Top-side laser for direct transfer of semiconductor devices

1. An apparatus configured to transfer an electrically-actuatable element directly from a first side of a wafer tape to a product substrate having a circuit trace thereon, the apparatus comprising:

a needle disposed adjacent a second side of the wafer tape opposite the first side of the wafer tape, the needle including a first end opposite a second end and a hole extending from the first end to the second end through the needle;

a needle actuator to move the needle to a position at which the second end of the needle presses on the second side of the wafer tape to press the electrically-actuatable element into contact with the circuit trace disposed adjacent the first side of the product substrate;

a clamp connected to an end of the needle actuator and slideably housing the first end of the needle, the clamp having a hole extending through a side of the clamp toward a center of the clamp transversely to the hole of the needle; and

an energy-emitting device arranged in the hole of the needle and extending through the hole of the clamp, the energy-emitting device being configured to emit a specific wavelength and intensity of energy directed at the electrically-actuatable element when the second end of the needle presses the electrically-actuatable element into contact with the circuit trace to bond the circuit trace and the electrically-actuatable element.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a dampener arranged with the first end of the needle and the end of the needle actuator, the dampener dampening a force applied to the electrically-actuatable element when the second end of the needle presses the electrically-actuatable element into contact with the circuit trace, and

wherein the dampener comprises a spring, a coil spring, an elastomer, a pneumatic shock absorber, or a hydraulic shock absorber.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a position of an end of the energy-emitting device is adjustable within the hole of the needle with respect to the first end or the second end of the needle to adjust an effective beam diameter of the energy-emitting device when the energy-emitting device emits the specific wavelength and intensity of energy directed at the electrically-actuatable element.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the energy-emitting device comprises a fiber laser, and

wherein a core of the fiber laser has an outside diameter of 450 μm.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically-actuatable element is an unpackaged LED, and the second end of the needle has a width sized corresponding to a size of a width of the unpackaged LED.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the energy-emitting device is a first energy-emitting device, and

wherein the apparatus further comprises a second energy-emitting device, the second energy-emitting device disposed adjacent the circuit trace, the second-emitting device being configured to emit a specific wavelength and intensity of energy directed at the electrically-actuatable element and/or the circuit trace.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a wafer tape frame configured to hold a wafer tape having a first side and a second side, a semiconductor device die being disposed on the first side of the wafer tape;

a product substrate holder frame including a first portion and a second portion to clamp to a product substrate having a circuit trace thereon such that the circuit trace is disposed facing the semiconductor device die on the wafer tape;

a needle disposed adjacent the wafer tape frame, the needle including a first end opposite a second end, and a hole extending from the first end to the second end through the needle;

a needle actuator connected to first end of the needle to move the needle to a die transfer position at which the second end of the needle presses on the second side of the wafer tape to press the semiconductor device die into contact with the circuit trace; and

an energy-emitting device arranged in the hole of the needle, the energy-emitting device being configured to emit a specific wavelength and intensity of energy directed at the semiconductor device die when the second end of the needle presses the semiconductor device die into contact with the circuit trace to bond the circuit trace and the semiconductor device die.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein the apparatus further comprises a hole located in the needle actuator, at least a portion of the energy-emitting device extending through the second hole.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a clamp connected to the end of the needle actuator and connected to the first end of the needle, and

wherein the apparatus further comprises a hole located in the clamp, at least a portion of the energy-emitting device extending through the hole of the clamp.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a dampener arranged with the first end of the needle and an end of the needle actuator, the dampener dampening a force applied to the semiconductor device die when the second end of the needle presses the semiconductor device die into contact with the circuit trace.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the semiconductor device die includes an LED, and the second end of the needle has a width sized corresponding to a size of a width of the LED.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a needle having a first end opposite a second end, and a hole extending from the first end to the second end through the needle;

a needle actuator to move the needle to a position at which the second end of the needle presses an electrically-actuatable element into contact with a circuit trace;

a clamp connected to an end of the needle actuator and slideably housing the first end of the needle, the clamp having a hole extending through a side of the clamp toward a center of the clamp transversely to the hole of the needle; and

an energy-emitting device arranged in the hole of the needle and extending through the hole of the clamp, the energy-emitting device being configured to emit a specific wavelength and intensity of energy directed at the electrically-actuatable element when the second end of the needle presses the electrically-actuatable element into contact with the circuit trace to bond the circuit trace and the electrically-actuatable element.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising a dampener arranged with the first end of the needle and the end of the needle actuator, the dampener dampening a force applied to the electrically-actuatable element when the second end of the needle presses the electrically-actuatable element into contact with the circuit trace.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein a position of an end of the energy-emitting device is adjustable within the hole of the needle with respect to the first end or the second end of the needle to adjust an effective beam diameter of the energy-emitting device when the energy-emitting device emits the specific wavelength and intensity of energy directed at the electrically-actuatable element.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the energy-emitting device comprises a fiber laser.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the electrically-actuatable element is an LED, and the second end of the needle has a width sized corresponding to a size of a width of the LED.