Component carrier having code element and device for reading code element

Abstract

The invention relates to a component carrier, to a device, to a device for reading an embedded code element of a component carrier, to a method for reading an embedded code element of a component carrier, to a method for producing a component carrier, to the use of a device or device in an automatic inspection machine for inspecting and / or verifying and / or repairing a component carrier. The component carrier comprises a stack comprising: a code element comprising an opaque portion and a first translucent portion; the at least one first layer structure comprises at least one second semitransparent part; wherein the at least one first layer structure and the code element are arranged such that respective translucent portions overlap, such that translucent regions connect at least two major surfaces of the stack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a component carrier having a stack comprising at least one code element, the at least one code element comprising an opaque portion and a first translucent portion. The component carrier further comprises a first layer structure comprising a second translucent portion, wherein the first layer structure and the code element are arranged such that the respective translucent portions overlap, such that the translucent region connects at least two main surfaces of the stack.

[0002] The invention further relates to a device for reading an embedded code element of a component carrier.

[0003] The invention further relates to an arrangement comprising the device and a component carrier, wherein the component carrier is mounted on a mounting device of the device.

[0004] The invention further relates to a method for reading an embedded code element of a component carrier.

[0005] Thus, the present invention may relate to the technical field of component carriers such as printed circuit boards or IC substrates and their manufacture. Background Art

[0006] Against the backdrop of the ever-increasing product functionality of component carriers equipped with one or more electronic components, the increasing miniaturization of such electronic components, and the increasing number of electronic components to be mounted on component carriers, such as printed circuit boards, increasingly powerful array-like components or packages are being used, which have a plurality of contacts or connections with increasingly smaller spacing between them. At the same time, component carriers must be mechanically robust and electrically reliable in order to be able to operate even under harsh conditions.

[0007] It is challenging to effectively control the batch manufacturing process for manufacturing component carriers. Traceability of component carriers or preforms of component carriers is desired, i.e. the ability to track and identify component carrier-related bodies, for example during manufacturing and / or use. Tracking component carrier-related bodies can allow the manufacturing history, location, manufacturing environment (e.g. temperature, humidity) or application of individual component carrier-related bodies to be verified. Based on the traces, component carriers (preforms) can be effectively tracked during component carrier manufacturing, making manufacturing more efficient. Furthermore, traceability can be regarded as a quality standard often required by customers of component carriers.

[0008] Figure 2AA cross-sectional view through a conventional component carrier 200 is shown. The conventional component carrier 200 includes a stack 201 mounted on a mounting device 253. The mounting device 253 includes an inner layer 211 on which a code element 210 is printed. The printed code element 210 appears opaque. The stack also includes a first layer structure 220, which is arranged vertically adjacent to the code element 210. A light source 254 is arranged above the stack 201. The stack 201 also includes a second layer structure 230, which is arranged vertically adjacent to the other side of the code element 210. An electromagnetic radiation beam 255 is emitted by the light source 254, passes through the second layer structure 230, and is reflected back to an electromagnetic radiation sensor 256 arranged vertically above the stack 201. The code element 210 can only be read by the emitted light when it is exposed on the main surface. As soon as the code element 210 is covered by another layer, tracking is no longer possible.

[0009] Figure 2B A top view of the code element 210 is shown, which appears opaque.

[0010] A particular disadvantage of the related art is that code elements covered by further layer structures (of the component carrier stack) can neither be effectively illuminated nor read by front light, thus potentially hindering full traceability in the manufacture of component carriers. Summary of the Invention

[0011] It may be necessary to efficiently track component carriers or parts of component carriers.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, a component carrier is provided. The component carrier includes a stack, the stack including:

[0013] i) a code element (e.g., a QR code), the code element comprising an opaque portion and a first semi-transparent portion; and

[0014] ii) a first layer structure comprising a second translucent portion;

[0015] iii) The first layer structure and the code element are arranged such that the first translucent portion and the second translucent portion overlap, such that a translucent area is formed connecting at least two major surfaces of the stack.

[0016] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a device for reading an embedded code element of a component carrier is provided. The device comprises:

[0017] i) a mounting device for mounting the component carrier;

[0018] ii) an electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit an electromagnetic radiation beam to pass through at least one of the overlapping translucent portions when the component carrier is mounted on a mounting device; and an electromagnetic radiation sensor configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation beam after passing through at least one of the overlapping translucent portions when the component carrier is mounted on the mounting device, so that the code element embedded in the component carrier can be read.

[0019] Preferably, the electromagnetic radiation source is a luminous source, in particular the electromagnetic radiation source is a light beam.The electromagnetic radiation source may in particular come from an illumination device, for example in the form of an LED lamp unit.

[0020] According to a further aspect of the invention, an arrangement is described, comprising a device and a component carrier, wherein the component carrier is mounted at the mounting device of the device.

[0021] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for reading an embedded code element of a component carrier is provided, the method comprising: emitting an electromagnetic radiation beam through each of: a code element comprising an opaque portion and a first translucent portion; and at least one first layer structure comprising at least a second translucent portion, wherein the at least one first layer structure and the code element are arranged such that the respective translucent portions overlap, such that the translucent region connects at least two major surfaces of a stack; and receiving the electromagnetic radiation beam after passing through the component carrier. This can provide the advantage of enabling rapid and efficient reading of the embedded code element.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a component carrier is described, comprising forming the code element by at least one of etching, plating, photolithography, and patterning, in particular by using a laser. This can offer the advantage of being able to flexibly use different manufacturing methods to manufacture the component carrier, as the code elements can have the same manufacturing properties. This can also enable the component carrier and the corresponding code element to be manufactured in the same process.

[0023] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the use of the apparatus or device in an automated inspection machine for inspecting and / or verifying and / or repairing component carriers is described. In particular, the automated inspection machine is an automated optical inspection machine. This can offer the advantage of increasing efficiency by integrating automation into the inspection process.

[0024] In this document, the term "component carrier" can refer to a final component carrier product or a portion of a final component carrier product (i.e., a component carrier in production, in other words, a semi-finished product). In an example, a component carrier preform can be a panel consisting of multiple semi-finished component carriers manufactured together. At the final stage, the panel can be divided into multiple final component carrier products.

[0025] In an embodiment, the component carrier "stack" includes at least one electrically insulating layer structure and at least one electrically conductive layer structure. For example, the component carrier can be a laminate of the mentioned electrically insulating layer structure and the electrically conductive layer structure, in particular the component carrier can be a laminate formed by applying mechanical pressure and / or heat energy. The mentioned stack can provide a plate-like component carrier that can provide a large mounting surface for additional components. In an example, the stack can still be very thin and compact. In another example, for high-density products, the stack can be very thick. The stacking direction (height / thickness) can be arranged along the vertical direction z. In addition, the stacking direction can be perpendicular to the two main plane extension directions of the (plate-like) component carrier (along x and y). In an example, all layers of the component carrier can form a stack. In another example, only a part of the layers of the component carrier forms a stack.

