Segmented Carrier Heating for PET Substrate Reflow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cheaper substrates like PET, with lower glass transition temperatures, pose challenges for thermal processes such as reflow soldering, as they cannot withstand industrially standard lead-free solder pastes without deforming or melting, necessitating a solution for controlled local heating that avoids substrate deformation and melting.

Innovation Solution

A carrier with laterally distributed heating zones, thermally insulated from each other and coupled to a heat sink, along with a controller for selective energy supply, ensures efficient and controlled heating, using slits for vacuum insulation and protrusions for thermal management, and optionally includes adhesive and anti-stick layers for substrate stability and easy removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If cheaper substrates like PET are used to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the substrate cannot withstand reflow soldering temperatures and deforms or melts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidsubstrate temperature tolerance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system is divided into multiple independently controllable heating zones along the carrier. Each zone can be heated to different temperatures and for different durations, allowing selective local heating of substrate areas requiring soldering while keeping other areas at lower temperatures to prevent deformation or melting of heat-sensitive substrates like PET

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the substrate receive different thermal treatments through the segmented heating zones. The heating parameters (temperature, duration, intensity) are locally optimized for each zone based on the specific soldering requirements, enabling precise thermal control that matches the local processing needs while preserving the overall substrate integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If uniform heating is applied to the entire substrate, then heating process is simplified, but localized heating precision is reduced and substrate deformation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating process complexityVSAvoidlocal heating precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heating system dynamically adjusts temperature and heating duration for each zone based on real-time process requirements. The controller can independently modulate each heating zone's power output and activation timing, enabling adaptive thermal management that responds to varying local processing demands throughout the substrate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Temperature

If heating zones are thermally coupled without insulation, then heat distribution is improved, but neighboring zones overheat and substrate deformation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat distributionVSAvoidneighboring zone overheating

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Thermal insulation elements are strategically placed between adjacent heating zones to extract and block lateral heat flow. These insulation barriers prevent heat from one zone from contaminating neighboring zones, allowing each zone to maintain its independently controlled temperature profile without interference from adjacent heating regions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

This solution allows for precise local heating of substrates with heat-sensitive materials, preventing deformation and enabling the use of cheaper substrates by maintaining thermal contact and controlling heat distribution, ensuring efficient processing without overheating or substrate damage.

Implementation Method 1

The respective heating zones comprise respective resistive heating elements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResistive heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

The vacuum prevailing in the slits at the boundary between mutually neighboring heating zones provides for a very efficient insulation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 3

the carried surface of the substrate and/or the carrier surface of the carrier is provided with an adhesive layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentUS20230373023A1Controlled local heating of substrates

Publication Date: 2023.11.23 NEDERLANDSE ORG VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO

AI summary

An apparatus is described for carrying out controlled local heating a target surface of a substrate provided with a heat sensitive material to change a state of the heat sensitive material. The apparatus includes a carrier having a carrier surface for carrying the substrate at a carried surface opposite the target surface. The carrier has a plurality of laterally distributed heating zones that are thermally insulated from each other by slits that are in communication with an evacuation channel. The respective heating zones include respective resistive heating elements and are thermally coupled to a heat sink. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to control a selective supply of electric energy to at least one of the respective resistive heating elements of at least one of the plurality of laterally distributed heating zones.