Patents by Inventor Tom Sterken

Tom Sterken 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).

  • Publication number: 20230290664
    Abstract: A method for accurately positioning a component on a receiver substrate is provided, wherein the component is transferred from a donor substrate to a receiver substrate facing the donor substrate. The method comprises creating at least one nozzle at a predefined location in the area of contact between a blister forming layer on the donor substrate, and a component attached to the donor substrate by adhesion to the blister forming layer. The blister forming layer comprises at least a dynamic release layer, consisting of a dynamic release material, i.e. material that is vaporised when a laser beam of a given wavelength and flux density is directed to the donor substrate at the location of the component, from the back side of the donor substrate. The application of the laser beam thus creates a blister that contains vaporized dynamic release material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Tom Sterken, Geert Van Steenberge
  • Patent number: 10186447
    Abstract: A method for bonding thin chips to a target substrate is described herein. According to an example method, an adhesive tape is provided with thinned chips attached thereto. The chips are transferred to a carrier substrate by one or more tape-to-tape transfer steps. The carrier is then diced into separate carrier-and-chip assemblies, which can be handled by existing tools designed for handling chips of regular thickness. The fact that the thinning step is separate from the carrier attachment may lead to reduced thickness variation of the chips. The use of tape-to-tape transfer steps allows for attaching either the front or the back side of the chips to the carrier. The use of an individual carrier per chip allows for treating the thinned chip as if it were a standard chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: IMEC VZW, Universiteit Gent
    Inventors: Philip Ekkels, Tom Sterken
  • Publication number: 20180158712
    Abstract: A method for bonding thin chips to a target substrate is described herein. According to an example method, an adhesive tape is provided with thinned chips attached thereto. The chips are transferred to a carrier substrate by one or more tape-to-tape transfer steps. The carrier is then diced into separate carrier-and-chip assemblies, which can be handled by existing tools designed for handling chips of regular thickness. The fact that the thinning step is separate from the carrier attachment may lead to reduced thickness variation of the chips. The use of tape-to-tape transfer steps allows for attaching either the front or the back side of the chips to the carrier. The use of an individual carrier per chip allows for treating the thinned chip as if it were a standard chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicants: IMEC VZW, Universiteit Gent
    Inventors: Philip Ekkels, Tom Sterken
  • Patent number: 8658512
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an out-of-plane variable overlap MEMS capacitor comprises: providing a substrate (40) comprising a first layer (41), a second layer (42), and a third layer (43) stacked on top of one another; and etching a plurality of first trenches (70) through the third layer (43), through the second layer (42), and into the first layer (41) using a single etching mask. Etching the plurality of first trenches (70) defines a plurality of first fingers (51) in the third layer (43) and a plurality of second fingers (52) in the first layer (41). By using a single mask, the process is self-aligned. The method further comprises removing the second layer (42) in a first region where the plurality of first trenches (70) are provided, thereby forming a spacing or gap between the plurality of first fingers (51) and the plurality of second fingers (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignees: IMEC, Stichting IMEC Nederland, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, KU Leuven R&D
    Inventors: Tom Sterken, Geert Altena, Martijn Goedbloed, Robert Puers
  • Publication number: 20120171836
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an out-of-plane variable overlap MEMS capacitor comprises: providing a substrate (40) comprising a first layer (41), a second layer (42), and a third layer (43) stacked on top of one another; and etching a plurality of first trenches (70) through the third layer (43), through the second layer (42), and into the first layer (41) using a single etching mask. Etching the plurality of first trenches (70) defines a plurality of first fingers (51) in the third layer (43) and a plurality of second fingers (52) in the first layer (41). By using a single mask, the process is self-aligned. The method further comprises removing the second layer (42) in a first region where the plurality of first trenches (70) are provided, thereby forming a spacing or gap between the plurality of first fingers (51) and the plurality of second fingers (52).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicants: IMEC, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Stichting IMEC Nederland
    Inventors: Tom Sterken, Geert Altena, Martijn Goedbloed, Robert Puers