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US5685995A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for laser functional trimming of films and devices
Assignee: Electro Scientific Industries Inc
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Filing: 1995-10-02
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Granted: 1997-11-11
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Expires: 2015-10-02
Abstract
Abstract A laser system (50) and processing method exploit a wavelength range (40) in which devices, including any semiconductor material-based devices (10) affected by conventional laser wavelengths and devices having light-sensitive or photo-electronic portions integrated into their circuits, can be effectively functionally trimmed without inducing performance drift or malfunctions in the processed devices. True measurement values of operational parameters of the devices can, therefore, be obtained without delay for device recovery, i.e., can be obtained substantially instantaneously with laser impingement. Accordingly, the present invention allows faster functional laser processing, eases geometric restrictions on circuit design, and facilitates production of denser and smaller devices.
Inventors
- 👤 Yunlong Sun
- 👤 Edward J. Swenson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 16:17
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/02; B23K26/03; B23K26/032; B23K26/06; B23K26/064; B23K26/0643; B23K26/0665; B23K26/351
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
235 words
A method for modifying with laser output a measurable operational parameter of an activated electronic device while preventing a spurious optoelectric response in the device, the device including target material and nontarget material positioned within optical proximity to the target material, the laser output including a laser pulse having a spatial distribution of energy that impinges the target material and exposes the nontarget material to extraneous laser output, the target material having ablation sensitivity to laser output in a first wavelength range and the nontarget material having optoelectric sensitivity to wavelengths in a second wavelength range that forms a subset of the first wavelength range such that exposure to a wavelength within the second wavelength range causes spurious optoelectric effects in the nontarget material that transiently obscure for a time interval concurrent with and following the laser pulse a true value of the measurable operational parameter of the device, comprising: determining a third wavelength range of laser output for which the nontarget material has substantial optoelectric insensitivity, the third wavelength range excluding the second wavelength range; activating the device; generating a laser pulse at a selected wavelength that falls within an overlapping region of the first and third wavelength ranges; impinging the target material with the laser pulse having sufficient power to ablate a portion of the target material; and measuring within the time interval a true value of the operational parameter of the device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
235 words
A method for modifying with laser output a measurable operational parameter of an activated electronic device while preventing a spurious optoelectric response in the device, the device including target material and nontarget material positioned within optical proximity to the target material, the laser output including a laser pulse having a spatial distribution of energy that impinges the target material and exposes the nontarget material to extraneous laser output, the target material having ablation sensitivity to laser output in a first wavelength range and the nontarget material having optoelectric sensitivity to wavelengths in a second wavelength range that forms a subset of the first wavelength range such that exposure to a wavelength within the second wavelength range causes spurious optoelectric effects in the nontarget material that transiently obscure for a time interval concurrent with and following the laser pulse a true value of the measurable operational parameter of the device, comprising: determining a third wavelength range of laser output for which the nontarget material has substantial optoelectric insensitivity, the third wavelength range excluding the second wavelength range; activating the device; generating a laser pulse at a selected wavelength that falls within an overlapping region of the first and third wavelength ranges; impinging the target material with the laser pulse having sufficient power to ablate a portion of the target material; and measuring within the time interval a true value of the operational parameter of the device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: comparing the true value of the measurable operational parameter with a preselected value for the operational parameter of the device; and determining whether the target material requires additional impinging with laser output to satisfy the preselected value for the operational parameter of the device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 1 in which the target material forms part of a target structure and the nontarget material comprises a substrate of the target structure, wherein the nontarget material comprises silicon, germanium, indium gallium arsenide, or semiconductor or ceramic material and the target material comprises aluminum, titanium, nickel, copper, tungsten, platinum, gold, nickel chromide, tantalum nitride, titanium nitride, cesium silicide, doped polysilicon, disilicide, or polycide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 in which the nontarget material comprises a portion of an adjacent electronic structure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 4 in which the adjacent electronic structure comprises a semiconductor material-based substrate or a ceramic substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 in which the target material forms part of a resistor, capacitor, or inductor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which the target material or nontarget material comprises a portion of a photo-electric sensing component.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 in which the photo-electric sensing component comprises a photodiode or a CCD.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 in which the step of determining is substantially instantaneously subsequent to the step of impinging.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising substantially no device settling time between the steps of impinging and measuring.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 in which the nontarget material comprises silicon and the third wavelength range comprises wavelengths between 1.2 and 3 μm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-11-10 | 2001-05-12 | 2001-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-11-10 | 2005-05-12 | 2005-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-11-10 | 2009-05-12 | 2009-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |