US 11,810,871 B2
Pre-conditioned self-destructing substrate
Christopher L. Chua, San Jose, CA (US); Norine Chang, Menlo Park, CA (US); and Gregory Whiting, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Assigned to Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed by Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/125,644.
Application 17/125,644 is a division of application No. 15/299,385, filed on Oct. 20, 2016, granted, now 10,903,173.
Prior Publication US 2021/0143110 A1, May 13, 2021
Int. Cl. H01L 23/00 (2006.01); H01L 23/525 (2006.01); H01L 31/02 (2006.01); H01L 31/105 (2006.01); H03K 17/94 (2006.01); H05K 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 23/573 (2013.01) [H01L 23/5256 (2013.01); H01L 23/57 (2013.01); H01L 31/02019 (2013.01); H01L 31/105 (2013.01); H03K 17/94 (2013.01); H05K 1/0275 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
disposing a heater on or proximate to a frangible substrate such that the heater is thermally coupled to the frangible substrate, the frangible substrate comprising at least one pre-weakened area and a non-pre-weakened area; and
pre-conditioning the frangible substrate at or proximate to a location of the heater, wherein the pre-conditioning weakens the substrate at the pre-weakened area relative to the non-pre-weakened area without causing propagating fractures in the frangible substrate and wherein application of a predetermined level of energy to the heater initiates self-destruction of the frangible substrate by fractures propagating from the pre-weakened area and causing the frangible substrate to fracture;
wherein pre-conditioning the frangible substrate comprises activating the heater by an energy source at an energy lower than a threshold energy that initiates fractures in the pre-weakened area.