Systems and methods for forming apertures in microfeature workpieces

Abstract

Systems and methods for forming apertures in microfeature workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes directing a laser beam toward a microfeature workpiece to form an aperture and sensing the laser beam pass through the microfeature workpiece in real time. The method can further include determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the aperture and controlling the laser beam based on the determined number of pulses and/or the determined elapsed time to form a second aperture in the microfeature workpiece.

1 . A method for forming an aperture in a microfeature workpiece, the method comprising: 
 directing a laser beam toward the microfeature workpiece to form the aperture; and    sensing the laser beam pass through the microfeature workpiece in real time.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the aperture.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aperture is a first aperture, and wherein the method further comprises: 
 determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the first aperture; and    controlling the laser beam based on the determined number of pulses and/or the determined elapsed time to form a second aperture at another location in the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising positioning the microfeature workpiece between a laser and an electromagnetic radiation sensor before directing the laser beam, wherein directing the laser beam occurs while the microfeature workpiece is positioned between the laser and the electromagnetic radiation sensor.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein sensing the laser beam comprises sensing the laser beam with an electromagnetic radiation sensor.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece comprises a first die and a second die adjacent to the first die; and    directing the laser beam comprises forming the aperture between the first and second dies.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece comprises a perimeter region; and    directing the laser beam comprises forming the aperture in the perimeter region of the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein directing the laser beam comprises forming a through hole in the microfeature workpiece.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and    the method further comprises supporting the microfeature workpiece with a workpiece carrier so that a center region of the first surface and a center region of the second surface do not contact the workpiece carrier while directing the laser beam.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aperture is a first aperture, wherein the microfeature workpiece comprises a first die and a second die adjacent to the first die, wherein directing the laser beam comprises forming the first aperture between the first and second dies, and wherein the method further comprises: 
 determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the first aperture; and    controlling the laser beam based on the determined number of pulses and/or the determined elapsed time to form a second aperture at another location in the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aperture is a first aperture, and wherein the method further comprises: 
 determining a first thickness of the microfeature workpiece at a first location, the first location being the location of the first aperture;    determining a second thickness of the microfeature workpiece at a second location different than the first location; and    controlling the laser beam based on the difference between the first thickness and the second thickness to form a second aperture at the second location.    
     
     
         12 . A method for forming a plurality of production apertures in a microfeature workpiece, the method comprising: 
 ablating the microfeature workpiece by directing pulses of a laser beam to form a test aperture in the microfeature workpiece;    automatically determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the test aperture; and    automatically controlling the laser beam based on the determined number of pulses and/or the determined elapsed time to form a plurality of production apertures in the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein automatically determining the number of pulses and/or the elapsed time comprises sensing the laser beam pass through the microfeature workpiece in real time.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein ablating the microfeature workpiece comprises forming a through hole.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein automatically controlling the laser beam comprises: 
 selecting an adjusted number of pulses by changing the determined number of pulses according to a correction factor; and    directing the laser beam toward the microfeature workpiece for the adjusted number of pulses to form at least one of the production apertures.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein automatically controlling the laser beam comprises: 
 selecting an adjusted time by changing the determined elapsed time according to a correction factor; and    directing the laser beam toward the microfeature workpiece for the adjusted time to form at least one of the production apertures.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein: 
 the production apertures comprise a plurality of blind holes; and    automatically controlling the laser beam comprises controlling the laser beam based on a selected depth of the blind holes.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising positioning the microfeature workpiece between a laser and an electromagnetic radiation sensor before directing the laser beam, wherein ablating the microfeature workpiece occurs while the microfeature workpiece is positioned between the laser and the electromagnetic radiation sensor.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein automatically determining the number of pulses and/or the elapsed time comprises sensing the laser beam with an electromagnetic radiation sensor.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece comprises a first die and a second die adjacent to the first die; and    ablating the microfeature workpiece comprises forming the test aperture between the first and second dies.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece comprises a perimeter region; and    ablating the microfeature workpiece comprises forming the test aperture in the perimeter region of the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and    the method further comprises supporting the microfeature workpiece with a workpiece carrier so that a center region of the first surface and a center region of the second surface do not contact the workpiece carrier while directing the laser beam.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 determining a first thickness of the microfeature workpiece at a first location, the first location being the location of the first aperture; and    determining a second thickness of the microfeature workpiece at a second location different than the first location, the second location being the location of one of the plurality of production apertures;    wherein automatically controlling the laser beam comprises controlling the laser beam based on the difference between the first thickness and second thickness.    
     
     
         24 . A method for forming a plurality of apertures in a microfeature workpiece, the method comprising: 
 impinging a laser beam upon the microfeature workpiece to form a first aperture;    sensing the laser beam pass through the microfeature workpiece with a sensor; and    forming a second aperture by controlling the laser beam based on a determined number of pulses of the laser beam to form the first aperture and/or a determined elapsed time to form the first aperture.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein forming the second aperture comprises automatically determining the number of pulses of the laser beam and/or the elapsed time to form the first aperture.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein forming the second aperture comprises: 
 selecting an adjusted number of pulses by changing the determined number of pulses according to a correction factor; and    directing the laser beam toward the microfeature workpiece for the adjusted number of pulses to form the second aperture.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24  wherein forming the second aperture comprises: 
 selecting an adjusted time by changing the determined elapsed time according to a correction factor; and    directing the laser beam toward the microfeature workpiece for the adjusted time to form the second aperture.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24  wherein: 
 the second aperture comprises a blind hole; and    forming the second aperture comprises controlling the laser beam based on a selected depth of the blind hole.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and    the method further comprises supporting the microfeature workpiece with a workpiece carrier so that a center region of the first surface and a center region of the second surface do not contact the workpiece carrier while directing the laser beam.    
     
