Abstract: Printed resistive-based sensors and transducers comprising a thin, electronically “active” sensing layer within a dielectric and/or metallic layered structure are provided. The electronic resistance of the active sensing layer is measured during a change in the sensor environment. By utilizing a multi-layered architecture around the active sensing layer, the electronic signal of the sensing element can be improved. By carefully selecting the architecture and materials that surround the active sensing layer, the sensitivity, stability, and selectivity of the sensor to detect changes in the environment are improved. This design allows for a number of specific application areas for environmental sensing.

Abstract: Novel hyper-branched, dense, high-refractive-index polymers, and compositions utilizing those polymers are provided, along with methods of forming high refractive index films with those compositions. The refractive index of the material is at least about 1.8 at 400 nm. Further, it can be made into optically transparent thin films of only a couple hundred angstroms thickness to thick films of several micrometers thick, as well as into “bulk” solids. The use of a thermal acid or a photo acid generator facilitates crosslinking after the coating process.

Abstract: Photosensitive, developer-soluble bottom anti-reflective coatings are described. Compositions and methods of forming the same are also disclosed along with resulting microelectronic structures. The anti-reflective compositions comprise a multi-functional epoxy compound having multiple epoxy moieties pendant therefrom and one or more crosslinkable chromophores bonded thereto. The compounds are dispersed or dissolved in a solvent system with a vinyl ether crosslinker and can be used to create crosslinkable and de-crosslinkable coatings for microelectronics fabrication.

Abstract: A sensor system comprises a first sensor, a second sensor, a high pass filter, and a summation unit. The first sensor senses an environmental parameter and outputs a first electronic signal with a response having a first time constant. The second sensor senses the environmental parameter and outputs a second electronic signal with a response having a second time constant greater than the first time constant. The high pass filter has a filter time constant roughly equal to the second time constant and filters the first electronic signal, outputting a filtered first electronic signal in which changes in a level or value of the first electronic signal with transition times that are less than the filter time constant are passed. The summation unit receives the filtered first electronic signal and the second electronic signal and outputs a sum of the filtered first electronic signal and the second electronic signal.

Abstract: Dielectric materials with optimal mechanical properties for use in laser ablation patterning are proposed. These materials include a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyureas, polyurethane, and polyacylhydrazones. New methods to prepare suitable polyacylhydrazones are also provided. Those methods involve mild conditions and result in a soluble polymer that is stable at room temperature and can be incorporated into formulations that can be coated onto microelectronic substrates. The dielectric materials exhibit high elongation, low CTE, low cure temperature, and leave little to no debris post-ablation.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for using two polymeric bonding material layers to bond a device wafer and carrier wafer in a way that allows debonding to occur between the two layers under low-force conditions at room temperature. Optionally, a third layer is included at the interface between the two layers of polymeric bonding material to facilitate the debonding at this interface. This process can potentially improve bond line stability during backside processing of temporarily bonded wafers, simplify the preparation of bonded wafers by eliminating the need for specialized release layers, and reduce wafer cleaning time and chemical consumption after debonding.

Abstract: Methods of forming microelectronic structure are provided. The methods comprise the formation of T-shaped structures using a controlled undercutting process, and the deposition of a selectively etchable composition into the undercut areas of the T-shaped structures. The T-shaped structures are subsequently removed to yield extremely small undercut-formed features that conform to the width and optionally the height of the undercut areas of the T-shaped structures. These methods can be combined with other conventional patterning methods to create structures having extremely small feature sizes regardless of the wavelength of light used for patterning.

Abstract: The invention broadly relates to cyclic olefin polymer bonding compositions and release compositions, to be used independently or together, that enable thin wafer handling during microelectronics manufacturing, especially during a full-wafer mechanical debonding process. The release compositions comprise compositions made from siloxane polymers and copolymers blended in a polar solvent, and that are stable at room temperature for longer than one month. The cyclic olefin polymer bonding compositions provide high thermal stability, can be bonded to fully-treated carrier wafers, can be mechanically or laser debonded after high-temperature heat treatment, and are easily removed with an industrially-acceptable solvent. Wafers bonded according to the invention demonstrate lower overall post-grind stack TTV compared to other commercial bonding materials and can survive 200° C. PECVD processing.

Abstract: New temporary bonding methods and articles formed from those methods are provided. In one embodiment, the methods comprise coating a device or other ultrathin layer on a growth substrate with a rigid support layer and then bonding that stack to a carrier substrate. The growth substrate can then be removed and the ultrathin layer mounted on a final support. In another embodiment, the invention provides methods of handling device layers during processing that must occur on both sides of the fragile layer without damaging it. This is accomplished via the sequential use of two carriers, one on each side of the device layer, bonded with different bonding compositions for selective debonding.