[0026] In this context, the term "layer structure" may particularly refer to a continuous or discontinuous layer (or separated islands in the same plane) of electrically conductive or insulating material. A plurality of such layers stacked parallel to each other may form a stack in the vertical direction.

[0027] In the context of the present application, the term "reading an embedded code element" may in particular denote the case of a code system which is capable of analyzing a component carrier or a component carrier-related body with respect to an assigned code element or identification code, thereby allowing the component carrier or a part of a component carrier to be identified and / or allowing the component carrier or the component carrier-related body to be associated with a specific manufacturing batch or lot (e.g. for determining a batch number) and / or a manufacturing location, a manufacturing process (e.g. a specific customer order), a time (e.g. a date) or a problem (e.g. a quality problem determined during product testing).

[0028] In the context of the present application, the term "code element" may particularly denote a physical structure assigned to a component carrier or a part of a component carrier or associated with a component carrier or a part of a component carrier and identifying the component carrier or a part of a component carrier. In particular, the code element may be a code structure. Preferably, but not necessarily, the code element or the combination of code elements may be unique for a specific component carrier or a component carrier-related body. However, the code element or the combination of code elements may also be the same for a specific number of component carriers or component carrier bodies, for example the code element or the combination of code elements may be the same for those component carriers or component carrier bodies manufactured in a common batch or batch. For example, such a code element may be a QR code. In such a QR code or other code element, information such as a link to a specific data set in a database may be included. Additionally or alternatively, such a QR code or other code element may include a batch number, a panel serial number, the date and time when the panel was produced (for example in a photo imaging or laser direct imaging (LDI) process). In particular, the manufacturing history of the component carrier-related body or a portion of the component carrier-related body (e.g., a layer structure) can be directly encoded in the corresponding code element and / or the manufacturing history of the component carrier-related body or a portion of the component carrier-related body (e.g., a layer structure) can be retrieved from a dataset in a database linked to the code element. In particular, the code element can be an identification structure. For example, the code element can be produced by one or more of the following processes: patterning by photoprocessing or LDI; applying the code element by gluing, cutting, scribing, casting, embossing, printing (particularly 3D printing, inkjet printing, etc.); providing a code element made of an electrically conductive or dielectric material, wherein the material of the code element should differ from the surrounding material in terms of its properties in order to enable it to be read by a reader device, for example, by providing a darker code element made of a corresponding resin surrounded by a lighter (e.g., at least partially transparent) resin so that the code element can be read by the reader device. By using at least one lighter resin (or also two or more more transparent resins), the code or code element can be made of multiple materials and / or heights. This can be used, for example, to create multi-dimensional codes (eg 4D codes).

[0029] In the context of this document, the term "overlapping" may particularly mean that different layers and / or elements and / or structures are arranged at different vertical levels, i.e., different layers and / or elements and / or structures are arranged to be located above each other along the stacking direction (z-direction). In particular, each code element in the code elements (the code elements may be a patterned electrically conductive layer structure of the stack) may be formed and positioned on a designated layer structure (the layer structure may be an electrically insulating layer structure of the stack).

[0030] In the context of the present application, the term "translucent" may mean allowing electromagnetic waves, in particular light, to pass through. In particular, it may mean translucent, letting light pass through and diffusing it.

[0031] Thus, the translucent region may comprise a plurality of layers, including translucent portions of these layers. The translucent region may extend vertically in particular along the stacking direction of the stack connecting at least two main surfaces of the stack. The two main surfaces may be outer surfaces arranged away from the middle of the stack.

[0032] According to an exemplary embodiment, the present invention can be based on the following idea: when the first layer structure (of the component carrier stack) and the code element are arranged so that the first translucent portion of the code element and the second translucent portion of the first layer structure overlap, the component carrier (or a portion of the component carrier) is effectively tracked, so that a translucent area is formed connecting at least two main surfaces of the stack. This translucent area from surface to surface makes it possible to send an electromagnetic beam through the stack. Therefore, even if the code element is embedded / sandwiched in the stack between the layer structures of the stack, the code element can still be reliably read. In this way, traceability can be significantly improved.

[0033] This also offers the advantage of being able to read and decode multiple inner panel codes covered by layer structures that can be made of any material, even any color, from different material suppliers. This increases the spatial flexibility of fitting the device into many different types of panel designs and / or machines without the need for expensive hardware upgrades or complex software installation. Furthermore, the device can be built into other structures, such as panel cabinets, where panels can be stored while awaiting scanning. The device, along with the cabinet, can be easily installed with those different types of machines—for example, it can be hung on the side wall of the machine or, if there is sufficient space, installed under the base plate of the machine. This offers the benefit of saving space in factories with dense manufacturing layouts. Furthermore, the device can be easily removed from those machines.

[0034] Other significant advantages of the present invention may include unidirectionality with configurable components and compatibility with multiple processing and / or machine installations for reading multi-layer two-dimensional identification (2DID) codes. This may provide a cheaper and more cost-effective way to read multiple inner-layer 2DID codes without the use of expensive equipment such as X-ray machines.

[0035] In an example, the two main surfaces of a stack are those surfaces relevant to the stack of a semi-finished product, and subsequently the surface is covered by another layer structure. In other words, due to undergoing another process and / or manufacturing step, the stack can be at least a portion of an intermediate product. Alternatively, the two main surfaces of a stack are those surfaces corresponding to the two main surfaces of (final) component carriers. In other words, the two main surfaces of a stack can also correspond to the final product. The first main surface of a stack can especially be formed to face the electromagnetic radiation source, and the second main surface of a stack can be formed to face the electromagnetic radiation sensor.

[0036] Exemplary embodiments

[0037] In an embodiment, the component carrier comprises a second layer structure, wherein the second layer structure comprises a third translucent portion, wherein the second layer structure and the code element are arranged such that the first translucent portion and the third translucent portion overlap to form a portion connecting the translucent areas of the two main surfaces of the stack.

[0038] Preferably, both the second translucent portion and the third translucent portion contribute to the connection between the two main surfaces. In particular, the second translucent portion and / or the third translucent portion can be arranged adjacent to the corresponding main surface, in particular, the second translucent portion and / or the third translucent portion can be arranged adjacent to the corresponding main surface. This can bring the advantages of more than one layer structure with different favorable material properties and better protection of the code element. For example, a layer structure with an electrically conductive element can be used to realize the electrical function of the first layer structure, and the second layer structure can include an electrically insulating resin material, which can additionally protect the code element during the manufacturing process.

[0039] In an embodiment, the surface of the code element is in direct contact with the surface of the first layer structure and / or the second layer structure. In particular, the surface of the code element is bonded to the surface of the first layer structure and / or the second layer structure. This can have the advantage of better fixing the layer having the code element to the first layer structure and / or the second layer structure, so that these layers are laterally fixed relative to each other and any risk of undesirable delamination is prevented.

