Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to accommodating embedded substrates during direct writing onto a printed circuit board and to other patterning problems that benefit from an extended depth of focus. In particular, it relates to multi-focus direct writing of a workpiece by the continuous or step-wise movement of the workpiece during the sequence of exposures having different focus planes. In one implementation, a multi-arm rotating direct writer is configured for interleaved writing focused on two or more focal planes that generally correspond to two or more surface heights of a radiation sensitive layer that overlays the uneven workpiece. Alternating arms can produce interleaved writing to the two or more focal planes.

Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to methods and devices that compensate for displacements in a pattern or deformations of a workpiece. In particular, this relates to using timing to compensate for displacements along a first axis along the scanning direction while using resampling, interpolation or a similar method to compensate for displacements along a second axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first axis. The scanning direction may be an actual direction of movement of the scanning head or it may be a direction perpendicular to an orientation of an image projected onto a workpiece.

Abstract: A contact probe electrically connects the tester side and an electrode pad of a circuit to be tested. This contact probe has a mounting portion on a base end portion mounted on a probe card, a contact portion on a distal end portion brought into contact with the electrode pad, and an arm portion between them elastically supporting the contact portion. The contact portion is provided on a lower end portion of a base portion integrally mounted on a distal end portion of the arm portion. The arm portion has a one-side arm piece supporting the base portion and allowing vertical movement of the base portion and the other-side arm piece supporting the base portion and adjusting an inclination angle of the base portion to reduce a scrub amount of the contact portion. The probe card uses the above-described contact probe.

Abstract: An evaporator assembly includes an inlet member and a diffuser, and receives a mixture of a gas and a solution to vaporize a portion of a solvent from the solution. First portions of the diffuser and of the inlet member collectively define a first flow path. A second portion of the diffuser defines a second flow path that diverges. A third portion of the diffuser and a second portion of the inlet member collectively define an evaporation volume between the first flow path and the second flow path. At least one of the diffuser or the inlet flow member includes multiple vanes that produce a rotation within a flow of the mixture when the flow exits the first flow path into the evaporation volume. A separator receives the mixture to produce a first flow of a portion of the solvent and a second flow of a portion of the solute.

Abstract: An embodiment of an electrical connecting apparatus enables reliable identification of a mark and enables accurate and easy determination of a coordinate position of the mark. The electrical connecting apparatus comprises a supporting body having a lower surface, a plurality of contacts arranged on the lower surface of the supporting body, a mark that is provided on a lower side of the supporting body and whose light passing feature differs from that of an area adjacent to the mark, and a light source provided to the supporting body to irradiate light to the mark from an upper side of the mark.

Abstract: A contact inspection device including contacts that contact with a test object for inspection, each contact having a base end portion, a needle tip portion having a needle tip that contacts with the test object, and an elastically deformable portion located between the base end portion and the needle tip portion, with the base end portion and the needle tip portion having axes which coincide with each other. The elastically deformable portion is deformable under a compressive force applied in the axial direction of the needle tip portion while the needle tip is pressed against the test object and converts the compressive force into a tilting motion of the needle tip portion about the needle tip through deformation. The needle tip portion is displaceable in a direction in which the needle tip portion is pivotally tilted while the needle tip is pressed against the test object.

Abstract: A print system includes a first printer and a print data output device that is communicably connected to the first printer. The print data output device is adapted to output to the first printer print data generated based on internal print data generated by any of a plurality of programs. The print data output device includes a second printer-retained information storage unit. The second printer-retained information storage unit obtains and stores the second printer-retained information that is stored in the second printer. The print data output device includes an intermediate data generation section that generates raster image data based on the internal print data and the second printer-retained information. The print data output device includes a print data generation unit that generates the print data used for causing the first printer to form an image based on the raster image data on an image recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to microfluidic devices and methods for manipulating and analyzing fluid samples. The disclosed microfluidic devices utilize a plurality of microfluidic channels, inlets, valves, filter, pumps, liquid barriers and other elements arranged in various configurations to manipulate the flow of a fluid sample in order to prepare such sample for analysis.

Abstract: A pattern generator includes: a writing tool and a calibration system. The writing tool is configured to generate a pattern on a workpiece arranged on a stage. The calibration system is configured to determine a correlation between a coordinate system of the writing tool and a coordinate system of a calibration plate on one of the stage and the workpiece. The calibration system is also configured to determine the correlation at least partly based on an optical correlation signal, or pattern, in a form of at least one optical beam being reflected from at least one reflective pattern on the surface of the calibration plate.

Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to patterning of flexible substrate. One implementation can be applied for production of flexible displays and other electronic devices on flexible substrates. The substrate may be plastic film typically 50-150 microns thick and the size of the pattern features may typically be in the range 1-10 microns across. Larger and smaller structures are possible. The patterning is done by means of optical exposure, either by exposure of a photosensitive resist or lacquer, or by other thermal or photochemical interaction between the light and the substrate. The substrate may typically be loaded as a roll and after exposure and other processing it may be rolled up on a second output roll, so called roll-to-roll (R-to-R) processing.

Abstract: An electrode and wiring can be provided on an FPC board without restriction by a through hole. A probe card in which an FPC board of a probe assembly is fixed to the main board side by a clamp mechanism is provided. The clamp mechanism is provided with a fixing ring fixed to the main board side and on which the FPC board is mounted and a rotating ring screwed into the fixing ring and pressing a peripheral edge portion of the FPC board. In the fixing ring, a pressing ring pressed by screwing of the rotating ring for pressing the peripheral edge portion of the FPC board to the main board side is provided.

Abstract: An electrical test probe according to an embodiment includes a probe main body portion having a connection end to a circuit of a probe base plate and made of a first metal material with resiliency, and a probe tip portion having a probe tip, made of a second metal material with higher hardness than that of the first metal material for the probe main body portion, and communicating with the probe main body portion, wherein the probe main body portion and the probe tip portion are provided with a current path made of an equal metal material extending from the probe tip to the connection end.

Abstract: A method for patterning a workpiece in a direct write machine in the manufacturing of a multilayer stack, wherein a first circuit pattern comprising patterns for connection points is transformed according to determined fitting tolerances to fit to connection points of a second circuit pattern and to circuit pattern(s) of specific features such as random placed dies, or group of dies, on or in the workpiece. The second layer may be a previously formed layer or a layer to be formed on the same workpiece or on a different workpiece for the stack. Pattern data associated with selected die is transformed into adjusted circuit pattern data using the transformation defined by the transformed positions such that the circuit pattern is fitted to the selected die(s).

Abstract: A method of patterning a plurality of layers of a work piece in a series of write machines, wherein errors due to different transformation capabilities of different machines are compensated by distributing the errors over the plurality of layers.

Abstract: A pattern generator includes: a writing tool and a calibration system. The writing tool is configured to generate a pattern on a workpiece arranged on a stage. The calibration system is configured to determine a correlation between a coordinate system of the writing tool and a coordinate system of a calibration plate on one of the stage and the workpiece. The calibration system is also configured to determine the correlation at least partly based on an optical correlation signal, or pattern, in a form of at least one optical beam being reflected from at least one reflective pattern on the surface of the calibration plate.

Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to methods and devices that compensate for displacements in a pattern or deformations of a workpiece. In particular, this relates to using timing to compensate for displacements along a first axis along the scanning direction while using resampling, interpolation or a similar method to compensate for displacements along a second axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first axis. The scanning direction may be an actual direction of movement of the scanning head or it may be a direction perpendicular to an orientation of an image projected onto a workpiece.

Abstract: The present invention relates to microfluidic devices and methods for manipulating and analyzing fluid samples. The disclosed microfluidic devices utilize a plurality of microfluidic channels, inlets, valves, filter, pumps, liquid barriers and other elements arranged in various configurations to manipulate the flow of a fluid sample in order to prepare such sample for analysis.

Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to scanning of large flat substrates for reading and writing images. Examples are flat panel displays, PCB's and photovoltaic panels. Reading and writing is to be understood in a broad sense: reading may mean microscopy, inspection, metrology, spectroscopy, interferometry, scatterometry, etc. of a large workpiece, and writing may mean exposing a photoresist, annealing by optical heating, ablating, or creating any other change to the surface by an optical beam. In particular, we disclose a technology that uses a rotating or swinging arm that describes an arc across a workpiece as it scans, instead of following a traditional straight-line motion.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a circuit board, as a photomask adapted to form an etching mask for selective removal of a seed layer covering a conductive portion exposed on an insulating film, a photomask whose opening area has an outline having two sides along two straight lines approaching to each other as the two straight lines extend from a center portion of the opening area in an extending direction of a wiring path is used.

Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to translating between a Cartesian grid and a curved scanning path that produces varying exposure doses as the scanning head traces the curved scanning path. It can be applied to writing to or reading from a workpiece. In particular, we teach use of varying exposure dose that compensates for the time it takes for the curved scan path to transit a straight axis. This simplifies either modulation of a modulator, from which data is projected onto the workpiece, or analysis of data collected by a detector, onto which partial images of the workpiece are projected.