Printable 3D Electronic Components via Micro-Transfer Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for electrically interconnecting small integrated circuits, such as chiplets, are costly, complex, and limited in scalability and flexibility, particularly in forming robust three-dimensional electronic or opto-electronic structures.
Innovation Solution
The use of micro-transfer printing techniques to connect chiplets with electrically conductive connection posts and contact pads, allowing for simple, efficient, and flexible electrical interconnections between chiplets or with a destination substrate, enabling the construction of robust, three-dimensional electronic structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional methods (pick-and-place, sputtering, spin-coating) are used to distribute electronically active components over substrates, then manufacturing capability is achieved, but the process becomes costly, complex, and less scalable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs micro-transfer printing to create copies of electronic components (chiplets) from a source substrate to a destination substrate. This copying approach simplifies manufacturing by enabling mass production of identical components through a single patterning process, eliminating the need for complex pick-and-place operations or repeated sputtering/spin-coating cycles for each component
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the manufacturing process into distinct stages: (1) forming all electronic components on a single source substrate using conventional techniques, and (2) transferring individual components to the destination substrate via micro-transfer printing. This segmentation allows complex component fabrication to be performed once, followed by simple transfer operations that scale efficiently
2Area of stationary object
If thin-film transistors are formed using sputtering or spin-coating methods, then substrate coverage is achieved, but material waste increases and manufacturing costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by forming all electronic components (transistors, interconnects, contact pads) on a source substrate before transfer. This preliminary fabrication allows precise material deposition only where needed, and the subsequent transfer process moves completed components to the final substrate, eliminating material waste from repeated deposition processes
Solution Approach 2:
The source substrate serves as a temporary carrier that is discarded after transfer. All valuable electronic components are recovered and transferred to the destination substrate, while the source substrate itself can be reused for another batch of component fabrication, reducing overall material waste
3Manufacturing precision
If photo-lithographic processing is used to define electronically active components, then component precision is achieved, but substrate material choices are limited and processing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the manufacturing process so that photo-lithographic processing is performed only on the source substrate during the preliminary component formation stage. The destination substrate can be chosen independently based on application requirements, allowing flexible material selection (glass, plastic, quartz, flexible polymers) without compromising component precision, since all patterning is completed before transfer
4Reliability
If conventional assembly technologies are used to place components on substrates, then electrical interconnection is achieved, but scalability and flexibility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The micro-transfer printing process creates precise copies of components with their electrical interconnections already formed during the source substrate fabrication. This copying approach maintains reliable electrical connections (through printed conductive inks or metal traces) while enabling high scalability, as multiple components can be transferred in parallel or sequentially without complex assembly operations
Data Source
AI summary
An example of a printable electronic component includes a component substrate having a connection post side and an opposing contact pad side. The component can include one or more non-planar, electrically conductive connection posts protruding from the connection post side of the component substrate. Each of the one or more connection posts can have a peak area smaller than a base area. The component can include one or more non-planar, electrically conductive exposed component contact pads disposed on (e.g., directly on, indirectly on, or in) the contact pad side of the component substrate. Multiple components can be stacked such that connection post(s) of one are in contact with non-planar contact(s) of one or more others.