Multi-Needle Liquid Metal Injection for High-Quality Interconnect Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manufacturing processes for liquid metal interconnects, such as squeegee printing, face challenges including low quality filling, low yield, and inability to scale, making them unsuitable for high-volume manufacturing due to high material wastage, air trapping, and increased electrical resistance from oxidation during repetitive strokes.
Innovation Solution
A direct injection system that uses a multi-needle injection head to accurately dispense liquid metal into specific locations within a substrate, minimizing material usage and oxidation by delivering precise volumes directly where needed, thereby enhancing filling quality and reducing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If squeegee printing is used to fill liquid metal into holes, then the process can cover the substrate surface, but it causes high material wastage and air trapping leading to low filling quality
Solution Approach 1:
The injection head is divided into multiple needles that can independently fill multiple holes simultaneously. This segmentation allows precise delivery of liquid metal directly into each hole without the material wastage and air trapping problems of squeegee printing, which applies material across the entire substrate surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The direct injection method delivers liquid metal locally and precisely into specific holes rather than covering the entire substrate surface. This localized approach improves filling quality by ensuring complete hole filling while reducing material wastage by eliminating excess material application and rework.
2Reliability
If repetitive squeegee strokes are used to fill holes, then material can be forced into holes, but it increases oxidation and electrical resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid metal is delivered directly into the holes in a single injection action, completing the filling process before significant oxidation can occur. This eliminates the need for repetitive squeegee strokes that prolong exposure to air and increase oxidation, thereby maintaining electrical conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The direct injection method rapidly delivers liquid metal into the holes and completes the filling process quickly, minimizing the time liquid metal is exposed to air. This rushed-through approach prevents oxidation and maintains low electrical resistance, unlike slow repetitive squeegee strokes.
3Productivity
If conventional manufacturing processes are used, then liquid metal interconnects can be formed, but the process cannot be scaled for high-volume manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple needles are combined in a single injection head to fill multiple holes simultaneously, enabling scaling for high-volume manufacturing while maintaining consistent filling quality. This merging of multiple filling operations into one simultaneous action increases productivity without sacrificing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The direct injection system with multiple needles can fill various hole patterns and configurations on substrates, making it a universal solution that scales from small to large volumes while maintaining consistent filling quality across different production volumes.
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 direct injection system enables high-volume manufacturing of liquid metal interconnects with improved filling quality, reduced waste, and lower electrical resistance by minimizing material usage and oxidation, thus addressing the limitations of existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
a plunger to compress the liquid in the reservoir
Implementation Method 2
when the head causes the plunger to compress the liquid in the reservoir, the liquid is extruded through the plurality of needles
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a direct injection device includes a head, a plunger, a reservoir, and multiple needles. The head controls extrusion of liquid stored in the reservoir of the direct injection device. For example, the head causes the plunger to compress the liquid in the reservoir, which causes the liquid to be extruded through the needles.