EP0565908A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Apparatus and method for injection molding solder and application thereof
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1993-03-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-03-22
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method are described for injection molding solder mounds onto electronic devices. The apparatus has a reservoir (46) for molten solder which is disposed over a cavity in an injection plate (34). The injection plate is disposed over a mold (32) having an array of cavities therein into which solder is injection molded. The mold is disposed over a workpiece (50), such as a semiconductor chip or a semiconductor chip packaging substrate. The cavities in the mold are aligned with electrical contact locations on the chip or substrate. The workpiece is heated and the molten solder is forced under gas pressure into the cavity (68) in the injection plate (34) disposed above the array of cavities in the mold. The molten solder is forced into the array of cavities in the mold. The injection plate (34) is advanced to slide over the mold to wipe away the excess solder above the mold at a plurality of wiping apertures in the injection plate. The injection plate is further advanced to a location having a nonsolder wettable surface at which location the injection plate is removed. The mold is then removed to leave solder mounds disposed on the workpiece. The workpiece can be a semiconductor chip, a semiconductor chip packaging substrate or a dummy substrate onto which the injected molded solder adheres such as a polymer layer to form a carrier substrate for a solder mound array which can be subsequently transferred to a substrate such as a semiconductor chip or a semiconductor chip packaging substrate. The apparatus and methods of the present invention can be integrated into an automated manufacturing system for depositing an array of solder mounds onto a substrates.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas George Ference
- 👤 Peter Alfred Gruber
- 👤 Bernardo Hernandez
- 👤 Michael John Palmer
- 👤 Arthur Richard Zingher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:20
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K3/00; B23K3/06; B23K3/0607; B23K1/00; B23K1/20; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/3465; H05K3/3468; B23K2101/00; B23K2101/36; B23K2101/40; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/10; H05K2201/10613; H05K2201/10621; H05K2201/10734; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/01; H05K2203/0104; H05K2203/0113; H05K2203/03; H05K2203/0338; H05K2203/12; H05K2203/128; H10; H10W; H10W72/00; H10W72/01; H10W72/012; H10W72/01204; H10W72/01212
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
An apparatus for injection molding molten solder comprising: a reservoir for said molten solder; said reservoir having an output orifice; a mold having at least one cavity; said output orifice is in communication with said mold to permit said molten solder to be injected into said plurality of cavities; and means for applying pressure to force said molten solder into said cavities.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mold has a first and second surface and wherein said at least one of cavity extend from said first to said second surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further including a heater element to melt solid solder to said molten solder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further including a means for heating said molten solder in said at least one cavity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further including means for removing excess molten solder from said mold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said second surface is disposed against a workpiece.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further including a means for controlling said pressure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus of claim 2, further including an injection plate which is adapted to move with respect to said first surface of said mold, said injection plate comprising: a first injection plate side; a second injection plate side; an injection cavity opening to a first region of said second injection plate side; said injection cavity having an edge at said second injection plate side; and said output orifice of said reservoir being in fluid communication with said injection cavity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
The apparatus of claim 8, further including a means for moving said injection plate from a first location to a second location wherein at said first location said injection cavity is disposed over said array of cavities so that when said pressure is applied by said means for applying pressure, said molten solder is forced into said injection cavity and therefrom into said array of cavities and so that when injection plate is moved to said second location said edge of said injection cavity wipes away said molten solder at said first surface of said mold in the vicinity of said array.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 9, further including a wiping cavity opening to a second region of said second slide plate side, said wiping cavity has an edge, so that when said slide plate is moved from said first location to said second location said edge of said wiping cavity wipes away said molten solder at said first surface of said mold in the vicinity of said array.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein there are a plurality of wiping cavities.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 6, further including a workpiece holding means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said workpiece holding means has a cavity for receiving said workpiece.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 6, further including a means for heating said workpiece.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said workpiece is selected from the group consisting of a semiconductor chip, a semiconductor chip packaging substrate and a polymer body.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 6, further including means for removing said workpiece with a plurality of solder mounds disposed on a surface thereof in an arrangement corresponding to said array of said cavities in said mold.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said removed workpiece is a polymer body having said solder mounds adhered directly to said body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of cavities in said mold.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
36 words
An apparatus for injection molding solder comprising: molten solder bonding means; mold means; said molding means is in operative communication with said mold means; means for applying force to force said molten solder into said mold.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
259 words
An injection molding apparatus for disposing solder as mounds on a workpiece surface comprising: a reservoir for said solder; means for heating said solder to molten solder; said reservoir has an output orifice; a mold having a plurality of cavities in a predetermined array; said mold having a first substantially planar surface and a second substantially planar surface; said cavities extend from said first surface to said second surface; an injection plate adapted to move with respect to said first surface; means for applying pressure to said molten solder; means for controlling said pressure; said injection plate having a first injection plate surface, a second injection plate surface, an injection cavity having an edge at said second injection plate and a wiping cavity having an edge at said second injection plate side; said output orifice of said reservoir being in fluid communication with said injection cavity; means for moving said injection plate from a first location to a second location; at said first location said injection cavity is disposed over said array of cavities so that when pressure is applied by said means for applying pressure said molten solder is forced into said injection cavity and therefrom into said array of cavities; when said injection plate is moved from said first location to said second location, said wiping cavity wipes away excess molten solder at said first surface of said mold in the vicinity of said array; a workpiece holding means for holding said workpiece adjacent said second surface of said mold; and a means for heating said workpiece.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
115 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further including: a plurality of said molds; a mold conveying means for transporting said plurality of said molds; a support substrate conveying means for transporting a plurality of supports; a workpiece conveying means for transporting a plurality of workpieces; said mold conveying means coating with said support conveying means so that one of said supports coats with one of said molds to provide a surface for injection molding molten solder into said one mold against said support to form a mold filled with solder; said mold conveying means coating with said workpiece conveying means so that said mold filled with said solder is disposed against said workpiece and transferred thereto.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A structure comprising: a polymer surface; a mound of solder adhering directly to said polymer surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
11 words
The structure of claim 22, wherein said polymer is a polyimide.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
30 words
A method comprising: providing a polymer surface; disposing molten solder directly on said surface; and cooling said molten solder to a mound of solidified solder adhering to said polymer surface.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
61 words
A method comprising: providing a mold having at least one cavity extending from a first surface to a second surface of said mold; disposing said cavity at said second surface adjacent to a surface of a workpiece; forcing molten solder into said cavity from said first surface of said mold; removing said mold leaving a solidified solder mound on said surface.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 25, wherein said solder contains a material selected from the group consisting of Pb, Sn, Bi and In.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
48 words
An apparatus for injection molding of solder into a predefined geometry, which apparatus comprises: means to supply molten solder, a mold with plural cavities with predefined geometry, means to force said molten solder into said cavities, means to separate said solder within said cavities from said supply solder.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus of Claim 27, wherein said cavities have interior surfaces which are not wettable by molten solder, said force means is pneumatic pressure applied to said molten solder, said separation means is means to wipe or shear away solder external to said cavity, further including means to convey said molten solder from said supply means to said mold cavities, means to freeze said solder within said cavities.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of Claim 28, wherein said means to convey is an injection plate adapted to flow molten solder from said supply to said mold cavities, said means to wipe is relative motion between said mold and an adjacent member.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus to dispose solder mounds with a predefined geometry upon a workpiece, which apparatus comprises the apparatus of Claim 27, and further a workpiece, and means to hold said workpiece closely adjacent to said mold, and means to cool solder until solidification.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of Claim 30, further including means to separate said mold with said cavities away from said workpiece with said solder mounds.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of Claim 31, wherein said mold has first and second surfaces, and said cavities extend between said first and second surfaces.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of Claim 31, wherein said means to separate is a pressure difference: high pressure upon solder at said first surface, low pressure upon said workpiece.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of Claim 31, wherein said means to separate is a flux.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of Claim 30, wherein said workpiece is an electronic component with terminals of adherent metal at predetermined locations.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of Claim 30, wherein said workpiece is selected from the group consisting of a semiconductor chip, a packaging substrate for plural semiconductor chips, a polymer body, a ceramic body, a metallic body.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of Claim 30, wherein said workpiece is a polymer body having solder mounds directly adhered to this body.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
63 words
An apparatus to dispose solder mounds with predefined locations and predefined volumes upon a workpiece, which apparatus comprises a mold with plural cavities with predefined locations and predefined volumes, solid solder thoroughly filling plural of said cavities, a workpiece with a predefined pattern of adherent terminals, means to hold said workpiece closely adjacent to said mold, flux, means to melt said solid solder.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of Claim 38, wherein said workpiece is an electronic component, said adherent terminals are electronic terminals.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
22 words
A structure comprising a tape of material, plural molds with plural cavities, said molds containing solid solder filling plural of said cavities.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus to dispose solder mounds with predefined locations and predefined volumes upon a workpiece, which apparatus comprises the structure of Claim 40, the apparatus of Claim 38, wherein said tape of Claim 40 provides plural of said mold, cavities, and solder of Claim 38.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
11 words
A solder mound structure including multiple solders with multiple melting points.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
23 words
A solder mound structure including a tall sub-mound of solder with higher melting point composition, a sub-mound of solder with lower melting point.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
30 words
An apparatus to form plural solder balls, which apparatus comprises a mold with plural cavities, solid solder thoroughly filling plural of said cavities, flux, means to melt said solid solder.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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