Solvent softening to allow die placement

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide methods and systems for assembling electronic devices, such as integrated circuit (IC) chips, by selectively and seating IC elements onto/into a receiving substrate, such as a chip substrate. Specifically, the assembly of IC chips can include embedding IC elements onto the receiving substrate upon softening the receiving substrate. Such softening can be performed by using a softening agent and/or an activatable thermal barrier material. In an exemplary embodiment, pockets can be formed in the receiving substrate using the activatable thermal barrier material for the IC assembly.

1 . An integrated circuit assembly comprising:
 a chip substrate selectively softened at one or more portions thereof by a surface treatment; and   one or more released IC elements embedded into the corresponding softened portion of the chip substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the chip substrate comprises plastic. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more released IC elements are embedded in a bump side up orientation. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , each embedded IC element comprises a locally applied encapsulation material. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising supporting electronics printed on the chip substrate, wherein the supporting electronics electrically contact each exposed IC element. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the element is embedded flush with a surface of the chip substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the element is embedded below a surface of the chip substrate.