[0040] In an embodiment, the code element comprises at least partially translucent material. Alternatively, the translucent portion may comprise a translucent space and / or fluid, such as air. This may bring the advantage of being able to change the density of the code element and / or change the material properties within the code element.

[0041] In an embodiment, the first translucent portion of the code element corresponds to an extension of the second translucent portion and / or the third translucent portion. In particular, the first translucent portion of the code element can be formed integrally and / or in one piece with the second and / or third translucent portions. This can bring the advantage of more cost-effective manufacturing of the code element by enabling the code element to be formed integrally or in one piece with the other translucent portions.

[0042] In an embodiment, the first layer structure and / or the second layer structure include an insulating material, or the first layer structure and / or the second layer structure are composed of an insulating material. In particular, the first layer structure and / or the second layer structure include a resin material, or the first layer structure and / or the second layer structure are composed of a resin material. This may bring about the advantage of enhanced application of the composite material in terms of improved heat resistance.

[0043] In an embodiment, the code elements are arranged on the first layer structure and / or the second layer structure, and / or the code elements are arranged in the first layer structure and / or the second layer structure so that the corresponding translucent areas at least partially overlap. This can bring the advantage of more efficient integration of manufacturing processes that may require overlapping code elements, for example, for tracking different manufacturing steps.

[0044] In one embodiment, the stack includes: an additional layer disposed on the first layer structure and / or the second layer structure, wherein each of the additional layers includes a translucent portion configured to at least partially overlap at least one of the first, second, and third translucent portions; and an additional code element disposed on / in at least one of the additional layers, the additional code element configured to at least partially overlap at least one of the first, second, and third translucent portions. The additional code element is configured to be associated with the code element, the additional code element defining a code boundary defined by the planar overlap of the additional code element and the code element, the additional code element being disposed to a lateral side of the code element in a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction. In other words, the additional code element can constitute at least a portion of a QR code, and the code element can constitute at least another portion of a QR code. When the two code elements overlap, at least these two portions of the QR code can provide new information. The additional code element may also be associated with the code element, in other words, the additional code element may be another development of the code element. In another embodiment, the code element may be a parent of the additional code element to be generated, in particular, the code element may be associated with at least a subcode portion of the code element. The subcode portion of a code element may in particular be a portion of the code element, such as a quarter or half of the code element. For example, the two halves of each corresponding code element, such as the left half of the code element and the right half of the additional code element, may overlap with each other to provide new information when overlapping.

[0045] In the context of the present invention, a portion may particularly refer to a part of a layer structure. In the context of the present invention, a region may particularly extend over more than one layer structure and / or include more than one layer structure, preferably two or three layer structures. In particular, a region may include two or more portions.

[0046] In an embodiment, the first translucent portion does not contain opaque material, in particular, the first translucent portion does not contain metal, and preferably, all overlapping translucent portions do not contain opaque material, in particular, all overlapping translucent portions do not contain metal. This can bring the advantage of enabling metal-free production of the translucent portion, which may be undesirable in a metal-free environment that constitutes such a requirement.

[0047] In an embodiment, the code element is configured in the form of at least one of the following: a 2D code, a digital code, or a 3D code. In particular, the 2D code is a QR code, and in particular, the digital code is a seven-digit code. This can bring the following advantages: the code element can be read and decoded in a much faster and more cost-effective manner.

[0048] In an embodiment, the stack comprises at least one electrically conductive layer structure. This may bring the advantage of integrating functions requiring electrical conduction into the stack.

[0049] In an embodiment, the code element is at least partially made of metal, in particular, the code element is at least partially made of metal of a portion of the at least one electrically conductive layer structure, in particular, the code element is made of copper, in particular, the code element is at least partially made of copper of a portion of the at least one electrically conductive layer structure. This can have the following advantages: copper traces can be integrated into the code element, and the code element can be produced in the same process as other copper traces forming the active part of the component carrier (in the final product), thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and increasing efficiency.

[0050] In an embodiment, the mounting device comprises a base structure for arranging the component carrier, in particular for securing the component carrier. This can have the advantage of enabling a more flexible mounting of the component carrier and enabling a modular construction and arrangement of the component carrier panel.

[0051] In one embodiment, the device further comprises a cabinet for storing at least one component carrier, in particular, wherein the mounting device is arranged in the cabinet. This may offer the advantage of allowing panels to be stored in the cabinet while awaiting scanning, thereby improving production efficiency. The device, together with the cabinet, can be easily installed with various types of machines, for example, by being hung on the side wall of the machine or, if there is sufficient space, mounted beneath the base plate of the machine. In another embodiment, the device, together with the cabinet, can be hung directly on the wall of the manufacturing area. This offers the benefit of saving space in factories with dense manufacturing arrangements. Furthermore, the device can be easily removed from such machines. Furthermore, the cabinet can be made from a combination of static-shielding insulating plastic material (such as conductive polypropylene) and conductive metal material to create a static-dissipative material that allows charge to flow slowly through the material while reducing energy output to prevent instantaneous static discharge upon contact with any PCB panel.

[0052] In an embodiment, the electromagnetic radiation source is mounted on or integrated into the mounting device, particularly integrated into the base structure. The electromagnetic radiation source can be substantially flush with the base structure. In other words, the surface of the electromagnetic radiation source's emitter can be uniformly aligned with the surface of the base structure. This can result in faster panel replacement, as panels can be replaced by lateral translation without requiring any vertical movement. This can improve the compactness of the overall device and reduce the risk of panel damage.

[0053] In an embodiment, the mounting device is mounted on a conveying device, in particular, the base structure is mounted on a conveying device, in particular, the mounting device is mounted on a slide rail that enables the base structure to be translated laterally in a horizontal direction (x, y), in particular, the base structure is mounted on a slide rail that enables the base structure to be translated laterally in a horizontal direction (x, y). The conveying device can in particular be configured to manipulate the base structure spatially, preferably to manipulate the entire base structure in at least a transverse direction. The conveying device can also be configured to move the base structure in a vertical direction. This can have the advantage of allowing the device to be stored and protected from environmental influences, for example from dust, foreign particles, moisture, static electricity.

[0054] In an embodiment, the electromagnetic radiation source is assembled with the mounting device, in particular the electromagnetic radiation source is assembled with the delivery device. This may result in the advantage of a more efficient and cost-effective assembly of the device.

