US6027958A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transferred flexible integrated circuit
Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC
•
Filing: 1996-07-11
•
Granted: 2000-02-22
•
Expires: 2016-07-11
Abstract
Abstract Integrated circuits for use in electronic devices requiring high density packaging are fabricated to provide highly flexible and ultra-thin devices having a variety of applications. The flexible circuits have dimensions up to several centimeters in surface area and thicknesses of a few microns. These circuits are fabricated using transfer techniques which include the removal of VLSI circuits from silicon wafers and mounting of the circuits on application specific substrates.
Inventors
- 👤 Duy-Phach Vu
- 👤 Brenda Dingle
- 👤 Ngwe K. Cheong
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:18
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W74/00; H10W74/01; H10W74/019; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/16; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/74; H10W70/00; H10W70/60; H10W70/611; H10W70/67; H10W70/688; H10W90/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/03; H05K1/0393; H05K3/00; H05K3/10; H05K3/20; H10P72/7426; H10P72/743; H10P72/7432; H10P72/7434
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of fabricating a flexible circuit device comprising: providing a silicon-on-insulator structure including a silicon device layer or an insulating layer that extends over a semiconductor substrate; fabricating an integrated circuit with the device layer; and transferring the integrated circuit from the semiconductor substrate to a flexible material, the integrated circuit having a plurality of spaced interconnected semiconductor regions that form a flexible integrated circuit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of fabricating a flexible circuit device comprising: providing a silicon-on-insulator structure including a silicon device layer or an insulating layer that extends over a semiconductor substrate; fabricating an integrated circuit with the device layer; and transferring the integrated circuit from the semiconductor substrate to a flexible material, the integrated circuit having a plurality of spaced interconnected semiconductor regions that form a flexible integrated circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising sealing the flexible integrated circuit with a sealant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising forming an active matrix liquid crystal display with the flexible integrated circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the transferring step further comprises adhering the integrated circuit to a second substrate with an adhesive layer, removing a portion of the semiconductor substrate and releasing the second substrate from the integrated circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the silicon-on-insulator structure comprises a single crystal silicon layer on a silicon dioxide layer that extends over a silicon substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the flexible material comprises a polymeric material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of the integrated circuit further comprises device processing on an exposed second side of the integrate circuit.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of fabricating a thin flexible circuit device comprising: providing a first substrate having a semiconductor material on an insulating layer that extends over the first substrate; fabricating an integrated circuit with the semiconductor material; providing a second substrate having an adhesive layer that is separated from the first substrate with a separation layer; transferring the integrated circuit and insulating layer from the first substrate to the second substrate such that the integrated circuit adheres to the adhesive layer; removing portions of the adhesive layer to expose the integrated circuit therein; and removing the second substrate at the separation layer to provide a flexible integrated circuit.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of fabricating a thin flexible circuit device comprising: providing a first substrate having a semiconductor material on an insulating layer that extends over the first substrate; fabricating an integrated circuit with the semiconductor material; providing a second substrate having an adhesive layer that is separated from the first substrate with a separation layer; transferring the integrated circuit and insulating layer from the first substrate to the second substrate such that the integrated circuit adheres to the adhesive layer; removing portions of the adhesive layer to expose the integrated circuit therein; and removing the second substrate at the separation layer to provide a flexible integrated circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising forming a separation layer including copper.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 8 the forming step includes forming a copper layer that is less than 700 angstroms in thickness.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising forming the adhesive layer that is less than 15 microns in thickness.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising forming the flexible integrated circuit with less than 4 microns in thickness.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising forming the flexible integrated circuit with less than 20 microns in thickness.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the second substrate is glass.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of fabricating a thin film flexible circuit device comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate; fabricating an integrated circuit with the semiconductor substrate; providing a second substrate having an adhesive layer separated by a separation layer; transferring the integrated circuit from the substrate to the second substrate such that a first surface of the integrated circuit adheres to the adhesive layer; forming an intermediate structure that exposes a second surface of the integrated circuit; providing a third substrate having a second adhesive layer; transferring the intermediary structure to the third substrate such that the semiconductor material adheres to the second adhesive layer; and removing the second substrate to expose the first side of the integrated circuit; and sealing the integrated circuit to form a flexible integrated circuit structure.