Cold Welding Bonding for Non-Planar Semiconductor Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for bonding semiconductor and electrical circuit devices are limited in their ability to form arbitrarily-shaped devices without damaging flexible substrates and fail to efficiently bond components to small or irregular surfaces, especially heat-sensitive materials and non-planar substrates.
Innovation Solution
The use of cold welding techniques combined with stamping and pressure bonding to align and bond pre-formed circuit layers on curved or irregular surfaces, allowing for the combination of devices with different structural properties and materials, including organic and inorganic semiconductor devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional soldering techniques (SMT or thru-hole) are used to bond components, then components can be joined together, but heat-sensitive materials are damaged or bonding to small/irregular surfaces is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal bonding (soldering) with mechanical cold welding. The method uses a stamp to apply localized pressure to bond circuit layers together at room temperature, eliminating heat-related damage while achieving reliable electrical connections between contacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the bonding process into discrete localized contact points rather than heating the entire assembly. The stamp creates individual bonded joints at specific contact locations, allowing selective bonding where needed without affecting the entire structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If flexible substrates are deformed beyond a certain point to form arbitrarily-shaped devices, then device shape flexibility is improved, but the substrate and/or deposited layers are damaged or destroyed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs bonding operations before final substrate deformation. Circuit layers are bonded together in a planar state using the stamp, then the assembled structure is deformed into the final three-dimensional shape. This prevents damage during bonding while achieving the desired arbitrary shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifically addresses formation of curved and three-dimensional surfaces. The method enables bonding on planar substrates first, then allows subsequent deformation into curved, domed, or ellipsoidal shapes without damaging the already-bonded circuit layers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If stamping is used to deposit material onto non-planar substrates, then deposition capability is improved, but bonding precision and alignment may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs alignment and bonding operations on planar substrates before deformation. The stamp aligns contacts precisely in the flat state, then the entire assembly is deformed into the final shape. This ensures high bonding precision is achieved before any shape changes occur.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the formation of electrical circuit structures on non-planar substrates and irregular shapes without damaging the substrates, facilitating the assembly of devices like OLEDs and solar cells with improved efficiency and precision, avoiding the limitations of traditional soldering techniques.
Implementation Method 1
bonding two or more separately formed circuit layers may be achieved using, for example, cold welding techniques
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods including bonding two or more separately formed circuit layers are provided using, for example, cold welding techniques. Processing techniques may be provided for combining inorganic and/or organic semiconductor devices in apparatus including, for example, microchips, optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells, photodetectors and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), and other apparatus with multi-layer circuitry. Methods of bonding preformed circuit layers may include the use of stamping and pressure bonding contacts of two or more circuit layers together. Such methods may find applicability, for example, in bonding circuitry to shaped substrates, including various rounded and irregular shapes, and may be used to combine devices with different structural properties, e.g. from different materials systems.