Abstract: Thermally assisted processes for removing internal defects in glass ceramic products, specifically electrical shorts formed in a substrate during product fabrication, are set forth. According to one aspect of the invention, a method for repairing shorts between metallic conductors located within in a glass ceramic product, such as an electronic substrate, comprises the steps of (a) pre-conditioning the glass to resist cracking from the generation of heat by any shorts melt down current subsequently applied to said conductors; and (b) subsequently applying a melt down current to said conductors to repair any short located therebetween. The aforestated method minimizes the potential for glass damage resulting from defect repair activity and optimizes defect repair yield.

Abstract: The cracking experienced during thermal cycling of metal:dielectric semiconductor packages results from a mismatch in thermal co-efficients of expansion. The non-hermeticity associated with such cracking can be addressed by backfilling the permeable cracks with a flexible material. Uniform gaps between the metal and dielectric materials can similarly be filled with flexible materials to provide stress relief, bulk compressibility and strength to the package. Furthermore, a permeable, skeletal dielectric can be fabricated as a fired, multilayer structure having sintered metallurgy and subsequently infused with a flexible, temperature-stable material to provide hermeticity and strength.

Abstract: A method of making a multilayer thin film structure on the surface of a dielectric substrate which includes the steps of:a. forming a multilayer thin film structure including the steps of:applying a first layer of dielectric polymeric material on the surface of a dielectric substrate,applying a second layer of dielectric polymeric material over the first layer of polymeric material wherein the second polymeric material is photosensitive,imagewise exposing and developing the second polymeric material to form a feature therein, the second layer feature in communication with at least one feature formed in the first polymeric material; andb. filling the features in the entire multilayer structure simultaneously with conductive material.Preferably, the first layer feature is a via and the second layer feature is a capture pad or wiring channel. Also disclosed is a multilayer thin film structure made by this method.

Abstract: A ceramic composite body which includes high purity amorphous silica fibers in a ceramic matrix. The ceramic matrix may be a glass ceramic material, a borosilicate glass material or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer ceramic substrate for electronic applications including:(a) at least one internal layer having vias filled with a metallic material;(b) at least one sealing layer having vias filled with a composite material that is a mixture of ceramic and metallic materials; and(c) at least one transition layer located between the internal and sealing layers having vias filled with a composite material that is a mixture of ceramic and metallic materials but having less ceramic and more metallic material than the sealing layer vias and less metallic material than the internal layer vias.Also disclosed is a method of forming the multilayer ceramic substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a new interconnection and a method for making the same, and more particularly, to an elongated solder interconnection and a method for making the same. On an electronic carrier, a pad is formed on which a solder mass is deposited and capped with a metal layer, thereby forming an elongated solder interconnection. A further elongated solder interconnection can now be formed by forming a second solder mass on the first solder mass that has been capped by a metal layer. Additional elongated solder interconnection can be formed by capping the preceding solder mass and/or the last solder mass with a metal capping layer. Alternatively, the encapsulating layer can be in the form of a sidewall spacer formed on the sidewalls of the solder mass.

Abstract: A method for providing superior fill of features in semiconductor processing utilizes a laser ablation system. Deposition is obtained by ablating target materials which are driven off perpendicular to the target in the direction of the deposition surface. The method provides complete fill of high aspect ratio features with nominal heating of the substrate. Alloys and graded layers, as well as pure metals, can be deposited in low temperature patterned layers. In addition, the system has been used to achieve superior trench filling for isolation structures.

Abstract: A hermetic package for an electronic device is manufactured by providing a green glass ceramic body with a green via to produce a workpiece. The workpiece is sintered at a temperature at or above 500.degree. C., while compressing the workpiece at a pressure at or above 100 pounds per square inch, so as to obtain a hermetic package. The green via comprises a mixture of copper and a glass ceramic material with a sufficient volume of glass to produce a hermetic package, yet with sufficient copper to have a suitable electrical conductivity.The hermetic package thus produced comprises a sintered glass ceramic body having an electrically conductive sintered via which is hermetically bonded to the glass ceramic body and which comprises a mixture of an electrically conductive material and a glass ceramic material. The electrically conductive material forms at most 50 volume percent of the via.The workpiece may be sintered in a sintering fixture having a frame and a compensating insert.

Abstract: Disclosed is a blind hole cold plate cooling system including:a fluid inlet manifold having at least one jet nozzle;a heat transfer plate having a first and second principal surface, the first principal surface having a complementary cavity for receiving the jet nozzle, the second principal surface being planar for contact with at least one heat generatinq device; andan annular gap defined by the outer periphery of jet nozzle and the surface of the complementary cavity.

Abstract: Multilayer thin film structures are fabricated in a parallel manner by creating testable sub-units and then joining them together to form a finished three-dimensional wiring matrix. Thus, there is disclosed a process for the fabrication of a thin film wiring structure including the steps of:forming a core wiring structure which includes the steps of:a. providing a low expansion, metallic, patterned core material;b. encapsulating the core material in a dielectric material;c. forming vias in the dielectric material; andd.

