Abstract: Various techniques and apparatus permit fabrication of superconductive circuits. A superconducting integrated circuit comprising a superconducting stud via, a kinetic inductor, and a capacitor may be formed. Forming a superconducting stud via in a superconducting integrated circuit may include masking with a hard mask and masking with a soft mask. Forming a superconducting stud via in a superconducting integrated circuit may include depositing a dielectric etch stop layer. Interlayer misalignment in the fabrication of a superconducting integrated circuit may be measured by an electrical vernier. Interlayer misalignment in the fabrication of a superconducting integrated circuit may be measured by a chain of electrical verniers and a Wheatstone bridge. A superconducting integrated circuit with three or more metal layers may include an enclosed, matched, on-chip transmission line. A metal wiring layer in a superconducting integrated circuit may be encapsulated.

Abstract: A set (50) of laser pulses (52) is employed to sever a conductive link (22) in a memory or other IC chip. The duration of the set (50) is preferably shorter than 1,000 ns; and the pulse width of each laser pulse (52) within the set (50) is preferably within a range of about 0.1 ps to 30 ns. The set (50) can be treated as a single “pulse” by conventional laser positioning systems (62) to perform on-the-fly link removal without stopping whenever the laser system (60) fires a set (50) of laser pulses (52) at each link (22). Conventional IR wavelengths or their harmonics can be employed.

Abstract: A set (50) of laser pulses (52) is employed to sever a conductive link (22) in a memory or other IC chip. The duration of the set (50) is preferably shorter than 1,000 ns; and the pulse width of each laser pulse (52) within the set (50) is preferably within a range of about 0.1 ps to 30 ns. The set (50) can be treated as a single “pulse” by conventional laser positioning systems (62) to perform on-the-fly link removal without stopping whenever the laser system (60) fires a set (50) of laser pulses (52) at each link (22). Conventional IR wavelengths or their harmonics can be employed.

Abstract: A set (50) of laser pulses (52) is employed to sever a conductive link (22) in a memory or other IC chip. The duration of the set (50) is preferably shorter than 1,000 ns; and the pulse width of each laser pulse (52) within the set (50) is preferably within a range of about 0.1 ps to 30 ns. The set (50) can be treated as a single “pulse” by conventional laser positioning systems (62) to perform on-the-fly link removal without stopping whenever the laser system (60) fires a set (50) of laser pulses (52) at each link (22). Conventional IR wavelengths or their harmonics can be employed.

Abstract: A set (50) of laser pulses (52) is employed to sever a conductive link (22) in a memory or other IC chip. The duration of the set (50) is preferably shorter than 1,000 ns; and the pulse width of each laser pulse (52) within the set (50) is preferably within a range of about 0.1 ps to 30 ns. The set (50) can be treated as a single “pulse” by conventional laser positioning systems (62) to perform on-the-fly link removal without stopping whenever the laser system (60) fires a set (50) of laser pulses (52) at each link (22). Conventional IR wavelengths or their harmonics can be employed.

Abstract: Terminating the ends of passive electronic components entails applying a laser-removable coating to one or both of the opposed major surfaces of a substrate. A UV laser beam having a spot size and an energy distribution sufficient to remove the laser-removable coating from multiple selected regions of at least one of the major surfaces to which the laser-removable coating was applied is directed for incidence on the substrate. Relative motion between the UV laser beam and substrate effects removal of sufficient amounts of laser-removable coating to expose the multiple selected regions. The substrate is then broken into multiple rowbars or individual components, each of which includes side margins. An electrically conductive material is applied to the side margins to form electrically conductive interconnects between portions of the side margins spatially aligned with the multiple selected regions.

Abstract: A method of forming a scribe line having a sharp snap line entails directing a UV laser beam along a ceramic or ceramic-like substrate such that a portion of the thickness of the substrate is removed. The UV laser beam forms a scribe line in the substrate without appreciable substrate melting so that a clearly defined snap line forms a region of high stress concentration extending into the thickness of the substrate. Consequently, multiple depthwise cracks propagate into the thickness of the substrate in the region of high stress concentration in response to a breakage force applied to either side of the scribe line to effect clean fracture of the substrate into separate circuit components. The formation of this region facilitates higher precision fracture of the substrate while maintaining the integrity of the interior structure of each component during and after application of the breakage force.

