APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT

摘要

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an integrated circuit (10) having a thick film metal layer (14). A layer of metal paste (14) is applied via an application means (24) onto a heat-conducting substrate (12). The metal paste (14) includes metal particles of a predetermined size. An RF generator (16) selectively inductively couples RF energy (18) into the metal paste (14). The predetermined size of the metal particles of the metal paste (14) corresponds to a coupling frequency of the RF energy (18), for heating the metal particles. In this way the metal particles of the metal paste (14) are heated with only a small fraction of the power of conventional processes, and without the need to pre-sinter the metal paste (14).

主权项

1. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit having a thick film metal layer comprising the acts of:
selectively applying a paste on a heat-conducting substrate using a applicator, the paste comprising particles of a metal constituent consisting essentially of metal particles having sizes within a single predetermined range about a single predetermined size; and selectively inductively coupling a radio frequency (RF) energy into the metal particles of the paste from a radio frequency (RF) generator, the metal particles of the single predetermined size are selectively inductively couplable with the RF energy, for heating the metal particles, wherein the frequency of the RF energy corresponds to a coupling frequency of the metal particles of the single predetermined size so that the inductive heating of the metal particles is sufficient for melting the metal particles.