[0055] In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an additional electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit an additional electromagnetic radiation beam through the component carrier when the component carrier is mounted on the mounting device; wherein the additional electromagnetic radiation sensor is configured to receive the additional electromagnetic radiation beam after passing through the component carrier, thereby enabling reading of an additional code element embedded in the component carrier. In other words, the additional code element can constitute at least a portion of a QR code, and the code element can constitute at least another portion of the QR code. When the two code elements overlap, at least these two portions of the QR code can convey new information. The additional code element can also be associated with the code element, in other words, it can be a further development of the code element. This also means that the code element can be a parent of the additional code element to be generated; in particular, the code element can be associated with at least a subcode portion of the code element. The subcode portion of the code element can particularly be a portion of the code element, for example, a quarter or half of the code element. For example, the two halves of each corresponding code element, such as the left half of the code element and the right half of the additional code element, can overlap with each other to provide new information when overlapping. In another embodiment, when the code element cannot be scanned / encoded / read, the additional code element can be used as a backup code element.

[0056] In an embodiment, the electromagnetic radiation source and the electromagnetic radiation sensor are positioned such that the electromagnetic radiation source faces one major surface of the component carrier and the (first) electromagnetic radiation sensor faces the opposite major surface of the component carrier, and / or the additional electromagnetic radiation source and the additional electromagnetic radiation sensor are positioned such that the additional electromagnetic radiation source faces one major surface of the component carrier and the additional electromagnetic radiation sensor faces the opposite major surface of the component carrier. Alternatively, the sensor and source can be positioned so as to face the same side of the component carrier. With this arrangement, the source can have sensor characteristics, and the electromagnetic waves can be reflected by the device, in particular the mounting device. This may mean that the electromagnetic waves can pass through the translucent area twice. Since the electromagnetic waves can pass through the translucent area twice, this can improve the accuracy of the results. In addition, the electromagnetic source / detector can be configured to emit and / or detect electromagnetic waves outside the visible range, such as IR, UV, or X-rays. To use these different wavelengths, the translucent portion can be transparent to enable these different wavelengths to interact.

[0057] In an embodiment, the device comprises a sensor mount on which the electromagnetic radiation sensor is mounted, in particular, the sensor mount being a robotic arm, wherein the sensor mount is configured to move the electromagnetic radiation sensor, in particular, to translate the electromagnetic radiation sensor laterally in horizontal directions (x, y). This can have the following advantages: a more flexible production process for the component carrier can be achieved, such that different code elements can be placed in different lateral positions, and the same device can be used even with different lateral positions, because the sensor can be moved by the sensor mount to the appropriate position for reading the code elements. Movement in the vertical direction (z) is also possible.

[0058] In one embodiment, the device includes a handling device for spatially manipulating the component carrier. In particular, the handling device is configured to tilt and / or rotate the component carrier. This can have the following advantages: if, for example, it is not possible to accommodate the code element when it is completely flat, the code element can be placed slightly tilted and save space.

[0059] In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an angular transport device configured to angularly displace the electromagnetic radiation source and / or the further electromagnetic radiation source so that the emitted electromagnetic radiation beam strikes the entrance surface of the component carrier at different angles. This can have the advantage of enabling the code element to be read from different angles, which in turn opens up implementation flexibility to accommodate different operations.

[0060] In the context of the present application, the term "transversely displaced" or "arranged to the lateral side" can particularly mean that different code elements of the relevant body of the component carrier are arranged in different area areas in the plane or projection plane of the stack of layers, i.e. side by side in a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction (in particular horizontal). By arranging at least each pair of vertically adjacent code elements with a transverse displacement relative to each other, it can be ensured that in a plan view of the stack or a part of the stack, two vertically adjacent code elements are arranged close to each other and can therefore be read without spatial interference. For example, taking into account the transverse displacement of the lower code element relative to the upper code element, the contactless optical reader device can read the (e.g. exposed) upper code element of the upper structure and can also read the transversely displaced lower code element (the lower code element may be covered by the upper structure, but preferably is not covered by the upper structure).

[0061] During the manufacturing process, it may happen that a component carrier-related body (such as a panel for manufacturing a printed circuit board) provided with such a code element may be separated into multiple component carriers (such as printed circuit boards), and the code element may remain on one or more remaining parts (such as a frame) of the component carrier-related body, while the individual component carriers do not include the code element. However, in order to achieve proper traceability of the individual component carriers, in an arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a carrier-related code element can be formed on each of the individual component carriers (preferably before separation, or alternatively after separation). It may also be advantageous to associate each individual carrier-related code element in the database with a code element of the component carrier-related body (in particular, the most recently formed code element) based on the component carrier's formation. Thus, by querying the database using the corresponding carrier-related code element, the carrier-related code element can be associated in a very simple manner with the data set in the database regarding the manufacturing process of the component carrier-related body to which the component carrier belongs. Therefore, when a carrier-related code element is linked to one or more code elements of an assigned component carrier-related entity, information that can be included in the data set and also corresponds to the manufacturing process of such a component carrier can be reliably retrieved based on the carrier-related code element. Consequently, component carrier-based traceability can also be simplified using the described traceability architecture.

[0062] For example, the method may include determining the portion of information to be encoded by the code elements of the later-generated layer structure as information of the code elements of the earlier-generated layer structure, in particular as information relevant to the manufacture of the earlier-generated layer structure. Accordingly, the method may include determining the further portion of information to be encoded by the code elements of the later-generated layer structure as an indication of at least one property of the later-generated layer structure, in particular as information relevant to the manufacture of the later-generated layer structure.

[0063] In one embodiment, the method includes reading a respective one of the code elements using an electromagnetic radiation sensor, particularly an electromagnetic radiation sensor configured for contactless reading, more particularly an electromagnetic radiation optical sensor. Compared to electrical reading of code elements by applying an electrical stimulus signal and detecting an electrical response signal in response to the applied electrical stimulus signal, optical reading, and therefore contactless reading, is simpler and can be performed without risk of damaging the component carrier during reading. Laterally displacing the code element and reading the covered code element may be compatible with optical reading of the code element.

[0064] In one embodiment, the method can include reading at least part of the code element during the manufacture of the component-carrier-related body and storing the corresponding information as a data set in a database, which is assigned to the component-carrier-related body. This allows tracking and tracing the component-carrier-related body or a part of the component-carrier-related body (in particular, the component carrier) by reading the code element of the component-carrier-related body and comparing the code element of the component-carrier-related body with different data sets in the database. The best match between the data set and the read code element can then allow the component-carrier-related body or the part of the component-carrier-related body to be identified and information about the manufacturing process of the component-carrier-related body to be obtained.

[0065] In an embodiment, the method may include separating the component carrier-related body into a plurality of component carriers, in particular such that the code elements do not form part of the component carriers, but rather, for example, form part of the remaining structure (such as a panel frame). Advantageously, the method may also include forming a carrier-related code element on one of the component carriers in each of the separated component carriers. Highly preferably, the method may include associating, in a data set of the database, the carrier-related code element of a respective one of the component carriers with at least one code element of the code elements of the component carrier-related body. For example, the aforementioned code elements may be formed on a panel frame that surrounds the individual component carriers during the manufacture of the component carriers in a batch process (i.e., using a continuous panel as the component carrier-related body). After separating or singulating the individual component carriers (e.g., by milling, sawing, cutting, etching or laser cutting), the code elements of the panel may remain part of the remaining structure and may no longer form part of the individual component carriers. By forming a carrier-related code element on each individual component carrier and by linking the carrier-related code element with the code elements of the remaining structure and linking it to a specific data set in a database, individual component carriers (such as printed circuit boards, PCBs or integrated circuit (IC) substrates) can be tracked by the correlation between the assigned carrier-related code element and the code elements of the remaining structure that can be linked to the specific data set in the database.