Abstract: Terminating the ends of passive electronic components entails applying a laser-ablative coating to each of the opposed major surfaces of a substrate. A UV laser beam having a spot size and an energy distribution sufficient to remove the laser-ablative coating from multiple selected regions of the major surfaces is directed for incidence on the substrate. Relative motion between the UV laser beam and substrate effects removal of sufficient amounts of laser-ablative coating to expose the multiple selected regions of the opposed major surfaces. The substrate is then broken into multiple rowbars, each of which includes side margins along which are positioned different spatially aligned pairs of the selected regions of the opposed major surfaces. An electrically conductive material is applied to the side margins to form electrically conductive interconnects between each spatially aligned pair of the selected regions.

Abstract: A method of forming a scribe line having a sharp snap line entails directing a UV laser beam along a ceramic substrate such that a portion of the thickness of the ceramic substrate is removed. The UV laser beam forms a scribe line in the ceramic substrate in the absence of appreciable ceramic substrate melting so that a clearly defined snap line forms a region of high stress concentration extending into the thickness of the ceramic substrate. Consequently, multiple depthwise fractures propagate into the thickness of the ceramic substrate in the region of high stress concentration in response to a breakage force applied to either side of the scribe line to effect clean breakage of the ceramic substrate into separate circuit components. The formation of this region facilitates higher precision breakage of the ceramic substrate while maintaining the integrity of the interior structure of each component during and after application of the breakage force.

Abstract: A laser beam (102) cuts through a component carrier mask (96) made of thin elastomeric material such as silicone rubber to form slots (98) having slot openings of a desired shape. In a preferred embodiment, a light absorptivity enhancement material such as iron oxide introduced into the silicone rubber causes formation of a flexible support blank that operationally adequately absorbs light within a light absorption wavelength range. A beam positioner (106) receiving commands from a programmed controller causes a UV laser beam of a wavelength that is within the light absorption wavelength range to cut into the mask multiple slots with repeatable, precise dimensions. Each of the slots cut has opposed side margins that define between them a slot opening of suitable shape to receive a miniature component (10) and to exert on it optimal holding and release forces.

Abstract: A laser beam (102) cuts through a component carrier mask (96) made of thin elastomeric material such as silicone rubber to form slots (98) having slot openings of a desired shape. In a preferred embodiment, a light absorptivity enhancement material such as iron oxide introduced into the silicone rubber causes formation of a flexible support blank that operationally adequately absorbs light within a light absorption wavelength range. A beam positioner (106) receiving commands from a programmed controller causes a UV laser beam of a wavelength that is within the light absorption wavelength range to cut into the mask multiple slots with repeatable, precise dimensions. Each of the slots cut has opposed side margins that define between them a slot opening of suitable shape to receive a miniature component (10) and to exert on it optimal holding and release forces.

Abstract: The semiconductor device includes a blocking layer 12 formed on a substrate 10, an insulation film 14 formed on the blocking layer 12, and a fuse 22 formed on the insulation film 14. The blocking layer 12 is formed below the fuse 22, whereby the fuse is disconnected by laser ablation, and the laser ablation can be stopped by the blocking layer 12 with good controllability without damaging the substrate. The fuses to be disconnected can be arranged at a very small pitch, which can improve integration of the fuse circuit.

Abstract: A set (50) of laser pulses (52) is employed to remove a conductive link (22) and/or its overlying passivation layer (44) in a memory or other IC chip. The duration of the set (50) is preferably shorter than 1,000 ns; and the pulse width of each laser pulse (52) within the set (50) is preferably within a range of about 0.1 ps to 30 ns. The set (50) can be treated as a single “pulse” by conventional laser positioning systems (62) to perform on-the-fly link and/or passivation removal without stopping whenever the laser system (60) fires a set (50) of laser pulses (52) at each link (22). Conventional IR wavelengths or their harmonics can be employed. Selected links (22) can be etched by chemical or other alternative methods when the sets (50) are used to remove only the overlying passivation layer (44) at the selected target positions.

