Placing ultra-small or ultra-thin discrete components
A method includes dicing a wafer to form discrete components; transferring the discrete components onto a transparent carrier, including adhering the discrete component to a carrier release layer on the transparent carrier; and releasing one of the discrete components from the transparent carrier, the one of the discrete components being deposited onto a device substrate after the releasing.
1. A method comprising:
releasing a discrete component from a release structure on an interim handle by reducing adhesion between the release structure and the discrete component, the reducing comprising applying a stimulus to cause a state change in the release structure from a first state to a second state,
the state change comprising a change in a surface morphology of the release structure.
2. The method of claim 1 in which causing a state change comprises causing a phase transition of at least a portion of the release structure, the phase transition comprising a transition from solid to liquid or a transition from solid to gas or both.
3. The method of claim 1 in which causing a state change comprises causing a change in a chemical structure or a chemical composition or both of at least a portion of the release structure.
4. The method of claim 1 , the releasing of the discrete component comprising releasing the discrete component without leaving a residue from the release structure on the discrete component after the release.
5. The method of claim 1 , in which the discrete component is in contact with an adhesive layer disposed on a substrate when the discrete component is released from the release structure on the interim handle.
6. The method of claim 5 , in which a release temperature of the adhesive layer disposed on the substrate is higher than a release temperature of the release structure.
7. The method of claim 1 , in which applying the stimulus comprises irradiating the release structure with laser light.
8. An apparatus comprising:
a discrete component attached to an interim handle via a release structure, the release structure configured to undergo a state change from a first state to a second state responsive to an applied stimulus, the state change comprising a change in a surface morphology of the release structure.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the state change comprises a phase transition from a first phase to a second phase.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , comprising a handle substrate and an adhesive layer disposed on the handle substrate, in which the discrete component is in contact with the adhesive layer.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , in which a release temperature of the adhesive layer is higher than a release temperature of the release structure.
12. An apparatus comprising:
a substrate; and
a release structure disposed on a surface of the substrate, the release structure configured to undergo a state change from a first state to a second state responsive to an applied stimulus,
in which a surface of the release structure is configured to change from being adhesive to a discrete component when the release structure is in the first state to being in a configuration that enables the discrete component to be released when the release structure is in the second state, in which the state change comprises a change in a surface morphology of the release structure.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which the state change occurs in a layer of the release structure that is adjacent to the substrate.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 , in which the state change comprises a phase transition from a first phase to a second phase.
15. An apparatus comprising:
a substrate; and
a release structure disposed on the substrate, the release structure comprising a first layer and a second layer, the second layer being disposed between the first layer and the substrate, and the first layer having a first adhesion sufficient to enable a discrete component to adhere to the release structure,
wherein when a stimulus is applied to the release structure, the second layer of the release structure is configured to undergo a state change from a first state to a second state, the second state enabling the discrete component to be released from the release structure, the state change comprising one or more of a morphology change, a phase transition, a change in chemical structure, and a change in chemical composition.