     
         30 . A method for forming an aperture in a microfeature workpiece, the method comprising: 
 positioning the microfeature workpiece between a laser and an electromagnetic radiation sensor;    directing a laser beam from the laser toward the microfeature workpiece to form the aperture in the microfeature workpiece while the microfeature workpiece is positioned between the laser and the electromagnetic radiation sensor; and    sensing the laser beam pass through the microfeature workpiece with the electromagnetic radiation sensor.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the aperture.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the aperture is a test aperture, and wherein the method further comprises: 
 determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the test aperture; and    controlling the laser beam based on the determined number of pulses and/or the determined elapsed time to form a plurality of production apertures in the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and    the method further comprises supporting the microfeature workpiece with a workpiece carrier so that a center region of the first surface and a center region of the second surface do not contact the workpiece carrier while directing the laser beam.    
     
     
         34 . A system for forming an aperture in a microfeature workpiece, the system comprising: 
 a laser configured to produce a laser beam along a beam path;    an electromagnetic radiation sensor positioned along the beam path to sense the laser beam; and    a workpiece carrier configured to selectively position the microfeature workpiece in the beam path before the electromagnetic radiation sensor to form the aperture in the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and    the workpiece carrier is configured to carry the microfeature workpiece without contacting a center region of the first surface and a center region of the second surface of the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the workpiece carrier is configured to engage a perimeter region of the microfeature workpiece to support the workpiece.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the workpiece carrier does not obscure the beam path.  
     
     
         38 . A system for forming an aperture in a microfeature workpiece, the system comprising: 
 a laser configured to produce a laser beam along a beam path;    an electromagnetic radiation sensor positioned along the beam path to sense the laser beam;    a workpiece carrier configured to selectively position the microfeature workpiece in the beam path before the electromagnetic radiation sensor; and    a controller operably coupled to the laser, the electromagnetic radiation sensor, and the workpiece carrier, the controller having a computer-readable medium containing instructions to direct the laser beam toward the microfeature workpiece to form the aperture, and sense the laser beam pass through the microfeature workpiece in real time.    
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and    the workpiece carrier is configured to carry the microfeature workpiece without contacting a center region of the first surface and a center region of the second surface of the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38  wherein the workpiece carrier is configured to engage a perimeter region of the microfeature workpiece to support the workpiece.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 38  wherein the computer-readable medium contains further instructions to determine a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the aperture.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 38  wherein the aperture is a test aperture, and wherein the computer-readable medium contains further instructions to determine a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the test aperture, and control the laser beam based on the determined number of pulses and/or the determined elapsed time to form a plurality of production apertures in the microfeature workpiece.  
     
     
         43 . A system for forming a plurality of production apertures in a microfeature workpiece, the system comprising: 
 a laser configured to produce a laser beam along a beam path;    an electromagnetic radiation sensor positioned along the beam path to sense the laser beam;    a workpiece carrier configured to selectively position the microfeature workpiece in the beam path before the electromagnetic radiation sensor; and    a controller operably coupled to the laser, the electromagnetic radiation sensor, and the workpiece carrier, the controller having a computer-readable medium containing instructions to perform a method comprising—
 ablating the microfeature workpiece by directing pulses of a laser beam to form a test aperture in the microfeature workpiece;  
 determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the test aperture; and  
 controlling the laser beam based on the determined number of pulses and/or the determined elapsed time to form the plurality of production apertures in the microfeature workpiece.  
   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and    the workpiece carrier is configured to carry the microfeature workpiece without contacting a center region of the first surface and a center region of the second surface of the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 43  wherein the workpiece carrier is configured to engage a perimeter region of the microfeature workpiece to support the workpiece.  
     
     
         46 . A system for forming an aperture in a microfeature workpiece, the system comprising: 
 a laser configured to produce a laser beam along a beam path;    an electromagnetic radiation sensor positioned along the beam path to sense the laser beam;    a workpiece carrier; and    a controller operably coupled to the laser, the electromagnetic radiation sensor, and the workpiece carrier, the controller having a computer-readable medium containing instructions to perform a method comprising—
 positioning the microfeature workpiece in the beam path with the workpiece carrier;  
 directing the laser beam toward the microfeature workpiece to form the aperture in the microfeature workpiece; and  
 sensing the laser beam pass through the microfeature workpiece with the electromagnetic radiation sensor.  
   
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46  wherein: 
 the microfeature workpiece includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and    the workpiece carrier is configured to carry the microfeature workpiece without contacting a center region of the first surface and a center region of the second surface of the microfeature workpiece.    
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 46  wherein the workpiece carrier is configured to engage a perimeter region of the microfeature workpiece to support the workpiece.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 46  wherein the computer-readable medium contains instructions to perform the method further comprising determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the aperture.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 46  wherein the aperture is a test aperture, and wherein the computer-readable medium contains instructions to perform the method further comprising: 
 determining a number of pulses of the laser beam and/or an elapsed time to form the test aperture; and    controlling the laser beam based on the determined number of pulses and/or the determined elapsed time to form a plurality of production apertures in the microfeature workpiece.