Abstract: A set (50) of laser pulses (52) is employed to sever a conductive link (22) in a memory or other IC chip. The duration of the set (50) is preferably shorter than 1,000 ns; and the pulse width of each laser pulse (52) within the set (50) is preferably within a range of about 0.1 ps to 30 ns. The set (50) can be treated as a single “pulse” by conventional laser positioning systems (62) to perform on-the-fly link removal without stopping whenever the laser system (60) fires a set (50) of laser pulses (52) at each link (22). Conventional IR wavelengths or their harmonics can be employed.

Abstract: A method of constructing a multilayer electric apparatus. The method includes forming a set of conductive features and a plurality of fiducial markings on a first dielectric layer in mutual reference to each other so that their relative positions are known to a first tolerance. Also, a pattern of information corresponding to a desired photoresist exposure pattern for a second layer of the multilayer electric apparatus is stored in a computer readable format. The locations of the fiducial markings on the first layer are measured and the pattern of information for the second layer is altered in correspondence to the measured locations of the fiducial markings. The updated pattern of information is used to control a laser to selectively expose the photoresist on the second layer. Finally, the first and second layers are joined to each other.

Abstract: A burst (50) of ultrashort laser pulses (52) is employed to sever a conductive link (22) in a nonthermal manner and offers a wider processing window, eliminates undesirable HAZ effects, and achieves superior severed link quality. The duration of the burst (50) is preferably in the range of 10 ns to 500 ns; and the pulse width of each laser pulse (52) within the burst (50) is generally shorter than 25 ps, preferably shorter than or equal to 10 ps, and most preferably about 10 ps to 100 fs or shorter. The burst (50) can be treated as a single “pulse” by conventional laser positioning systems (62) to perform on-the-fly link removal without stopping whenever the laser system (60) fires a burst (50) of laser pulses (52) at each link (22). Conventional wavelengths or their harmonics can be employed.

Abstract: A uniform laser spot, such as from an imaged shaped Gaussian output (118) or a clipped Gaussian spot, that is less than 20 &mgr;m in diameter can be employed for both thin and thick film resistor trimming to substantially reduce microcracking. These spots can be generated in an ablative, nonthermal, UV laser wavelength to reduce the HAZ and/or shift in TCR.

Abstract: A uniform laser spot, such as from an imaged shaped Gaussian output (118) or a clipped Gaussian spot, that is less than 20 &mgr;m in diameter can be employed for both thin and thick film resistor trimming to substantially reduce microcracking. These spots can be generated in an ablative, nonthermal, UV laser wavelength to reduce the HAZ and/or shift in TCR.

Abstract: The semiconductor device comprises a blocking layer 12 formed on a substrate 10, an insulation film 14 formed on the blocking layer 12, and a fuse 22 formed on the insulation film 14. The blocking layer 12 is formed below the fuse 22, whereby the fuse is disconnected by laser ablation, and the laser ablation can be stopped by the blocking layer 12 with good controllability without damaging the substrate. The fuses to be disconnected can be arranged at a very small pitch, which can improve integration of the fuse circuit.

Abstract: A burst (50) of ultrashort laser pulses (52) is employed to sever a conductive link (22) in a nonthermal manner and offers a wider processing window, eliminates undesirable HAZ effects, and achieves superior severed link quality. The duration of the burst (50) is preferably in the range of 10 ns to 500 ns; and the pulse width of each laser pulse (52) within the burst (50) is generally shorter than 25 ps, preferably shorter than or equal to 10 ps, and most preferably about 10 ps to 100 fs or shorter. The burst (50) can be treated as a single “pulse” by conventional laser positioning systems (62) to perform on-the-fly link removal without stopping whenever the laser system (60) fires a burst (50) of laser pulses (52) at each link (22). Conventional wavelengths or their harmonics can be employed.