Apparatus and methods are disclosed for transferring solder to a substrate. A substrate belt moves one or more substrates in a belt direction. A decal has one or more through holes in a hole pattern that hold solder. Each of the solder holes can align with respective locations on one of the substrates. An ultrasonic head produces an ultrasonic vibration in the solder in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the belt direction. The ultrasonic head and substrate can be moved together in the longitudinal direction to maintain the ultrasonic head in contact with the solder while the ultrasonic head applies the ultrasonic vibration. Various methods are disclosed including methods of transferring the solder with or without external heating.

Interconnecting a first chip and a second chip by a bridge member includes a chip handler for handling the first chip and the second chip. Each of the first chip and the second chip has a first surface including a first set of terminals and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The chip handler has an opening and at least one support surface for supporting the first surfaces of the first chip and the second chip when the first chip and the second chip are mounted to the chip handler. A chip support member supports the first chip and the second chip from the second surfaces, and a bridge handler is provided for inserting the bridge member through the opening of the chip handler and for placing the bridge member onto the first sets of terminals of the first chip and the second chip.

Exemplified microscale selective laser sintering (μ-SLS or micro-SLS) systems and methods facilitate modeling of the nanoparticle powder bed by simulating the interactions between particles during the powder spreading operation. In particular, the exemplified methods and system use multiscale modeling techniques to accurately predict the formation and mechanical/electrical properties of parts produced by selective laser sintering of powder beds. Discrete element modeling is used for nanoscale particle interactions by implementing the different forces dominant at nanoscale. A heat transfer analysis is used to predict the sintering of individual particles in the powder beds in order to build up a complete structural model of the parts that are being produced by the SLS process.

Interconnecting a first chip and a second chip by a bridge member includes a chip handler for handling the first chip and the second chip. Each of the first chip and the second chip has a first surface including a first set of terminals and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The chip handler has an opening and at least one support surface for supporting the first surfaces of the first chip and the second chip when the first chip and the second chip are mounted to the chip handler. A chip support member supports the first chip and the second chip from the second surfaces, and a bridge handler is provided for inserting the bridge member through the opening of the chip handler and for placing the bridge member onto the first sets of terminals of the first chip and the second chip.

Interconnecting a first chip and a second chip includes mounting the first and second chips to a chip handler having an opening and at least one support surface. Each of the first chip and the second chip has a first surface including a first set of terminals and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first surface of the first chip and the first surface of the second chip mounted to the chip handler are supported by the at least one support surface of the chip handler. The first and second chips are placed on a chip support member with the chip handler from the second surfaces. A bridge member is inserted by a bridge handler through the opening of the chip handler to place the bridge member onto the first sets of terminals of the first and second chips that are exposed from the opening.

Methods and systems for low-force, low-temperature thermocompression bonding. The present application teaches new methods and structures for three-dimensional integrated circuits, in which cold thermocompression bonding is used to provide reliable bonding. To achieve this, reduction and passivation steps are preferably both used to reduce native oxide on the contact metals and to prevent reformation of native oxide, preferably using atmospheric plasma treatments. Preferably the physical compression height of the elements is set to be only enough to reliably achieve at least some compression of each bonding element pair, compensating for any lack of flatness. Preferably the thermocompression bonding is performed well below the melting point. This not only avoids the deformation of lower levels which is induced by reflow techniques, but also provides a steep relation of force versus z-axis travel, so that a drastically-increasing resistance to compression helps to regulate the degree of thermocompression.

Methods and systems for low-force, low-temperature thermocompression bonding. The present application teaches new methods and structures for three-dimensional integrated circuits, in which cold thermocompression bonding is used to provide reliable bonding. To achieve this, reduction and passivation steps are preferably both used to reduce native oxide on the contact metals and to prevent reformation of native oxide, preferably using atmospheric plasma treatments. Preferably the physical compression height of the elements is set to be only enough to reliably achieve at least some compression of each bonding element pair, compensating for any lack of flatness. Preferably the thermocompression bonding is performed well below the melting point. This not only avoids the deformation of lower levels which is induced by reflow techniques, but also provides a steep relation of force versus z-axis travel, so that a drastically-increasing resistance to compression helps to regulate the degree of thermocompression.

Methods and systems for low-force, low-temperature thermocompression bonding. The present application teaches new methods and structures for three-dimensional integrated circuits, in which cold thermocompression bonding is used to provide reliable bonding. To achieve this, reduction and passivation steps are preferably both used to reduce native oxide on the contact metals and to prevent reformation of native oxide, preferably using atmospheric plasma treatments. Preferably the physical compression height of the elements is set to be only enough to reliably achieve at least some compression of each bonding element pair, compensating for any lack of flatness. Preferably the thermocompression bonding is performed well below the melting point. This not only avoids the deformation of lower levels which is induced by reflow techniques, but also provides a steep relation of force versus z-axis travel, so that a drastically-increasing resistance to compression helps to regulate the degree of thermocompression.

Methods and systems for low-force, low-temperature thermocompression bonding. The present application teaches new methods and structures for three-dimensional integrated circuits, in which cold thermocompression bonding is used to provide reliable bonding. To achieve this, reduction and passivation steps are preferably both used to reduce native oxide on the contact metals and to prevent reformation of native oxide, preferably using atmospheric plasma treatments. Preferably the physical compression height of the elements is set to be only enough to reliably achieve at least some compression of each bonding element pair, compensating for any lack of flatness. Preferably the thermocompression bonding is performed well below the melting point. This not only avoids the deformation of lower levels which is induced by reflow techniques, but also provides a steep relation of force versus z-axis travel, so that a drastically-increasing resistance to compression helps to regulate the degree of thermocompression.

Methods and systems for low-force, low-temperature thermocompression bonding. The present application teaches new methods and structures for three-dimensional integrated circuits, in which cold thermocompression bonding is used to provide reliable bonding. To achieve this, reduction and passivation steps are preferably both used to reduce native oxide on the contact metals and to prevent reformation of native oxide, preferably using atmospheric plasma treatments. Preferably the physical compression height of the elements is set to be only enough to reliably achieve at least some compression of each bonding element pair, compensating for any lack of flatness. Preferably the thermocompression bonding is performed well below the melting point. This not only avoids the deformation of lower levels which is induced by reflow techniques, but also provides a steep relation of force versus z-axis travel, so that a drastically-increasing resistance to compression helps to regulate the degree of thermocompression.