Abstract: A method for removing particles from a semiconductor wafer surface is disclosed. A wafer is being spun on a spin coater contained within a condensing environment. Liquid vapor is then infused into the condensing environment to allow some of the liquid vapor to be condensed onto a surface of the wafer on which particles may adhere while the wafer is being spun. Next, a set of light pulses is applied to the surface of the spinning wafer. Finally, an air stream is utilized to carry the particles off the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A method for removing particles from a semiconductor wafer surface is disclosed. A liquid is placed on a surface of a semiconductor wafer on which particles may adhere. A light pulse is then applied to the surface of the semiconductor wafer through the liquid. The liquid containing the particles is then removed from the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A method for removing particles from a semiconductor wafer surface is disclosed. A liquid is placed on a surface of a semiconductor wafer on which particles may adhere. A light pulse is then applied to the surface of the semiconductor wafer through the liquid. The liquid containing the particles is then removed from the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A method for removing particles from a semiconductor wafer surface is disclosed. A wafer is being spun on a spin coater contained within a condensing environment. Liquid vapor is then infused into the condensing environment to allow some of the liquid vapor to be condensed onto a surface of the wafer on which particles may adhere while the wafer is being spun. Next, a set of light pulses is applied to the surface of the spinning wafer. Finally, an air stream is utilized to carry the particles off the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A method for removing particles from a semiconductor wafer surface is disclosed. A wafer is being spun on a spin coater contained within a condensing environment. Liquid vapor is then infused into the condensing environment to allow some of the liquid vapor to be condensed onto a surface of the wafer on which particles may adhere while the wafer is being spun. Next, a set of light pulses is applied to the surface of the spinning wafer. Finally, an electric grid is utilized to remove the particles off the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A method for attaching and detaching a substrate from a bonded stack is disclosed. A broadband light-absorbing material is combined with an adhesive material to form a broadband light-absorbing adhesive. A layer of the broadband light-absorbing adhesive is then applied on one side of a transparent carrier. A substrate is placed on the broadband light-absorbing adhesive and the transparent carrier to form a bonded stack. The substrate can be a wafer or a polymeric film. At this point, processing steps can be performed on the substrate. After the processing steps have been completed, a light pulse from a flashlamp is utilized to heat up the broadband light-absorbing adhesive in order to loosen the substrate from the bonded stack such that the substrate can be easily detached from the bonded stack.

Abstract: A method for attaching and detaching a substrate from a bonded stack is disclosed. A broadband light-absorbing material is combined with an adhesive material to form a broadband light-absorbing adhesive. A layer of the broadband light-absorbing adhesive is then applied on one side of a transparent carrier. A substrate is placed on the broadband light-absorbing adhesive and the transparent carrier to form a bonded stack. The substrate can be a wafer or a polymeric film. At this point, processing steps can be performed on the substrate. After the processing steps have been completed, a light pulse from a flashlamp is utilized to heat up the broadband light-absorbing adhesive in order to loosen the substrate from the bonded stack such that the substrate can be easily detached from the bonded stack.

Abstract: A method for connecting an electronic component to a circuit board is disclosed. Initially, a substrate and an electronic component having solder located between them are placed under a flashlamp. Multiple light pulses from the flashlamp are applied to the electronic component, substrate and solder until the solder reflows. During the application of the light pulses, the power of one of the light pulses from the flashlamp and the temperature of the electronic component are measured, the measured power is converted to radiant exposure, and in response to the measured temperature of the electronic component, the duty cycle of a next light pulse is adjusted adaptively according to the radiant exposure of the one light pulse.

Abstract: An energetic material composite comprising fuel particles and a hydrated compound is disclosed. The energetic material composite is formed by dispersing fuel particles, which have a negative standard reduction potential relative to a standard hydrogen electrode, in a solvent containing dissolved hydrate, followed by a removal of solvent. When initiated, the fuel particles react with the water bound in the hydrated compound to release energy and hydrogen gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delaminating a polymer film from a carrier plate is disclosed. The carrier plate is at least partially transparent and has deposited on it a pixelated pattern layer of light-absorptive material, upon which is deposited a layer of light-reflective material. A polymer film, which is to be delaminated, is deposited on the light-reflecting material layer. Next, a pulsed light source is utilized to irradiate through the carrier plate from the side opposite the polymer film to heat the light-absorptive material layer. The heated areas of the light-absorptive material layer, in turn, heat the polymer film through conduction at the interface between the light-absorptive material layer and the polymer film, thereby generating gas from the polymer film by its thermal decomposition, which allows the polymer film to be released from the carrier plate.

