Patents by Inventor Thomas M. Culnane
Thomas M. Culnane 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).
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Patent number: 6524888Abstract: Mixtures for attaching a semiconductor chip to a substrate. The semiconductor chip has an array of joining material bumps, such as C4 solder balls. The substrate has an array of conductive pads corresponding to the array of joining material bumps. In a first embodiment the fixture has a body having a first cavity containing the semiconductor chip and a second cavity for containing the substrate. The substrate is placed over the semiconductor chip with the conductive pads opposing and in contact with the joining material bumps, such that during reflow of the joining material bumps, the weight of the substrate acts against the joining material bumps and aids in the attachment of the semiconductor chip to the substrate to form electrical connections therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2002Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: David N. Cokely, Thomas M. Culnane, Lisa J. Jimarez, Miguel A. Jimarez, Li Li, Donald I. Mead
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Patent number: 6517662Abstract: A semiconductor chip carrier assembly which includes a flexible substrate having a metallicized path on one of its surfaces in electrical communication with a semiconductor chip. A stiffener is disposed adjacent to said flexible substrate and is bonded thereto by an adhesive composition. The adhesive composition which comprises a microporous film laden with a curable adhesive is disposed between the flexible substrate and the stiffener. A cover plate is adhesively bonded to the semiconductor chip and to the stiffener. A process of making the assembly involving disposition of the flexible substrate in a vacuum fixture upon which the adhesive composition and stiffener is placed followed by the application of heat and pressure to cure the curable adhesive is also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 1999Date of Patent: February 11, 2003Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas M. Culnane, Michael A. Gaynes, Ramesh R. Kodnani, Mark V. Pierson, Charles G. Woychik
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Publication number: 20020096746Abstract: Fixtures for attaching a semiconductor chip to a substrate. The semiconductor chip has an array of joining material bumps, such as C4 solder balls. The substrate has an array of conductive pads corresponding to the array of joining material bumps. In a first embodiment the fixture has a body having a first cavity for containing the semiconductor chip and a second cavity in communication with the first cavity for containing the substrate. Whereby the substrate is placed over the semiconductor chip with the conductive pads opposing and in contact with the joining material bumps, such that during reflow of the joining material bumps, the weight of the substrate acts against the joining material bumps and aids in the attachment of the semiconductor chip to the substrate to form electrical connections therebetween.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2002Publication date: July 25, 2002Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: David N. Cokely, Thomas M. Culnane, Lisa J. Jimarez, Miguel A. Jimarez, Li Li, Donald I. Mead
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Publication number: 20020046804Abstract: A semiconductor chip carrier assembly which includes a flexible substrate having a metallicized path on one of its surfaces in electrical communication with a semiconductor chip. A stiffener is disposed adjacent to said flexible substrate and is bonded thereto by an adhesive composition. The adhesive composition which comprises a microporous film laden with a curable adhesive is disposed between the flexible substrate and the stiffener. A cover plate is adhesively bonded to the semiconductor chip and to the stiffener. A process of making the assembly involving disposition of the flexible substrate in a vacuum fixture upon which the adhesive composition and stiffener is placed followed by the application of heat and pressure to cure the curable adhesive is also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 1999Publication date: April 25, 2002Inventors: THOMAS M. CULNANE, MICHAEL A. GAYNES, RAMESH R. KODNANI, MARK V. PIERSON, CHARLES G. WOYCHIK
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Patent number: 6337509Abstract: Fixtures for attaching a semiconductor chip to a substrate. The semiconductor chip has an array of joining material bumps, such as C4 solder balls. The substrate has an array of conductive pads corresponding to the array of joining material bumps. In a first embodiment the fixture has a body having a first cavity for containing the semiconductor chip and a second cavity in communication with the first cavity for containing the substrate. Whereby the substrate is placed over the semiconductor chip with the conductive pads opposing and in contact with the joining material bumps, such that during reflow of the joining material bumps, the weight of the substrate acts against the joining material bumps and aids in the attachment of the semiconductor chip to the substrate to form electrical connections therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 1998Date of Patent: January 8, 2002Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: David N. Cokely, Thomas M. Culnane, Lisa J. Jimarez, Miguel A. Jimarez, Li Li, Donald I. Mead
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Publication number: 20010019174Abstract: Fixtures for attaching a semiconductor chip to a substrate. The semiconductor chip has an array of joining material bumps, such as C4 solder balls. The substrate has an array of conductive pads corresponding to the array of joining material bumps. In a first embodiment the fixture has a body having a first cavity for containing the semiconductor chip and a second cavity in communication with the first cavity for containing the substrate. Whereby the substrate is placed over the semiconductor chip with the conductive pads opposing and in contact with the joining material bumps, such that during reflow of the joining material bumps, the weight of the substrate acts against the joining material bumps and aids in the attachment of the semiconductor chip to the substrate to form electrical connections therebetween.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 1998Publication date: September 6, 2001Inventors: DAVID N. COKELY, THOMAS M. CULNANE, LISA J. JIMAREZ, MIGUEL A. JIMAREZ, LI LI, DONALD I. MEAD
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Patent number: 5973389Abstract: A semiconductor chip carrier assembly which includes a flexible substrate having a metallicized path on one of its surfaces in electrical communication with a semiconductor chip. A stiffener is disposed adjacent to said flexible substrate and is bonded thereto by an adhesive composition. The adhesive composition which comprises a microporous film laden with a curable adhesive is disposed between the flexible substrate and the stiffener. A cover plate is adhesively bonded to the semiconductor chip and to the stiffener. A process of making the assembly involving disposition of the flexible substrate in a vacuum fixture upon which the adhesive composition and stiffener is placed followed by the application of heat and pressure to cure the curable adhesive is also described.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 1997Date of Patent: October 26, 1999Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas M. Culnane, Michael A. Gaynes, Ramesh R. Kodnani, Mark V. Pierson, Charles G. Woychik
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Patent number: 5889321Abstract: A stiffener (34 or 52 or 72) includes a pathway which allows gases and fluids, such as air, to be vented from the interface between surface bonding regions (35 or 60 or 74) of the stiffener and an adhesive (38 or 56 or 80) on a flexible substrate (36 or 54 or 78). The pathway may take the form of a porous material used for the stiffener or one or more bore holes (58 or 59 or 70) formed in the stiffener. The stiffener may also include an internal cavity (76) for promoting venting of fluids and gases. By venting fluid and gases from the adhesive/stiffener interface, better adhesion between the stiffener and flexible substrate is achieved.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1997Date of Patent: March 30, 1999Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas M. Culnane, Michael A. Gaynes, Ramesh R. Kodnani, Mark V. Pierson