[0066] In an embodiment, the method may comprise granting an entity assigned to a subset of component carriers having an assigned data set exclusive access (in particular via a communication network) to the data set associated with the subset of component carriers assigned to the entity. For example, a specific user or entity may have authorization to access only a selected or specific part of a database, i.e. the part of the database associated with the component carriers assigned to the user or entity. When the user or entity wishes to access the mentioned part of the database via a communication network (e.g. the public internet), the authorization for the user or entity to obtain the requested information corresponds to the information provided about the corresponding code element. Thus, the code element of a component carrier-related ontology (e.g. a component carrier) can not only be used to retrieve the data set assigned to the component carrier-related ontology in the database, but can also be used as authorization rights to access the corresponding specific part of the database.

[0067] In an embodiment, the apparatus may include a data interface configured to, in response to a request for identification of one of the corresponding carrier-related code elements, provide information related to a manufacturing process of a component carrier-related body to which one of the corresponding carrier-related code elements belongs. Such a request may be sent via the aforementioned communication network, for example, as a communication message (such as an email or a control command, for example, sent via a browser).

[0068] In one embodiment, the component carrier is formed as a plate. This facilitates a compact design, while still providing a large base for components mounted thereon. Furthermore, bare chips, in particular, as an example of embedded electronic components, can be easily embedded in thin boards, such as printed circuit boards, due to their small thickness.

[0069] In the implementation, the component carrier is configured as one of a printed circuit board, a substrate (particularly an IC substrate), and an interposer.

[0070] In the context of the present application, the term "printed circuit board (PCB)" may particularly denote a plate-like component carrier formed by laminating a plurality of electrically conductive layer structures with a plurality of electrically insulating layer structures, for example by applying pressure and / or by supplying heat. As a preferred material for PCB technology, the electrically conductive layer structures are made of copper, while the electrically insulating layer structures may comprise resin and / or glass fiber, so-called prepregs, or FR4 materials. The individual electrically conductive layer structures may be connected to one another in a desired manner by forming holes through the laminate, for example by laser drilling or mechanical drilling, and by partially or completely filling these holes with an electrically conductive material, in particular copper, thereby forming vias or any other through-hole connections. The filled holes connect the entire stack (i.e., through-hole connections extending through a plurality of layers or the entire stack), or the filled holes connect at least two electrically conductive layers, so-called vias. Similarly, optical interconnects may be formed through the various layers of the stack to accommodate an electro-optical circuit board (EOCB). In addition to one or more components that can be embedded in the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board is generally configured to accommodate one or more components on one surface or two opposite surfaces of the plate-shaped printed circuit board. The one or more components can be connected to the corresponding main surface by soldering. The dielectric portion of the PCB may include a resin with reinforcing fibers (such as glass fibers).

[0071] In the context of this application, the term "substrate" can particularly refer to a small component carrier. Relative to a PCB, a substrate can be a relatively small component carrier on which one or more components can be mounted and which can serve as a connector between one or more chips and the PCB. For example, a substrate can have approximately the same size as the components (preferably electronic components) to be mounted on the substrate (for example, in the case of a chip-scale package (CSP)). More specifically, a substrate can be understood as a component carrier for electrical connectors or power grids, as well as a component carrier for connectors arranged horizontally and / or vertically, which is comparable to a printed circuit board (PCB) but has a relatively high density. Horizontal connectors are, for example, conductive paths, while vertical connectors can be, for example, drilled holes. These horizontal and / or vertical connectors are arranged within the substrate and can be used to provide electrical, thermal and / or mechanical connections between accommodated or unaccommodated components (for example, bare chips), in particular IC chips, and a printed circuit board or an intermediate printed circuit board. Therefore, the term "substrate" also includes "IC substrates". The dielectric portion of the substrate may consist of a resin with reinforcing particles, such as reinforcing spheres, in particular reinforcing glass spheres.

[0072] In the context of the present application, the term "inorganic layer structure" can particularly refer to a layer structure comprising an inorganic material such as an inorganic compound. In particular, the dielectric material of the inorganic layer structure or even the entire inorganic layer structure can be made solely or at least substantially solely of an inorganic material. In another embodiment, the inorganic layer structure can include an inorganic dielectric material and another additional dielectric material. The inorganic compound can be a chemical compound that does not contain a carbon-hydrogen bond or a chemical compound that is not an organic compound. In an example, the inorganic layer structure can include glass, such as silicon-based glass (especially soda-lime glass) and / or borosilicate glass and / or aluminosilicate glass and / or lithium silicate glass and / or alkali-free glass. In another example, the inorganic layer structure can include a ceramic material, such as aluminum nitride and / or aluminum oxide and / or silicon nitride and / or boron nitride and / or a tungsten-containing ceramic material. However, in another example, the inorganic layer structure can include a semiconductor material, such as silicon and / or germanium and / or silicon oxide and / or germanium oxide and / or silicon carbide and / or gallium nitride. In another embodiment, the inorganic layer structure may comprise (elemental) metals and / or metal alloys, such as copper and / or tin and / or bronze. In yet another embodiment, the inorganic layer structure may comprise inorganic materials not listed in the examples mentioned above, such as: MoS2, CuGaO2, AgAlO2, LiGaTe2, AgInSe2, CuFeS2, BeO.

[0073] The substrate or interposer may include or be composed of a layer of at least one of the following: glass; silicon (Si) and / or a photoimageable or dry-etchable organic material, such as an epoxy-based stack material (e.g., an epoxy-based stack film); or a polymer compound (the polymer compound may or may not include photosensitive and / or heat-sensitive molecules), such as polyimide, polybenzoxazole.

[0074] In an embodiment, the at least one electrically insulating layer structure (and / or curable dielectric element) comprises at least one of the following: a resin or polymer, such as an epoxy resin, a cyanate resin, a benzocyclobutene resin, or a bismaleimide-triazine resin; a polyphenylene derivative (e.g., based on polyphenylene ether, PPE), a polyimide (PI), a polyamide (PA), a liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and / or combinations thereof. Reinforcement structures, such as meshes, fibers, spheres, or other types of filler particles, made of glass (multilayer glass), may also be used to form a composite. A semi-cured resin combined with a reinforcing agent, such as fibers impregnated with the above resins, is referred to as a prepreg. These prepregs are typically named after their properties, such as FR4 or FR5, which describe their flame retardant properties. Although prepregs, particularly FR4, are generally preferred for rigid PCBs, other materials, particularly epoxy-based stacking materials (e.g., stacking films) or photoimageable dielectric materials, may also be used. For high-frequency applications, high-frequency materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene, liquid crystal polymers and / or cyanate resins may be preferred. In addition to these polymers, low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) or other low, very low or ultra-low DK materials can be used as electrically insulating structures in component carriers.

