Digitally programmable micro-transfer printing (MTP) for heterogenous integration

The project studies a digitally programmable micro-transfer system based on Ultra-Sharp-Phase-Transition Shape Memory Polymer (USPT-SMP). This system employs micro-heating units to activate the thermally responsive SMP material, enabling the dynamic adjustment of local adhesion therefore programmable transfer. This is ideal for digital assembly, chip sorting, and real-time defect repair in heterogeneous integration. The USPT-SMP used in the system has ultra-sharp phase transition properties, allowing for a rapid transition of adhesion in space, resulting in high spatial selectivity in transfer. Furthermore, the high memory retention of the USPT-SMP conforms to the topology of the chip surface during contact, effectively transferring devices with different three-dimensional structures and expanding the range of its applications. Additionally, this digital micro-transfer system has the potential to reach leading performance levels in key metrics such as transfer throughput, accuracy, device size, and yield.