Patents by Inventor Jerry A. Gorrell

Jerry A. Gorrell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7833897
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sarah H. Knickerbocker, Sean A. Allen, John J. Garant, Jerry A. Gorrell, Phillip W Palmatier, Christopher L Tessler
  • Patent number: 7666780
    Abstract: A method is provided for the making of interconnect solder bumps on a wafer or other electronic device. The method is particularly useful for the well-known C4NP interconnect technology and determines if any off-set resulted between the solder mold array and the wafer capture array during the transfer process. The amount of off-set enables the operator to adjust the transfer tool before solder transfer to compensate for the off-set caused by the transfer process and provides a more cost-effective and efficient solder transfer process. A solder reactive material surrounding the capture pads is used to determine where the solder reacts with the solder reactive material showing the off-set resulting from the transfer process. Copper is a preferred solder reactive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry A. Gorrell, Sarah H. Knickerbocker, Srinivasa S. N. Reddy
  • Publication number: 20090181533
    Abstract: A method is provided for the making of interconnect solder bumps on a wafer or other electronic device. The method is particularly useful for the well-known C4NP interconnect technology and determines if any off-set resulted between the solder mold array and the wafer capture array during the transfer process. The amount of off-set enables the operator to adjust the transfer tool before solder transfer to compensate for the off-set caused by the transfer process and provides a more cost-effective and efficient solder transfer process. A solder reactive material surrounding the capture pads is used to determine where the solder reacts with the solder reactive material showing the off-set resulting from the transfer process. Copper is a preferred solder reactive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jerry A. Gorrell, Sarah H. Knickerbocker, Srinivasa S.N. Reddy
  • Publication number: 20090020590
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sarah H. Knickerbocker, Sean A. Allen, John J. Garant, Jerry A. Gorrell, Phillip W Palmatier, Christopher L. Tessler
  • Patent number: 6892781
    Abstract: A fixture having a bottom plate, top plate and an expansion block interposed between the bottom plate and top plate. A workpiece is positioned between the expansion block and bottom plate. When the fixture is heated, there is a net displacement exerted by the expansion block so as to apply pressure to the workpiece. The pressure applied by the fixture to the workpiece is due solely to the thermal expansion of the fixture when it is heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dale C McHerron, Kaushal S. Patel, Christopher Lee Tessler, Jerry A. Gorrell, James Edward Tersigni
  • Publication number: 20030221777
    Abstract: A fixture having a bottom plate, top plate and an expansion block interposed between the bottom plate and top plate. A workpiece is positioned between the expansion block and bottom plate. When the fixture is heated, there is a net displacement exerted by the expansion block so as to apply pressure to the workpiece. The pressure applied by the fixture to the workpiece is due solely to the thermal expansion of the fixture when it is heated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dale C. McHerron, Kaushal S. Patel, Christopher Lee Tessler, Jerry A. Gorrell, James Edward Tersigni