Abstract: A system including a modulator, a laser source, a mirror, a laser sensor, and a processor. The modulator is movable in a first direction. The laser source is configured to emit laser light in a direction parallel to the surface of the modulator. The mirror is configured to redirect the laser light. The laser sensor is configured to detect a first change in intensity when a particle on the surface of the modulator passes through the laser light emitted by the laser source. The laser sensor is further configured to detect a second change in intensity when the particle on the surface of the modulator passes through the laser light redirected by the at least one mirror. The processor is configured to determine an X-Y location of the particle based on the first change in intensity and the second change in intensity.

Abstract: A system for coating of a donor material onto a laser radiation transparent substrate, the system including a donor material applicator, applying donor material to the laser radiation transparent substrate, a multi-pass precise donor material thickness determiner for providing a desired thickness of the donor material on the laser radiation transparent substrate and including a linearly displaceable blade support, a layer thickness uniformizing blade lockably pivotably mounted onto the linearly displaceable blade support about a pivot axis, the blade having a straight edge and a blade position maintainer operative for maintaining the straight edge at a desired separation distance from the laser radiation transparent substrate, the separation distance being uniform along the straight edge of the layer thickness uniformizing blade.

Abstract: A method for producing electronic devices includes fixing a die that includes an electronic component with integral contacts to a dielectric substrate. After fixing the die, a conductive trace is printed over both the dielectric substrate and at least one of the integral contacts, so as to create an ohmic connection between the conductive trace on the substrate and the electronic component.

Abstract: A method includes, receiving a layout design of at least part of an electronic module, the design specifying at least (i) an electronic device coupled to at least a substrate, and (ii) an electrical trace that is connected to the electronic device and has a designed route. A digital input, which represents at least part of an actual electronic module that was manufactured in accordance with the layout design but without at least a portion of the electrical trace, is received. An error in coupling the electronic device to the substrate, relative to the layout design, is estimated based on the digital input. An actual route that corrects the estimated error, is calculated for at least the portion of the electrical trace. At least the portion of the electrical trace is formed on the substrate of the actual electronic module, along the actual route instead of the designed route.

Abstract: An Artificial Intelligence system, an apparatus and, a computer program product and a method for automatic improvement of artificial intelligence classification models. A model-performance measurement of the classification model is iteratively improved by at least a predetermined target goal in each iteration. The iterative improvement comprises generating a hypotheses graph for improving the classification model, based on a list of hypotheses and scores thereof. Each hypothesis relates to a strategy for potentially improving the classification model, and is associated with a score indicating a likelihood that an application thereof improves the model-performance measurement. Each node of the hypotheses graph comprises a hypothesis of the list of hypotheses.

Abstract: A method for circuit fabrication includes defining a solder bump, including a specified solder material and having a specified bump volume, to be formed at a target location on an acceptor substrate. A transparent donor substrate, having a donor film including the specified solder material, is positioned such that the donor film is in proximity to the target location on the acceptor substrate. A sequence of pulses of laser radiation is directed to pass through the first surface of the donor substrate and impinge on the donor film so as to induce ejection from the donor film onto the target location on the acceptor substrate of a number of molten droplets of the solder material such that the droplets deposited at the target location cumulatively reach the specified bump volume. The target location is heated so the deposited droplets melt and reflow to form the solder bump.

Abstract: An apparatus is used in preparing a printed circuit board (PCB). The apparatus can include a common chassis, an inkjet printer mounted on the common chassis, and a pattern exposer mounted on the common chassis. The inkjet printer can selectively print unexposed photosensitive patterns on a PCB substrate with a photosensitive ink. The pattern exposer can expose said photosensitive patterns to radiation thereby defining exposed patterns. A photosensitive ink for use in an ink jet printer can include a photoresist, a solvent, a humectant, a surfactant, an adhesion promoter, and a basic solution. The adhesion promoter is operative to increase anisotropy of a wet etching process of a copper component on which said photosensitive ink is printed.

Abstract: A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate including depositing on the substrate a layer of material having a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 microns, including metal particles having a diameter in the range of 10 to 100 nanometers, employing a patterning laser beam to selectably sinter regions of the layer of material, thereby causing the metal particles to together define a conductor at sintered regions and employing an ablating laser beam, below a threshold at which the sintered regions would be ablated, to ablate portions of the layer of material other than at the sintered regions.

Abstract: Optical apparatus includes an acousto-optic medium and an array of multiple piezoelectric transducers attached to the acousto-optic medium. A drive circuit is coupled to apply to the piezoelectric transducers respective drive signals including at least first and second frequency components at different, respective first and second frequencies and with different, respective phase offsets for the first and second frequency components at each of the multiple piezoelectric transducers.

Abstract: An optical inspection apparatus includes an interferometer module, which is configured to direct a beam of coherent light toward an area under inspection and to produce a first image of interference fringes of the area. The apparatus also includes a triangulation module configured to project a pattern of structured light onto the area, and at least one image sensor configured to capture the first image of interference fringes and a second image of the pattern that is reflected from the area. Beam combiner optics are configured to direct the beam of coherent light and the projected pattern to impinge on the same location on the area. A processor is configured to process the first and second images in order to generate a 3D map of the area.

Abstract: A method for metallization includes providing a transparent donor substrate (34) having deposited thereon a donor film (36) including a metal with a thickness less than 2 ?m. The donor substrate is positioned in proximity to an acceptor substrate (22) including a semiconductor material with the donor film facing toward the acceptor substrate and with a gap of at least 0.1 mm between the donor film and the acceptor substrate. A train of laser pulses, having a pulse duration less than 2 ns, is directed to impinge on the donor substrate so as to cause droplets (44) of the metal to be ejected from the donor layer and land on the acceptor substrate, thereby forming a circuit trace (25) in ohmic contact with the semiconductor material.

Abstract: A range differentiator useful for auto-focusing, the range differentiator including an image generator providing an image of a scene at various physical depths, a depth differentiator distinguishing portions of the image at depths below a predetermined threshold, irrespective of a shape of the portions, and providing a depth differentiated image and a focus distance ascertainer ascertaining a focus distance based on the depth differentiated image.

Abstract: Apparatus for inspection includes an imaging assembly, including a plurality of cameras, which are mounted in different, respective locations in the imaging assembly and are configured to capture respective images of a sample. A motion assembly is configured to move at least one of the imaging assembly and the sample so as to cause the imaging assembly to scan the sample with a scan accuracy that is limited by a predetermined position tolerance. An image processor is coupled to receive and process the images captured by the cameras so as to locate a defect in the sample with a position accuracy that is finer than the position tolerance.

Abstract: A method for fabrication includes providing a substrate having an upper surface with pattern of one or more recesses formed therein. A laser beam is directed to impinge on a donor film so as to eject droplets of a fluid from the donor film by laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) into the one or more recesses. The fluid hardens within the one or more recesses to form a solid piece having a shape defined by the one or more recesses. The substrate is removed from the solid piece. In some embodiments, the recesses are coated with a thin-film layer before ejecting the droplets into the recesses, such that the thin-film layer remains as an outer surface of the solid piece after removing the substrate.

Abstract: A method for 3D printing includes printing a first metallic material on a substrate as a support structure (48). A second metallic material, which is less anodic than the first metallic material, is printed on the substrate as a target structure (46), in contact with the support structure. The support structure is chemically removed from the target structure by applying a galvanic effect to selectively corrode the first metallic material.

Abstract: A method for material deposition includes providing a transparent donor substrate (56, 60) having opposing first and second surfaces and multiple donor films (62, 64) including different, respective materials on the second surface. The donor substrate is positioned in proximity to an acceptor substrate (41), with the second surface facing toward the acceptor substrate. Pulses of laser radiation are directed to pass through the first surface of the donor substrate and impinge on the donor films so as to induce ejection of molten droplets containing a bulk mixture of the different materials from the donor films onto the acceptor substrate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing includes coating a substrate (22) with a matrix (28) containing a material to be patterned on the substrate. A pattern is fixed in the matrix by directing a pulsed energy beam to impinge on a locus of the pattern so as to cause adhesion of the material to the substrate along the pattern without fully sintering the material in the pattern. The matrix remaining on the substrate outside the fixed pattern is removed, and after removing the matrix, the material in the pattern is sintered.

Abstract: A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate including depositing on the substrate a layer of material having a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 microns, including metal particles having a diameter in the range of 10 to 100 nanometers, employing a patterning laser beam to selectably sinter regions of the layer of material, thereby causing the metal particles to together define a conductor at sintered regions and employing an ablating laser beam, below a threshold at which the sintered regions would be ablated, to ablate portions of the layer of material other than at the sintered regions.

Abstract: A method of producing a conductive path on a substrate including depositing on the substrate a layer of material having a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 microns, including metal particles having a diameter in the range of 10 to 100 nanometers, employing a patterning laser beam to selectably sinter regions of the layer of material, thereby causing the metal particles to together define a conductor at sintered regions and employing an ablating laser beam, below a threshold at which the sintered regions would be ablated, to ablate portions of the layer of material other than at the sintered regions.

Abstract: Optical apparatus includes an acousto-optic medium and an array of multiple piezoelectric transducers attached to the acousto-optic medium. A drive circuit is coupled to apply to the piezoelectric transducers respective drive signals including at least first and second frequency components at different, respective first and second frequencies and with different, respective phase offsets for the first and second frequency components at each of the multiple piezoelectric transducers.