Abstract: The invention broadly relates to release layer compositions that enable thin wafer handling during microelectronics manufacturing. Preferred release layers are formed from compositions comprising a polyamic acid or polyimide dissolved or dispersed in a solvent system, followed by curing and/or solvent removal at about 250° C. to about 350° C. for less than about 10 minutes, yielding a thin film. This process forms the release compositions into polyimide release layers that can be used in temporary bonding processes, and laser debonded after the desired processing has been carried out.

Abstract: New methods for preparing carbon nanotube films having enhanced properties are provided. The method broadly provides reacting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and compounds comprising a polyaromatic moieties in the presence a strong acid. During the reaction process, the polyaromatic moieties noncovalently bond with the carbon nanotubes. Additionally, the functionalizing moieties are further functionalized by the strong acid. This dual functionalization allows the CNTs to be dispersed at concentrations greater than 0.5 g/L in solution without damaging their desirable electronic and physical properties. The resulting solutions are stable on the shelf for months without observable bundling, and can be incorporated into solutions for printing conductive traces by a variety of means, including inkjet, screen, flexographic, gravure printing, or spin and spray coating.

Abstract: New compositions and methods of using those compositions as bonding compositions are provided. The compositions comprise a polymer dispersed or dissolved in a solvent system, and can be used to bond an active wafer to a carrier wafer or substrate to assist in protecting the active wafer and its active sites during subsequent processing and handling. The compositions form bonding layers that are chemically and thermally resistant, but that can also be softened to allow the wafers to slide apart at the appropriate stage in the fabrication process.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel tank circuits that are totally passive, and they are made of conductive-grade carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on substrates, and preferably flexible substrates. These components and structures contain no traditional electronic materials such as silicon, metal oxides, or ceramics, and they are totally organic. They may be used in applications where the resonant frequency and amplitude of the sensor can be modulated by a thermal, mechanical, or chemical signal, such as temperature, strain, pressure, vibration, or humidity. All-organic, and consequently combustible, passive RF sensors have unique applications for defense and consumer industries.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of fabricating microelectronics structures and the resulting structures formed thereby using a dual-layer, light-sensitive, wet-developable bottom anti-reflective coating stack to reduce reflectance from the substrate during exposure. The invention provides dye-filled and dye-attached compositions for use in the anti-reflective coatings. The anti-reflective coatings are thermally crosslinkable and photochemically decrosslinkable. The bottom anti-reflective coating stack has gradient optical properties and develops at the same time as the photoresist. The method and structure are particularly suited to high-NA lithography processes.

Abstract: Novel double- and triple-patterning methods are provided. The methods involve applying a shrinkable composition to a patterned template structure (e.g., a structure having lines) and heating the composition. The shrinkable composition is selected to possess properties that will cause it to shrink during heating, thus forming a conformal layer over the patterned template structure. The layer is then etched to leave behind pre-spacer structures, which comprise the features from the pattern with remnants of the shrinkable composition adjacent the feature sidewalls. The features are removed, leaving behind a doubled pattern. In an alternative embodiment, an extra etch step can be carried out prior to formation of the features on the template structure, thus allowing the pattern to be tripled rather than doubled.

Abstract: New polymeric dielectric materials are provided for high power capacitors, especially for mobile and weapons applications. These materials utilize aminoplast crosslinking in their polymeric structure. The aminoplast crosslinking ability of these materials allows them to be customized for a number of applications, but also allows the materials to have a higher crosslinking density, leading to higher dielectric constants, higher breakdown voltage, and higher thermal stability. These materials can be incorporated into current capacitor manufacturing schemes with little to no processing changes.

Abstract: The invention described herein is directed towards spin-on carbon materials comprising polyamic acid compositions and a crosslinker in a solvent system. The materials are useful in trilayer photolithography processes. Films made with the inventive compositions are not soluble in solvents commonly used in lithographic materials, such as, but not limited to PGME, PGMEA, and cyclohexanone. However, the films can be dissolved in developers commonly used in photolithography. In one embodiment, the films can be heated at high temperatures to improve the thermal stability for high temperature processing. Regardless of the embodiment, the material can be applied to a flat/planar or patterned surface. Advantageously, the material exhibits a wiggling resistance during pattern transfer to silicon substrate using fluorocarbon etch.