Abstract: A method for connecting an electronic component to a circuit board is disclosed. Initially, a substrate and an electronic component having solder located between them are placed under a flashlamp. Multiple light pulses from the flashlamp are applied to the electronic component, substrate and solder until the solder reflows. During the application of the light pulses, the power of one of the light pulses from the flashlamp and the temperature of the electronic component are measured, the measured power is converted to radiant exposure, and in response to the measured temperature of the electronic component, the duty cycle of a next light pulse is adjusted adaptively according to the radiant exposure of the one light pulse.

Abstract: A method for producing an electrically conductive thin film on a substrate is disclosed. Initially, a reducible metal compound and a reducing agent are dispersed in a liquid. The dispersion is then deposited on a substrate as a thin film. The thin film along with the substrate is subsequently exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic emission to chemically react with the reducible metal compound and the reducing agent such that the thin film becomes electrically conductive.

Abstract: A method for depositing a functional material on a substrate is disclosed. An optically transparent plate having a first surface and a second surface with one or more wells is provided. After coating the second surface with a thin layer of light-absorbing material, the wells are filled with a functional material. The plate is then irradiated with a pulsed light to heat the layer of light-absorbing material in order to generate gas at an interface between the layer of light-absorbing material and the functional material to release the functional material from the wells onto a receiving substrate located adjacent to the plate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermally processing material on a low-temperature substrate using pulsed light from a flash lamp is disclosed. Material is conveyed past the flash lamp. The pulses of light are formed by Pulse Width Modulation to tailor the shape of the pulses to generate a thermal gradient in the substrate that enables the material to be heated beyond the maximum working temperature of the substrate without damage. Its shaped pulse rate is synchronized to the conveyance speed of a conveyance system. By using the information from a feedback sensor, the thermal gradient is recalculated to alter the shape of the pulses in real time for optimizing subsequent curings in real time without powering down the curing apparatus. The combined pulse shaping and synchronization allow a temperature profile to be tailored in the sample that is uniformly cured in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A method for depositing a functional material on a substrate is disclosed. A plate having a first surface and a second surface is provided. A layer of light scattering material is applied onto the first surface of the plate, and a layer of reflective material is applied onto the second surface of the plate. After a group of wells has been formed on the second surface of the plate, a layer of light-absorbing material is applied on the second surface of the plate. Next, the wells are partially filled with a functional material. The plate is then irradiated with a pulse of light to heat the light-absorbing material between the bottom of the well and the functional material. This heats the gas in the ullage between the light absorbing material and the functional material to increase the pressure in gas to expel the functional material from the wells onto a receiving substrate.

Abstract: A method for producing an electrically conductive thin film on a substrate is disclosed. Initially, a reducible metal compound and a reducing agent are dispersed in a liquid. The dispersion is then deposited on a substrate as a thin film. The thin film along with the substrate is subsequently exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic emission to chemically react with the reducible metal compound and the reducing agent such that the thin film becomes electrically conductive.

Abstract: A method for thermally processing a minimally absorbing thin film in a selective manner is disclosed. Two closely spaced absorbing traces are patterned in thermal contact with the thin film. A pulsed radiant source is used to heat the two absorbing traces, and the thin film is thermally processed via conduction between the two absorbing traces. This method can be utilized to fabricate a thin film transistor (TFT) in which the thin film is a semiconductor and the absorbers are the source and the drain of the TFT.

Abstract: A method for producing an electrically conductive thin film on a substrate is disclosed. Initially, a reducible metal compound and a reducing agent are dispersed in a liquid. The dispersion is then deposited on a substrate as a thin film. The thin film along with the substrate is subsequently exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic emission to chemically react with the reducible metal compound and the reducing agent such that the thin film becomes electrically conductive.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delaminating a polymer film from a carrier plate is disclosed. The carrier plate is at least partially transparent and has deposited on it a pixelated pattern layer of light-absorptive material, upon which is deposited a layer of light-reflective material. A polymer film, which is to be delaminated, is deposited on the light-reflecting material layer. Next, a pulsed light source is utilized to irradiate through the carrier plate from the side opposite the polymer film to heat the light-absorptive material layer. The heated areas of the light-absorptive material layer, in turn, heat the polymer film through conduction at the interface between the light-absorptive material layer and the polymer film, thereby generating gas from the polymer film by its thermal decomposition, which allows the polymer film to be released from the carrier plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for curing thin films is disclosed. The apparatus includes a computer control system, a conveyance system, a flashlamp controller, and a flashlamp. The curing apparatus also includes a high average power, low-inductance cable connected between the flashlamp controller and the flashlamp. The low-inductance cable is smaller in diameter and is more flexible than the prior art and includes at least one liquid cooling line and multiple forward and return path wires interleaved in a regular hexagonal closed packed configuration such that every wire is adjacent to at least one cooling line and at least one wire of opposite polarity.