Patents Assigned to Microfabrica Inc.
  • Publication number: 20240094253
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to microscale and millimeter scale multi-layer structures (e.g., probe structures for making contact between two electronic components for example in semiconductor wafer, chip, and electronic component test applications).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventor: Garret R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 11906549
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to probe structures, arrays, methods of using probes and arrays, and/or methods for making probes and/or arrays wherein the probes include at least one flat tensional spring segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventor: Ming Ting Wu
  • Patent number: 11867721
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to probe structures, arrays, methods of using probes and arrays, and/or methods for making probes and/or arrays. In the various embodiments, probes include at least two springs separated by a movable stop while in other embodiments, three or more springs may be included with two or more movable stops. Movable stops interact with fixed stops that are either part of the probes themselves or part of separate elements that engage with the probes (such as array frame structures) that provide for the retention, longitudinal and/or lateral positioning of probes and possibly for orientation of the probes about a longitudinal axis. Fixed stops provide for controlled limits for movement of the movable stops which in turn allow for enhanced compliant or elastic performance of the probes upon increased probe compression in either one direction, in the order of tip compressions, or in both directions or tip compression orders (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Ting Wu, Garret R. Smalley, Dennis R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 11828775
    Abstract: Probe arrays include spacers attached to the probes that were formed along with the probes. Methods of making probe arrays by (1) forming probes on their sides and possibly as linear arrays or combination subarrays (e.g. as a number of side-to-side joined linear arrays) having probes fixed in array positions by a sacrificial material that is temporarily retained after formation of the probes; (2) assembling the probe units into full array configurations using the spacers attached to the probes or using alternative alignment structures to set the spacing and/or alignment of the probe(s) of one unit with another unit; and (3) fixing the probes in their configurations (e.g. bonding to a substrate and/or engaging the probes with one or more guide plates) wherein the spacers are retained or are removed, in whole or in part, prior to putting the array to use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: MICROFABRICA INC.
    Inventors: Michael S. Lockard, Uri Frodis, Dennis R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 11821918
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to the formation of buckling beam probe arrays having MEMS probes that are engaged with guide plates during formation or after formation of the probes while the probes are held in the array configuration in which they were formed. In other embodiments, probes may be formed in, or laterally aligned with, guide plate through holes. Guide plate engagement may occur by longitudinally locating guide plates on probes that are partially formed or fully formed with exposed ends, by forming probes within guide plate through holes, by forming guide plates around probes, or forming guide plates in lateral alignment with arrayed probes and then longitudinally engaging the probes and the through holes of the guide plates. Final arrays may include probes and a substrate to which the probes are bonded along with one or more guide plates while in other embodiments final arrays may include probes held by a plurality of guide plates (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: MICROFABRICA INC.
    Inventors: Michael S. Lockard, Stefano Felici, Uri Frodis, Dennis R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 11802891
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to probe structures, arrays, methods of using probes and arrays, and/or methods for making probes and/or arrays. In the various embodiments, probes include at least two flat spring segments with at least one of those segments being used in a compressive manner wherein the probe additionally includes guide elements, framing structures or other structural configurations that limit or inhibit one or more compressive spring segments from bowing or deflecting out of a desired position when subjected to loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventor: Ming Ting Wu
  • Publication number: 20230324435
    Abstract: Pin probes and pin probe arrays are provided that allow electric contact to be made with selected electronic circuit components. Some embodiments include one or more compliant pin elements located within a sheath. Some embodiments include pin probes that include locking or latching elements that may be used to fix pin portions of probes into sheaths. Some embodiments provide for fabrication of probes using multi-layer electrochemical fabrication methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Arun S. Veeramani, Ming Ting Wu, Uri Frodis, Heath A. Jensen
  • Patent number: 11774467
    Abstract: Probe structures, probe arrays, have varying intrinsic material properties along their lengths. Methods of forming probes and probe arrays comprise varying the plating parameters to provide varying intrinsic material properties. Some embodiments provide deposition templates created using multiphoton lithography to provide probes with varying lateral configurations along at least portion of their lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: MICROFABRICA INC.
    Inventor: Onnik Yaglioglu
  • Patent number: 11768227
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to probes formed from multiple layers with at least a portion of the layers including portions that include elastic compliant regions of the probes wherein such elastic portions of different layers are formed of different materials and wherein a plane of preferred elastic deformation of the probes is parallel to a plane containing (1) a normal to the planes of the layers and (2) a longitudinal axes of the probes or a local longitudinal axes of the probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: MICROFABRICA INC.
