Laser Optical Property Control for Printed Circuit Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printed circuits often have defects such as excess or missing material during manufacturing, leading to discarded products and reduced yield, necessitating an efficient repair method.
Innovation Solution
A repair system utilizing a laser generator, scanner, objective lens, detector, and controller to dynamically adjust optical properties like spot size, fluence, and waist position of laser light to repair defects based on defect dimensions and neighboring conductors, enabling precise and efficient defect removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a fixed spot size is used for laser repair, then the repair process is simple, but repair time increases for both fine and larger features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of laser spot size during the repair process. The controller modifies optical properties in real-time based on defect characteristics, transitioning from a static to a dynamic system that adapts to different feature sizes, thereby reducing overall repair time without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spot size parameter during repair operations. By adjusting the optical property (spot size) according to the specific defect being repaired, the system optimizes repair time for both fine and larger features, applying parameter changes to resolve the productivity contradiction
2Manufacturing precision
If a small spot size is used for fine features, then repair precision is high, but repair time increases for larger features
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts spot size based on the size of the defect being repaired. For fine features, it uses a small spot size to maintain high precision, while for larger features, it automatically transitions to a larger spot size to reduce repair time, thus resolving the contradiction between precision and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spot size parameter according to the defect characteristics. This parameter adaptation allows the system to achieve high precision for fine features while maintaining efficient repair times for larger features, effectively resolving the manufacturing precision versus productivity contradiction
3Productivity
If a large spot size is used for larger features, then repair speed is high, but precision decreases for fine features
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic spot size adjustment where the spot size is adapted to match the feature size being repaired. This dynamic approach ensures high repair speed for larger features while maintaining adequate precision for fine features, resolving the productivity versus precision contradiction
4Productivity
If manual repair methods are used, then equipment complexity is low, but yield improvement is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automated defect detection and repair capabilities with real-time optical property adjustment. The controller automatically determines the appropriate spot size and adjusts parameters during repair, enabling the system to serve itself and achieve significant yield improvement without requiring excessive operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The automated system implements real-time parameter changes based on defect analysis, allowing for optimized repair outcomes that improve yield. The complexity introduced by automated parameter adjustment is justified by the significant yield improvements achieved, resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity
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
The system effectively repairs defects on printed circuits, optimizing repair time for both fine and larger features by dynamically adjusting optical properties, ensuring high-quality and efficient defect correction.
Implementation Method 1
the laser light repairs the excess material defect by ablating the excess solid material
Data Source
AI summary
A repair system changes optical properties during repair. The optical properties may be changed based on the dimensions of each defect as the defect is repaired. Changing the optical properties based on the dimensions of each defect as opposed to presetting the optical properties based on the dimensions of finest feature reduces the repair time for larger defects while enabling repairing the finest features.