Repeatable ESD protection utilizing a process for unshorting a first shorting material between electrical pads and reshorting by recreating the short
View Patent ↗A method for shorting, unshorting, and reshorting an electronic component such as an MR sensor provides a repeatable ESD protection scheme. A conductive line of an electrically conductive first shorting material is created between electrical leads operatively coupled to an electronic component for creating a short therebetween. The short is severed using a laser. The short is recreated by applying a second shorting material, which may or may not be the same as the first shorting material.
1. A method for shorting, unshorting, and reshorting an electronic component, comprising:
forming a conductive line of an electrically conductive first shorting material for creating a short between electrical pads or leads operatively coupled to an electronic component;
severing the short by melting the first shorting material using a laser; and
recreating the short by applying a second shorting material.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the conductive line is formed between pads or leads operatively coupled to the electronic component.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the conductive line is formed between secondary pads or leads operatively coupled to the electronic component.
4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first shorting material is the same as the second shorting material.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first shorting material is different than the second shorting material.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second shorting materials is a metal.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first or second shorting material is a metallic solder.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first or second shorting material is a tin-containing material.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first or second shorting material is a material that would otherwise be present on the electronic component in an as-sold condition.
10. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first or second shorting material is a material that would not otherwise be present on the electronic component in an as-sold condition.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first or second shorting material has a melting point lower than the pads or leads to which coupled.
12. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first or second shorting material has a melting point higher than the pads or leads to which coupled.
13. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first or second shorting material dewets upon melting.
14. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first or second shorting material dewets upon severing of the short by the laser.
15. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the short severed by the first or second shorting material being severed between the pads or leads.
16. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the short severed by the first or second shorting material being severed over a nonfunctional pad or lead.
17. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second shorting material is created using a laser deposition process.
18. A method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the laser deposition process includes pulsed laser deposition.
19. A method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the laser deposition process includes laser chemical vapor deposition.
20. A method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the laser deposition process includes laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT).
21. A method as recited in claim 20 , wherein multiple layers of the second shorting material are applied using LIFT.
22. A method as recited in claim 20 , wherein an emitting substrate supporting a material transferred by LIFT is rigid.
23. A method as recited in claim 20 , wherein an emitting substrate supporting a material transferred by LIFT is deformable.
24. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the short created by the second shorting material has an electrical resistance lower than the electronic component.
25. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second shorting material is formed at a location different than the location of the first shorting material.
26. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising severing the short created by the second shorting material.
27. A method as recited in claim 26 , further comprising reapplying the second shorting material for recreating the short a second time.
28. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic component is at least one of a magnetoresitive (MR) sensor and a tunnel junction sensor.
29. A method for shorting, unshorting, and reshorting a magnetic sensor, comprising:
forming a conductive line of an electrically conductive first shorting material for creating a short between electrical pads or leads operatively coupled to an electronic component;
severing the short by melting the first shorting material; and
recreating the short by applying a second shorting material.
30. A method as recited in claim 29 , wherein the second shorting material is created using a laser deposition process.
31. A method as recited in claim 30 , wherein the laser deposition process includes laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT).
32. A method as recited in claim 29 , further comprising severing the short created by the second shorting material.
33. A method as recited in claim 32 , further comprising reapplying the second shorting material for recreating the short a second time.
34. A method as recited in claim 29 , wherein the electronic component is at least one of a magnetoresitive (MR) sensor and a tunnel junction sensor.