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of fabricating a thin film flexible circuit device comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate; fabricating an integrated circuit with the semiconductor substrate; providing a second substrate having an adhesive layer separated by a separation layer; transferring the integrated circuit from the substrate to the second substrate such that a first surface of the integrated circuit adheres to the adhesive layer; forming an intermediate structure that exposes a second surface of the integrated circuit; providing a third substrate having a second adhesive layer; transferring the intermediary structure to the third substrate such that the semiconductor material adheres to the second adhesive layer; and removing the second substrate to expose the first side of the integrated circuit; and sealing the integrated circuit to form a flexible integrated circuit structure.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the separation layer is amorphous silicon.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the adhesive layer is less than 15 microns in thickness.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the second adhesive layer is less 15 microns in thickness.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising removing the separation and adhesive layers to expose the integrated circuit devices to provide a flexible integrated circuit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the flexible integrated circuit is less than 20 microns of thickness.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the flexible integrated circuit is less than 4 microns of thickness.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the second substrate is glass.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the third substrate is Teflon.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method claim 15 wherein the separation layer is copper.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the copper is less than 700 angstroms in thickness.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
43 words
A smart card flexible circuit device comprising: a silicon semiconductor material on a silicon dioxide layer; an integrated circuit fabricated with the silicon semiconductor material; an encapsulating layer to seal the integrated circuit; and a flexible support layer adhered to the integrated circuit.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
43 words
A smart card flexible circuit device comprising: a silicon semiconductor material on a silicon dioxide layer; an integrated circuit fabricated with the silicon semiconductor material; an encapsulating layer to seal the integrated circuit; and a flexible support layer adhered to the integrated circuit.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
11 words
The circuit of claim 26 wherein the support layer is copper.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
11 words
The circuit of claim 26 wherein the support layer is Teflon®.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
11 words
The circuit of claim 26 wherein the support layer is plastic.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
25 words
The circuit of claim 26 wherein the integrated circuit comprises a plurality of spaced semiconductor regions on the flexible support layer that are electrically connected.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
The circuit of claim 26 further comprising an adhesive layer between the support layer and the integrated circuit wherein the adhesive layer is less than 15 microns in thickness.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The circuit of claim 26 wherein the integrated circuit is less than 20 microns thick.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
The circuit of claim 26 wherein the integrated circuit is less than 4 microns thick.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
10 words
The circuit claim 26 further comprising a copper separation layer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
The circuit of claim 34 wherein the copper is less than 700 angstroms thick.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
85 words
A flexible circuit comprising: a flexible layer of semiconductor material having a first integrated circuit formed with the first layer of semiconductor material; a second layer of semiconductor material having a second integrated circuit formed with the second layer of semiconductor material; a separation layer between the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit, the first integrated circuit being electrically connected to the second integrated circuit, an encapsulating layer to seal the flexible circuit; and a flexible support layer adhered to the flexible circuit.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
85 words
A flexible circuit comprising: a flexible layer of semiconductor material having a first integrated circuit formed with the first layer of semiconductor material; a second layer of semiconductor material having a second integrated circuit formed with the second layer of semiconductor material; a separation layer between the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit, the first integrated circuit being electrically connected to the second integrated circuit, an encapsulating layer to seal the flexible circuit; and a flexible support layer adhered to the flexible circuit.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
11 words
The circuit of claim 36 wherein the support layer is copper.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
11 words
The circuit of claim 36 wherein the support layer is Teflon.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
11 words
The circuit of claim 36 wherein the support layer is plastic.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
25 words
The circuit of claim 36 wherein each integrated circuit comprises a plurality of spaced semiconductor regions on the flexible support layer that are electrically connected.
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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) | 2003-02-21 | 2003-08-23 | 2004-02-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-21 | 2007-08-23 | 2008-02-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-21 | 2011-08-23 | 2012-02-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |