Abstract: Methods of removing material from a defective opening in a glass mold using a laser pulse, repairing a glass mold and a related glass mold for injection molded solder (IMS) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a glass mold including a plurality of solder filled openings; identifying a defective opening in the glass mold; removing material from the defective opening by applying a laser pulse to the defective opening; and repairing the defective opening by filling the defective opening with an amount of solder by: removing a redundant, non-defective solder portion from an opening in the glass mold by applying a laser pulse to the opening, and placing the redundant, non-defective solder portion in the defective opening.

Abstract: Methods of removing material from a defective opening in a glass mold using a laser pulse, repairing a glass mold for injection molded solder (IMS) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a glass mold including a plurality of solder filled openings; identifying a defective opening in the glass mold; and removing material from the defective opening by applying a laser pulse to the defective opening.

Abstract: An air bearing gap control arrangement for injection molded solder filler heads. Also provided is a method of providing for a gap control for injection molded solder filler heads utilizing an air bearing arrangement. Provided is a C-ring seal, at the lower or dispensing region of the solder filler head structure, wherein the C-shape is open at the leading edge thereof. Hereby, a prevalent leading edge gap is tightly controlled by means of pressurized air in order to form an air bearing. Downstream of this leading edge is the molten solder, which is contained within a very narrow gap height between the solder filler head and the mold. As the solder fills the pits or recesses which are formed in the mold surface, air will rush out or be displaced from the pits towards the air bearing and is then expelled, while the deposited solder remains in place.

Abstract: A method is provided for making of interconnect solder bumps on a wafer or other electronic device without depositing any significant amount of tin or other solder component from the solder onto the wafer surface which tin can cause shorts or other defects in the wafer. The method is particularly useful for well-known C4NP interconnect technology. In one aspect of the invention, a reducing gas flow rate is used to remove oxides from the solder surfaces and wafer pad surfaces and is of a sufficient determined or pre-determined flow and/or chamber or mold/wafer spacing to provide a gas velocity across the solder surfaces and wafer pad surfaces so that Sn or other contaminants do not deposit on the wafer surface during solder transfer. In another aspect, the transfer contact is performed below the melting point of the solder and subsequently heated to above the melting temperature while in transfer contact. The heated solder in contact with the wafer pads is transferred to the wafer pads.

Abstract: An air bearing gap control arrangement for injection molded solder filler heads. Also provided is a method of providing for a gap control for injection molded solder filler heads utilizing an air bearing arrangement. Provided is a C-ring seal, at the lower or dispensing region of the solder filler head structure, wherein the C-shape is open at the leading edge thereof. Hereby, a prevalent leading edge gap is tightly controlled by means of pressurized air in order to form an air bearing. Downstream of this leading edge is the molten solder, which is contained within a very narrow gap height between the solder filler head and the mold. As the solder fills the pits or recesses which are formed in the mold surface, air will rush out or be displaced from the pits towards the air bearing and is then expelled, while the deposited solder remains in place.

Abstract: A new pressure-only molten metal valving apparatus and method is provided. This novel approach to controlling the flow of liquids eliminates the need for active, moving valve components. Using the natural surface tension properties of liquids, the gas pressure either activates liquid flow when a threshold is overcome or retains the liquid in a head, even when lifted.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new process that permits the transfer and reflow of solder features produced by Injection Molded Solder (IMS) from a mold plate to a solder receiving substrate without the use of flux. Several embodiments produce solder transfer and reflow separately or together and use either formic acid vapor or partial concentration of hydrogen, both in nitrogen, as the oxide reducing atmosphere. A final embodiment produces fluxless transfer and reflow in only nitrogen through the use of ultrasonic vibration between the solder filled mold plate and solder receiving substrate.

Abstract: A new pressure-only molten metal valving apparatus and method is provided. This novel approach to controlling the flow of liquids eliminates the need for active, moving valve components. Using the natural surface tension properties of liquids, the gas pressure either activates liquid flow when a threshold is overcome or retains the liquid in a head, even when lifted.

Abstract: A reference chuck which is used with a leveling device for holding microelectronic substrates and other electronic component substrates for laser ablation and other exposure processes, the chuck comprising a frame body for supporting the substrate to be processed, clamping means at the periphery of the frame body for holding the substrate to the frame body and elastomeric means for urging the substrate mounted in the reference chuck against the clamping means. The undersides of the clamping means which contacts the upper surface of the substrate forms in its tightened position a clamping plane which clamping plane is parallel with an established plane of the lower surface of the chuck. The reference chuck provides a very low profile envelope for use with conventional leveling devices and the top surface of the substrate and the lower surface of the reference chuck are in parallel planes when the chuck is placed on the working surface of the leveling device.

Abstract: A process for forming parabolic micro-reflectors on an object includes the steps of placing the object proximate to a transfer lens system, shining a laser beam through the lens system, a mask and a wobble plate and onto the object, the wobble plate wobbling the laser beam such that a parabolic shaped micro-reflector is formed on the object.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including a print mechanism for printing key-input print information; an eraser for erasing a character or symbol printed on a recording medium with the print mechanism; a first memory for storing the key-input information; a second memory for storing information on a print object erased with the eraser; and an erasure controller for controlling the eraser in accordance with a comparison result between the erased object information stored in the second memory and the key-input information stored in the first memory.