Abstract: The present invention provides a packaging semiconductor structure and method for obtaining same. The structure is comprised of at least one level of dielectric and metallurgy layers. The at least one level is comprised of a wiring metallurgy plane and a "through-via" plane of interconnecting metallurgy in association with both one and two layers of polymeric dielectric materials. The self-alignment method of fabrication of the level provides a streamlined technique wherein stringent masking and alignment requirements are relaxed, undue processing such as at least one polishing step is eliminated and a structure having adhesive integrity is fabricated.

Abstract: A method for promoting adhesion of cofired copper-based metallurgy and glass ceramic dielectric materials. The method includes the step of adding powder of an alloying metal to the copper based metallurgy prior to firing. A paste which exhibits superior adhesion to glass ceramics includes an organic carrier, copper powder, and an alloying metal, which may be a non-copper metal powder or a copper-metal alloy. It is preferred that of the metal in the paste, the copper should make up 80-99 weight percent and the alloying metal should make up 1-20 weight percent.

Abstract: A process for making a compliant thermally conductive, preferably dielectric, compound that enhances the power dissipation capability of high-powered electrical components such as bipolar VLSI semiconductor chips. The compound has chemically stable thermal conduction and viscosity properties; is not subject to phase separation during use and may be applied in small gaps to maximize thermal conduction. The compound preferably comprises a liquid carrier having thermal filler particles dispersed therein and a coupling agent having a functionality which is reactive with the calcined surface of the thermal filler particles, and a functionality having preferential wetting of the thermal filler particles over self-condensation. Additional additives such as fumed silica and polyisobutylene enhance the phase stability and resistance to thermo-mechanical shear force degradation of the thermally conductive compound encountered during functional usage, e.g., fluctuating power cycles.

Abstract: An ultrasonic adhesion/dehesion monitoring apparatus for monitoring the adhesion/dehesion between first and second substrates comprising: a. an ultrasonic source for transmitting ultrasonic energy to at least first and second substrates; b. means for measuring the instantaneous AC current and instantaneous AC supplied to said ultrasonic source; c. means for multiplying the instantaneous AC voltage and the instantaneous AC current to determine the instantaneous power supplied to said ultrasonic source; and d. monitor means coupled to said ultrasonic source and said power determining means for monitoring the instantaneous power supplied to said ultrasonic source. Also disclosed is a method for monitoring the quality and/or adhesion/dehesion between first and second substrates in the ultrasonic adhesion/dehesion monitoring apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical signal distribution system. The system comprises an electronic substrate, at least one optical component and at least one optical waveguide on but distinct from the electronic substrate for carrying an optical signal to or from the optical component.

Abstract: A structure and process for forming dense multi-layer thin film structures wherein individual layers of thin film wiring which can be pre-inspected and then laminated one on top of the next to form a three dimensional wiring matrix are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a ceramic substrate having a protective coating on at least one surface thereof which includes:a ceramic substrate having at least one electrically conductive via extending to a surface of the substrate;an electrically conductive I/O pad electrically connected to at least one of the vias;an I/O pin brazed to the I/O pad, the brazed pin having a braze fillet; anda protective layer of polymeric material fully encapsulating the I/O pad, wherein the layer of polymeric material protects the I/O pad from corrosion.

Abstract: A hermetic package for an electronic device is manufactured by providing a green glass ceramic body with a green via to produce a workpiece. The workpiece is sintered at a temperature at or above 500.degree. C., while compressing the workpiece at a pressure at or above 100 pounds per square inch, so as to obtain a hermetic package. The green via comprises a mixture of copper and a glass ceramic material with a sufficient volume of glass to produce a hermetic package, yet with sufficient copper to have a suitable electrical conductivity.The hermetic package thus produced comprises a sintered glass ceramic body having an electrically conductive sintered via which is hermetically bonded to the glass ceramic body and which comprises a mixture of an electrically conductive material and a glass ceramic material. The electrically conductive material forms at most 50 volume percent of the via.The workpiece may be sintered in a sintering fixture having a frame and a compensating insert.

Abstract: A ternary-alloy/glass composite suitable for use in vias in glass-ceramic electronic structures includes gold, palladium, and either platinum or silver in the alloy where the gold is less than 50% by weight of the alloy. The alloy is combined with glass frit where the glass is present as 5-50% by volume in the composition. The ternary-alloy glass composite is sintered in the glass-ceramic structure and provides a hermetic seal. Chips and pins can be bonded directly to the ternary-alloy/glass composite using a eutectic braze without causing cracks in the glass-ceramic. The ternary-alloy/glass composite has good adhesion with glass-ceramics and is useful in vias in electronic structures.

Abstract: An ultrasonic adhesion/dehesion monitoring apparatus for monitoring the quality and/or adhesion/dehesion between first and second substrates comprising: (a) an ultrasonic source for transmitting ultrasonic energy to at least first and second substrates; (b) acoustic transducer means proximate to the ultrasonic source and/or the substrates; and (c) monitor means coupled to the acoustic transducer means for monitoring the ultrasonic signal from the ultrasonic source. Also disclosed is a method for monitoring the quality and/or adhesion/dehesion between first and second substrates in the ultrasonic adhesion/dehesion monitoring apparatus.