    Inventor: Ming Ting Wu
  • Patent number: 11761982
    Abstract: Probes for contacting electronic components include a plurality of compliant modules stacked in a serial configuration, which are supported by an exoskeleton or an endoskeleton which allows for linear longitudinal compression of probe ends toward one another wherein the compliant elements within the compliant modules include planar springs (when unbiased). Other probes are formed from single compliant modules or pairs of back-to-back modules that may share a common base. Module bases may include configurations that allow for one or both lateral alignment and longitudinal alignment of probes relative to array structures (e.g., array substrates, guide plates) or other modules they contact or to which they adhere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventor: Arun S. Veeramani
  • Publication number: 20230201968
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to the formation micro-scale or millimeter scale structures or methods of making such structures wherein the structures are formed from at least one sheet structural material and may include additional sheet structural materials or deposited structural materials wherein all or a portion of the patterning of the structural materials occurs via laser cutting. In some embodiments, selective deposition is used to provide a portion of the patterning. In some embodiments the structural material or structural materials are bounded from below by a sacrificial bridging material (e.g. a metal) and possibly from above by a sacrificial capping material (e.g. a metal).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Arun S. Veeramani, Heath A. Jensen, Uri Frodis, Christopher G. Wiita, Michael S. Lockard, Irina Boguslavsky, Pavel Lembrikov, Dennis R. Smalley, Richard T. Chen
  • Publication number: 20230207426
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to heat transfer arrays, cold plates including heat transfer arrays along with inlets and outlets, and thermal management systems including cold-plates, pumps and heat exchangers. These devices and systems may be used to provide cooling of semiconductor devices or other devices and particularly such devices that produce high heat concentrations. The heat transfer arrays may include microjets, multi-stage microjets, microchannels, fins, wells, wells with flow passages, well with stress relief or stress propagation inhibitors, and integrated microjets and fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Onnik Yaglioglu, Richard T. Chen, Will J. Tan, Jia Li, Uri Frodis, Nina C. Levy, Dennis R. Smalley
  • Publication number: 20230204626
    Abstract: Pin probes and pin probe arrays are provided that allow electric contact to be made with selected electronic circuit components. Some embodiments include one or more compliant pin elements located within a sheath. Some embodiments include pin probes that include locking or latching elements that may be used to fix pin portions of probes into sheaths. Some embodiments provide for fabrication of probes using multi-layer electrochemical fabrication methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Richard T. Chen, Ezekiel J. J. Kruglick, Vacit Arat, Daniel I. Feinberg
  • Patent number: 11456235
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to heat transfer arrays, cold plates including heat transfer arrays along with inlets and outlets, and thermal management systems including cold-plates, pumps and heat exchangers. These devices and systems may be used to provide cooling of semiconductor devices and particularly such devices that produce high heat concentrations. The heat transfer arrays may include microjets, microchannels, fins, and even integrated microjets and fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Richard T. Chen, Will J. Tan
  • Patent number: 11262383
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to microscale and millimeter scale multi-layer structures (e.g., probe structures for making contact between two electronic components for example in semiconductor wafer, chip, and electronic component test applications). One or more layers of the structures include shell and core regions formed of different materials wherein the core regions are offset from a symmetric, longitudinally extending position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventor: Garret R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 11211228
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to forming reentrant multi-layer micro-scale or millimeter scale three dimensional structures, parts, components, or devices where each layer is formed from a plurality of deposited materials and more specifically where each layer is formed from at least one metal structural material and at least one organic sacrificial material (e.g. polymer) that are co-planarized and a portion of the sacrificial material located on a plurality of layers is removed after formation of the plurality of layers via one or more plasma etching operations or one or more neutral radical etching operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Rulon J. Larsen, III, Adam L. Cohen
  • Patent number: 11145947
    Abstract: RF and microwave radiation directing or controlling components are provided that may be monolithic, that may be formed from a plurality of electrodeposition operations and/or from a plurality of deposited layers of material, that may include switches, inductors, antennae, transmission lines, filters, hybrid couplers, antenna arrays and/or other active or passive components. Components may include non-radiation-entry and non-radiation-exit channels that are useful in separating sacrificial materials from structural materials. Preferred formation processes use electrochemical fabrication techniques (e.g. including selective depositions, bulk depositions, etching operations and planarization operations) and post-deposition processes (e.g. selective etching operations and/or back filling operations).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Elliott R. Brown, John D. Evans, Christopher A. Bang, Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Dennis R. Smalley, Morton Grosser
  • Publication number: 20210172080
    Abstract: A counterfeiting deterrent device according to one implementation of the disclosure includes a plurality of layers formed by an additive process. Each of the layers may have a thickness of less than 100 microns. At least one of the layers has a series of indentations formed in an outer edge of the layer such that the indentations can be observed to verify that the device originated from a predetermined source. According to another implementation, a counterfeiting deterrent device includes at least one raised layer having outer edges in the shape of a logo. A light source is configured and arranged to shine a light through a slit in a substrate layer of the device and past an intermediate layer to light up the outer edge of the raised layer. The layers of the device are formed by an additive process and have a thickness of less than 100 microns each.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Applicant: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory P. Schmitz, Michael S. Lockard, Ming-Ting Wu, Eric C. Miller, Adam L. Cohen
  • Patent number: 10961967
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to fuel injectors for internal combustion engines (e.g. engines with reciprocating pistons and with compression-ignition or spark-ignition, Wankel engines, turbines, jets, rockets, and the like) and more particularly to improved nozzle configurations for use as part of such fuel injectors. Other embodiments are directed to enabling fabrication technology that can provide for formation of nozzles with complex configurations and particularly for technologies that form structures via multiple layers of selectively deposited material or in combination with fabrication from a plurality of layers where critical layers are planarized before attaching additional layers thereto or forming additional layers thereon. Other embodiments are directed to methods and apparatus for integrating such nozzles with injector bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory P. Schmitz, Ming Ting Wu, Uri Frodis, Eli Baldwin, Gabriel Jacobsohn
  • Patent number: 10957624
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to heat transfer arrays, cold plates including heat transfer arrays along with inlets and outlets, and thermal management systems including cold-plates, pumps and heat exchangers. These devices and systems may be used to provide cooling of semiconductor devices and particularly such devices that produce high heat concentrations. The heat transfer arrays may include microjets, microchannels, fins, and even integrated microjets and fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Richard T. Chen, Will J. Tan