Ion-Trap Chip Carrier Assembly for Front-Side Wire Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ion trap designs face limitations in low-loss transmission of high-voltage RF signals, low-noise DC voltages, fast DC switching speeds, efficient filtering of RF pick-up, and flexibility of electronic setup, particularly in ultra-high-vacuum environments, which are crucial for characterizing and operating ion traps for quantum technologies.
Innovation Solution
An ion-trap chip carrier with a planar substrate and chip support featuring flanges and apertures, allowing direct wire bonding and electrical connections from the front side, eliminating the need for intermediate components like AlN substrates, and using gold bump pads for mechanical and electrical attachment, enabling a single attach process and precise alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If standard UHV feedthroughs are used, then electrical connections can be established, but the transmission of high-voltage RF signals suffers losses and the device becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical connection function from traditional bulky UHV feedthroughs and integrates it directly into the chip carrier substrate. The carrier substrate itself becomes the electrical connection medium, eliminating the need for separate feedthrough components and reducing RF signal loss pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the mechanical support function and electrical connection function into a single integrated chip carrier structure. The carrier substrate simultaneously provides physical support for the ion-trap chip and serves as the electrical connection medium through patterned conductive traces, reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If intermediate components like AlN substrates are used, then electrical connections can be established, but the assembly process becomes complex and alignment precision is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes intermediate AlN substrate components from the assembly and integrates all electrical connection functions directly into the chip carrier substrate. This elimination of intermediate components simplifies the assembly process to a single attach operation while maintaining reliable electrical connections through the substrate's patterned traces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions (mechanical support, electrical connection, alignment reference) into the single chip carrier substrate structure. The substrate integrates patterned conductive traces for electrical connections with structural features for chip mounting, eliminating the need for separate intermediate components.
3Productivity
If conventional chip carriers are used, then electrical connections can be made, but manufacturing costs and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the chip carrier substrate design with integrated electrical connection traces and mounting features into a single manufacturable component. This consolidation allows the substrate to be produced as one piece using standard PCB or ceramic substrate fabrication techniques, eliminating multiple assembly steps and reducing manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The chip carrier substrate is designed as a universal platform that simultaneously provides mechanical support, electrical connections, and alignment references for ion-trap chips. This multi-functional design reduces the number of separate components needed and simplifies the overall manufacturing process.
4Ease of operation
If rear-side wire bonding is used, then electrical connections can be established, but the setup flexibility is reduced and the process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional wire bonding approach by providing electrical connection terminals on the front side of the carrier substrate rather than requiring access to the rear side of the chip. This inversion allows wire bonding to be performed from the convenient front side, reducing setup complexity and time while maintaining connection reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An ion-trap chip carrier (10) comprises a generally planar carrier substrate, the substrate having a front surface, a rear surface, and a chip receptacle. A chip support (22) is disposed in the chip receptacle of the carrier substrate, the chip support including at least one generally planar flange (22) extending in or generally parallel to a plane of the carrier substrate, and at least one aperture therein. The chip support comprises a chip receiving zone. The at least one chip support includes at least one front facing electrical terminal (15, 17) in the chip receiving zone, for coupling to a rear facing terminal of an ion-trap chip (50). At least one front facing wire bonding terminal (80, 82) is electrically coupled to the at least one front facing electrical terminal (15, 17), the at least one front facing wire bonding terminal being disposed outside of the chip receiving zone. A chip (50) is fitted to the carrier (10) in the chip receiving zone with its rear facing electrical terminals in alignment with the front facing electrical terminals (15, 17) in the chip receiving zone and electrically connected through the at least one front facing wire bonding terminal, to be wire bonded from the front face of the carrier (10). Gold bump studs or pads (60) connect the rear facing chip terminals with the front facing carrier terminals (15, 17) and provide both mechanical and electrical connection between the two.