[0075] In an embodiment, the at least one electrically conductive layer structure comprises at least one of the following: copper, aluminum, nickel, silver, gold, palladium, tungsten, carbon, platinum, (doped) silicon, and magnesium. Although copper is generally preferred, other materials or coated versions thereof are also possible, in particular versions coated with superconducting materials or conductive polymers, such as graphene or poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), respectively.

[0076] At least one component can be embedded in the component carrier and / or surface-mounted on the component carrier. This component can be selected from at least one of the following: a non-conductive inlay, an electrically conductive inlay (e.g., a metal inlay, preferably comprising copper or aluminum), a heat transfer unit (e.g., a heat pipe), a light-conducting element (e.g., an optical waveguide or optical conductor connector), an electronic component, or a combination thereof. The inlay can be, for example, a metal block with or without a coating of insulating material (IMS-inlay), which can be embedded or surface-mounted to promote heat dissipation. Suitable materials are defined by their thermal conductivity, which should be at least 2 W / mK. Such materials are typically based on, but not limited to, metals, metal oxides, and / or ceramics, such as copper, aluminum oxide (Al2O3), or aluminum nitride (AlN). Other geometries with increased surface area are also often used to increase the heat exchange capacity. Furthermore, the component may be an active electronic component (having at least one realized pn junction), a passive electronic component such as a resistor, an inductor or a capacitor, an electronic chip, a memory device (e.g., a DRAM or other data memory), a filter, an integrated circuit (e.g., a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable array logic (PAL), a general array logic (GAL), and a complex programmable logic device (CPLD)), a signal processing component, a power management component (e.g., a field effect transistor (FET), a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), a junction field effect transistor (JFET), or an insulated gate Field effect transistors (IGFETs), which are based on semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide (SiC), gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium oxide (Ga2O3), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) and / or any other suitable inorganic compound), optoelectronic interface elements, light emitting diodes, optocouplers, voltage converters (e.g., DC / DC converters or AC / DC converters), cryptographic components, transmitters and / or receivers, electromechanical transducers, sensors, actuators, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microprocessors, capacitors, resistors, inductors, batteries, switches, cameras, antennas, logic chips and energy harvesting units. However, other components may also be embedded in the component carrier. For example, a magnetic element may be used as a component. Such a magnetic element may be a permanent magnetic element (e.g., a ferromagnetic element, an antiferromagnetic element, a multiferroic element or a ferrimagnetic element, such as a ferrite core) or may be a paramagnetic element. However, the component may also be an IC substrate, an interposer or other component carrier, for example in a board-in-board configuration. The component can be surface-mounted on a component carrier and / or embedded in the interior of a component carrier. In addition, other components, in particular components that generate and emit electromagnetic radiation and / or are sensitive to electromagnetic radiation propagating from the environment, can also be used as components.

[0077] In an embodiment, the component carrier is a laminated component carrier. In this embodiment, the component carrier is a composite of multiple layers that are stacked and connected together by applying pressure and / or heat.

[0078] After the internal layer structure of the component carrier has been processed, one or both main surfaces of the processed layer structure can be covered symmetrically or asymmetrically with one or more further electrically insulating and / or electrically conductive layer structures. In other words, stacking can be continued until the desired number of layers is obtained.

[0079] After the formation of the stack of electrically insulating and electrically conductive layer structures has been completed, the resulting layer structure or component carrier can be subjected to a surface treatment.

[0080] In particular, regarding surface treatment, an electrically insulating solder resist can be applied to one or both major surfaces of a laminate or component carrier. For example, such a solder resist can be formed over the entire major surface and then patterned to expose one or more electrically conductive surface portions that will be used to electrically couple the component carrier to an electronic peripheral. Surface portions of the component carrier that remain covered with the solder resist, particularly those containing copper, can be effectively protected from oxidation or corrosion.

[0081] In terms of surface treatment, a surface treatment can also be selectively applied to exposed electrically conductive surface portions of the component carrier. This surface treatment can be an electrically conductive covering material on exposed electrically conductive layer structures (e.g., pads, conductive traces, etc., particularly including or consisting of copper) on the surface of the component carrier. If such exposed electrically conductive layer structures are not protected, the exposed electrically conductive component carrier material (particularly copper) can oxidize, thereby reducing the reliability of the component carrier.

[0082] The surface treatment can then be formed, for example, as a joint between a surface-mounted component and a component carrier. The surface treatment has the function of protecting the exposed electrically conductive layer structure (particularly copper circuits) and enables a joint process with one or more components, for example, by soldering. Examples of suitable materials for the surface treatment are organic solderability preservatives (OSP), electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG), electroless nickel immersion palladium immersion gold (ENIPIG), gold (particularly hard gold), chemical tin, nickel gold, nickel palladium, and the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0083] The aspects defined above and further aspects of the invention are apparent from the examples of embodiment described hereinafter and are explained with reference to these examples of embodiment.

[0084] Figure 1A A cross-section through a component carrier according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown.

[0085] Figure 1B A top view of a code element according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0086] Figure 2A A cross-section through a conventional component carrier according to related art is shown.

[0087] Figure 2B A top view of a code element according to the related art is shown.

[0088] Figure 3 A diagrammatic representation of an apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0089] Figure 4 A diagram showing an apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown having a mounting device mounted on a conveying device.

[0090] Figure 5 A diagram of a device with a sensor mount according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0091] Figure 6 A diagram of a device with two sensor mounts according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0092] The illustrations in the drawings are schematically shown. In different drawings, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.

[0093] Before describing exemplary embodiments in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, some basic considerations on which exemplary embodiments of the present invention were developed will be summarized.

[0094] Advantages of exemplary embodiments may include the ability to read and decode multiple inner panel codes covered by layer structures that can be made of any material, even color, from different material suppliers. This increases the spatial flexibility of fitting the device into many different types of panel designs and / or machines without the need for expensive hardware upgrades or complex software installations. Furthermore, the device can be built into other structures such as panel cabinets, and panels can be stored in the cabinets while waiting to be scanned. The device, along with the cabinets, can be easily installed with those different types of machines, for example, hanging on the side walls of the machine or, if there is enough space, mounted under the base plate of the machine. This will bring the benefit of saving space in factories with dense manufacturing layouts. Furthermore, the device can be easily uninstalled from those machines.

