the first side of the MEMS wafer; (ii) performing wafer processing steps on an opposite second side of the MEMS wafer; (iii) releasing the first carrier substrate from the first side of the MEMS wafer via exposure to an energy source, the energy source selectively releasing the wafer bonding tape from the first side of the MEMS wafer; and (iv) peeling the peel tape away from the first side of the MEMS wafer.
Abstract:
An inkjet printhead includes: an elongate support having a printhead mounting surface; a plurality of butting printhead chips mounted on the printhead mounting surface, each printhead chip having an ink ejection surface including one or more nozzle rows; and a grout material disposed between butting edges of each butting pair of printhead chips. Each printhead chip has a grouting trench defined in the ink ejection surface, the grouting trench extending alongside at least one butting edge and the grouting trench being disposed between an endmost nozzle of each nozzle row and the butting edge.