Programmed material consolidation methods employing machine vision

Abstract

Programmed material consolidation methods include the use of electronic viewing or machine vision. A feature or location of a support or substrate is recognized or identified and material dispersed relative to the recognized or identified feature or location. The material may be selectively dispensed and at least partially consolidated either actively or passively. By use of the machine vision system, the precise location on a substrate or support element may be determined and communicated to the dispense element of programmed material consolidation system such that a flowable material may be deposited and consolidated at a desired location to form a structural feature.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10 / 867,258, filed Jun. 14, 2004, pending. The disclosure of the previously referenced U.S. patent application referenced is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to systems and methods of three-dimensional (3-D) printing. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods of 3-D printing for fabricating features on semiconductor devices and related components. [0004] 2. Background of Related Art [0005] Over the past few years three-dimensional (3-D) printing has evolved into a relatively promising process for building parts. For example, 3-D printing has been used for the production of prototype parts and tooling directly from a computer-aided design (CAD) model. [0006] 3-D printing of solid structures utilizes a computer, typically under control of comp...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] The machine vision system of the present invention enables the precise deposition of flowable material in a desired location on or over the substrate. The machine vision system includes an optical detection element, such as a camera, as well as a controller or processing element, such as a computer processor or a collection of computer processors, associated with the optical detection element. The optical detection element may be positioned in a fixed location relative to the substrate, mounted on the dispense element, enabling movement thereof over a substantial portion of the substrate, or moveable independently of the dispense element over a substantial portion of the substrate. The optical detection element of the machine vision system is useful for identifying the locations of recognizable features, including, without limitation, features on a substrate and features, such as fiducial marks or other objects at a fabrication site, and features that have been formed on or over the substrate or at the fabrication site.

Problems solved by technology

Accordingly, conventional 3-D printing systems lack image sensors for ensuring that structures are fabricated at specific, desired locations.

While the above-referenced Farnworth patent and patent application disclose forming a variety of different structures on a semiconductor assembly, the disclosed immersion-type stereolithography processes require the use of an excess amount of expensive photopolymer material.

Furthermore, the processing time using immersion-type stereolithography systems is significantly slower than the processing time for a 3-D printing system, such as the aforementioned Objet systems.

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