[0095] Other significant advantages of the present invention may include unidirectionality with configurable components and compatibility with multiple processing and / or machine installations for reading multi-layer two-dimensional identification (2DID) codes. This may provide a cheaper and more cost-effective way to read multiple inner-layer 2DID codes without the use of expensive equipment such as X-ray machines.

[0096] Figure 1A A cross-section through a component carrier 100 is shown. The component carrier 100 includes a stack 101 mounted on a mounting device 153. The mounting device 153 includes an inner layer 111, within which a code element 110 is disposed. The code element 110 includes an opaque portion 190 that does not allow light to pass through, and a first translucent portion 191 that allows diffuse light to pass through. The code element 110 is conceived as a QR code. The stack also includes a first layer structure 120 that includes a second translucent portion 120a, which is arranged vertically adjacent to the code element 110. The second translucent portion 120a is also arranged between an LED light source, serving as an electromagnetic radiation source 154, and the code element 110. The stack also includes a second layer structure 130 including a third translucent portion 130a, which is arranged vertically adjacent to the other side of the code element 110. The first layer structure 120, the code element 110, and the second layer structure 130 are arranged such that a translucent region 114 is formed by extending through the translucent portions 120a, 130a, and connects the two major surfaces of the stack 101. The first major surface of the stack is formed to face the LED light source 154, and the second major surface of the stack is formed to face the electromagnetic radiation sensor 156, which is configured to read the electromagnetic radiation beam 155, shown here as a beam of light passing through the translucent region 114.

[0097] The lower surface of the code element 110, which faces toward the electromagnetic radiation source 154, forms a portion of the first side 112 of the inner layer 111. This portion of the first side 112 of the inner layer 111 is bonded to an adjacent surface of the first layer structure 120. The upper surface of the code element 110, which faces toward the electromagnetic radiation sensor 156, forms a portion of the second side 113 of the inner layer 111. This portion of the second side 113 of the inner layer 111 is bonded to an adjacent surface of the second layer structure 130. The first and second layer structures 120 and 130 are partially made of an insulating resin material and partially made of an electrically conductive layer structure. The inner layer 111 may include an electrically conductive layer structure and / or an electrically insulating layer structure. The translucent portions 120a, 191, and 130a may include an electrically insulating material that is completely translucent in the optical range of electromagnetic waves, such as glass or polyvinyl alcohol. Alternatively, the translucent portions 120a, 191, 130a may include an electrically insulating material that is partially translucent in the optical range of electromagnetic waves, such as epoxy resin, poly(meth)acrylate, or polyimide. The translucent portions 120a, 191, 130a may include an electrically conductive material, such as an electrically conductive polymer, such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene). In other examples, the translucent portions 120a, 191, 130a may include an electrically insulating material and / or an electrically conductive material that is at least partially translucent to X-rays, UV light, and / or IR waves.

[0098] Figure 1B A top view of a code element 110 is shown having an opaque portion 190 and a translucent portion 191, the translucent portion 191 being illuminated from below by a light beam 155. In this example, the code element 110 is configured as a QR code. Figure 1B The code element is shown surrounded by a dark frame element, which can achieve a higher contrast to represent the outer boundary of the code area. In particular, the frame element can bring the advantage of making it easier for the scanner to identify the code area, in particular the boundary of the code area to be scanned.

[0099] Figure 3Shown is a device 150 for reading an embedded code element 110 of a component carrier 100 and an additional code element 171 embedded in the component carrier 100. The additional code element 171 is arranged laterally displaced relative to the code element 110. In particular, the additional code element 171 is arranged on the other side of the panel and serves as a spare code element. The component carrier 100 is secured to a mounting device 153 via a base structure 157 and is arranged within a cabinet 140. The cabinet 140 is configured to store one component carrier 100, for example, but can also be configured to store multiple component carriers 100. An electromagnetic radiation source 154 is arranged within the base structure 157. In particular, the electromagnetic radiation source 154 can be substantially flush with the base structure 157. An electromagnetic radiation sensor 156 is mounted on a sensor mount 181, which is shown as a robotic arm and is stored within the cabinet 140. The cabinet 140 also shows openings on opposite sides lying in a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction z. The base structure 157 is configured to be movable through said openings, in particular to enable the component carrier 100 to be moved laterally out of the cabinet 140 .

[0100] Figure 4 Shown with Figure 3 140 , the device 150 has a mounting device 153 and a base structure 157, which are mounted on a transport device 180, which is formed here as a slide 180 and is configured to translate the base structure 157 laterally out of the opening of the cabinet 140. The base structure 157 can be completely removed from the device 150 along the slide 180. The movement of the base structure 157 can also be stopped by a stop unit (not shown) arranged, for example, on a base plate close to the opening of the device 150, so that undesired sliding of the panel can be prevented.

[0101] Figure 5 A more detailed illustration of the device 150 is shown, which has a sensor mount 181 formed as a robotic arm which holds the electromagnetic radiation sensor 156 and positions said sensor vertically above the component carrier 100 in order to read the QR code of the code element 110. The code element 110 is illuminated by an LED light source located in a base structure 157, wherein the light beam 155 is as shown in FIG. Figure 1A, the translucent region 114 is penetrated as described in the preceding text. Alternatively, the LED light source may be an X-ray source, a UV source, an IR source, and / or a combination thereof. The light beam 155 is then received by an electromagnetic radiation sensor 156 positioned vertically above the component carrier 100. The sensor mount 181 is configured to allow the electromagnetic radiation sensor 156 to translate laterally, but the sensor mount 181 is also preferably configured to allow the electromagnetic radiation sensor 156 to rotate about a pivot point to enable reading of an additional code element 171 disposed on a lateral side 110a of the code element 110. The additional code element 171 is illuminated by an additional electromagnetic radiation source 154 disposed within the base structure 157. The additional code element 171 is disposed in an additional layer (not shown) and is configured to overlap a second translucent region formed by overlapping a translucent portion of the first layer structure 120, a translucent portion of the second layer structure 130, and a translucent portion of the additional layer. A further electromagnetic radiation beam 159 configured as a light beam is emitted by the further electromagnetic radiation source 154 and penetrates the second translucent area and thereby also the further code element 171 to be received by the electromagnetic radiation sensor 156 which is now positioned vertically above the further code element 171 .

[0102] Figure 6 Shown with Figure 5 150 but having two sensor mounts, namely the sensor mount 181 described above and an additional sensor mount 182. The additional sensor mount 182 is configured to hold an additional electromagnetic radiation sensor 156a. The other elements in the figure are similar to those in the Figure 5 The arrangement of two sensor mounts 181, 182 and corresponding electromagnetic radiation sensors 156, 156a, however, enables simultaneous reading of two code elements 110, 171, thereby enhancing the speed, performance, and efficiency of code reading. Furthermore, the two sensor mounts 181, 182 are configured to enable movement of the corresponding electromagnetic radiation sensors 156, 156a in any independent lateral direction. Thus, each sensor mount 181, 182 can operate independently, enabling more flexible operation even when the lateral position of the code elements 110, 171 changes.

[0103] Reference Signs List

[0104] 100 component carriers

[0105] 101 stacked pieces

[0106] 110 code components

[0107] 110a lateral side of the code element

[0108] 111 inner layer

[0109] 112 first side of inner layer

[0110] 113 Second side of inner layer

[0111] 114 Translucent Area

[0112] 120 First floor structure

[0113] 120a Second translucent portion

[0114] 130 Second layer structure

[0115] 130a Third translucent portion

[0116] 140 Cabinet

[0117] 150 devices

[0118] 153 Installation

[0119] 154 Electromagnetic Radiation Sources

[0120] 155 Electromagnetic Radiation Beam

[0121] 156 Electromagnetic Radiation Sensor

[0122] 156a Other electromagnetic radiation sensors

[0123] 157 base structure

[0124] 158 Additional Sources of Electromagnetic Radiation

[0125] 159 Another beam of electromagnetic radiation

[0126] 171 Additional code elements

[0127] 180 conveyor device

[0128] 181 sensor mounting parts

[0129] 182 Additional sensor mounting parts

[0130] Opaque portion of 190 code element

[0131] Translucent part of 191 code element, first translucent part

[0132] x, y horizontal direction

[0133] zVertical / stack direction.

Claims

1. A component carrier (100), comprising a stack (101), the stack (101) comprising: A code element (110), the code element (110) comprising an opaque portion (190) and a first translucent portion (191); as well as a first layer structure (120), the first layer structure (120) including a second translucent portion (120a); The first layer structure (120) and the code element (110) are arranged so that the first translucent portion (191) and the second translucent portion (120a) overlap, thereby forming a translucent area (114) connecting at least two main surfaces of the stack (101).

2. The component carrier (100) according to claim 1, comprising: A second layer structure (130), wherein the second layer structure (130) includes a third translucent portion (130a), wherein the second layer structure (130) and the code element (110) are arranged so that the first translucent portion (191) and the third translucent portion (130a) overlap, thereby forming part of the translucent area (114) connecting the two main surfaces of the stack (101).

3. The component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The surface of the code element (110) is in direct contact with the surface of the first layer structure (120) and / or the second layer structure (130), and in particular, the surface of the code element (110) is combined with the surface of the first layer structure (120) and / or the second layer structure (130).

4. The component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The code element (110) comprises an at least partially translucent material.

5. The component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The first translucent portion (191) of the code element (110) corresponds to an extension of the second translucent portion (120a) and / or the third translucent portion (130a).

6. The component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The first layer structure (120) and / or the second layer structure (130) include an insulating material, or the first layer structure (120) and / or the second layer structure (130) are composed of an insulating material. In particular, the first layer structure (120) and / or the second layer structure (130) include a resin material, or the first layer structure (120) and / or the second layer structure (130) are composed of a resin material.

7. The component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The code element (110) is arranged on the first layer structure (120) and / or the second layer structure (130), and / or the code element (110) is arranged in the first layer structure (120) and / or the second layer structure (130), so that the corresponding semi-transparent areas at least partially overlap.

8. The component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The stacked piece (101) comprises: a further layer, said further layer being arranged on said first layer structure (120) and / or said second layer structure (130), wherein each of the additional layers includes a translucent portion, and the translucent portion is configured to at least partially overlap at least one of the first translucent portion (191), the second translucent portion (120a), and the third translucent portion (130a); and An additional code element (171), the additional code element is arranged on / in at least one additional layer, the additional code element is configured to at least partially overlap at least one of the first translucent part (191), the second translucent part (120a), and the third translucent part (130a), the additional code element (171) is configured to be associated with the code element (110), the additional code element (171) defines a code boundary, and the code boundary is defined by the overlap of the planes of the additional code element (171) and the code element (110), and the additional code element (171) is arranged to a lateral side (110a) of the code element (110) in a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction (z).

9. The component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The first translucent portion (191) does not contain opaque material, in particular, the first translucent portion (191) does not contain metal, and preferably, all overlapping translucent portions do not contain opaque material, in particular, all overlapping translucent portions do not contain metal.

10. The component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The code element (110) is constructed in the form of at least one of the following: a 2D code, a digital code, and a 3D code. In particular, the 2D code is a QR code. In particular, the digital code is a seven-digit code.

11. The component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The stack (101) comprises at least one electrically conductive layer structure.

12. Component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The code element (110) is at least partially made of metal, in particular, the code element (110) is at least partially made of metal of a portion of the at least one electrically conductive layer structure, in particular, the code element (110) is made of copper, in particular, the code element (110) is at least partially made of copper of a portion of the at least one electrically conductive layer structure.

13. A device (150) for reading an embedded code element (110) of a component carrier (100), the component carrier (100) being the component carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The device (150) comprises: a mounting device (153), the mounting device (153) being used to mount the component carrier (100); an electromagnetic radiation source (154) configured to emit an electromagnetic radiation beam (155) to pass through the at least one overlapping translucent portion when the component carrier (100) is mounted on the mounting device (153); and An electromagnetic radiation sensor (156) is configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation beam (155) after passing through at least one translucent portion of the overlap when the component carrier (100) is mounted on the mounting device (153), so as to enable reading of the code element (110) embedded in the component carrier (100).

14. The apparatus (150) according to claim 13, wherein The mounting device (153) comprises a base structure (157) for arranging the component carrier (100), and in particular, the base structure (157) is used for fixing the component carrier (100).

15. The device (150) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein The device (150) further comprises: A cabinet (140) for storing at least one component carrier (100), in particular wherein the mounting device (153) is arranged in the cabinet (140).

16. The apparatus (150) according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein The electromagnetic radiation source (154) is mounted on the mounting device (153) or integrated into the mounting device (153). In particular, the electromagnetic radiation source (154) is integrated into the base structure (157).

17. The apparatus (150) according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein The mounting device (153) is mounted on the conveying device (180), in particular, the base structure (157) is mounted on the conveying device (180), in particular, the mounting device (153) is mounted on a slide rail capable of enabling the base structure (157) to translate laterally in a horizontal direction (x, y), in particular, the base structure (157) is mounted on a slide rail capable of enabling the base structure (157) to translate laterally in a horizontal direction (x, y).

18. The apparatus (150) according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein The electromagnetic radiation source (154) is assembled with the mounting device, and in particular, the electromagnetic radiation source (154) is assembled with the conveying device (180).

19. The device (150) according to any one of claims 13 to 18, comprising: a further electromagnetic radiation source (158) configured to emit a further electromagnetic radiation beam (159) to pass through the component carrier (100) when the component carrier (100) is mounted at the mounting device (153); The further electromagnetic radiation sensor (156a) is configured to receive the further electromagnetic radiation beam (159) after passing through the component carrier (100) so as to enable reading of a further code element (171) embedded in the component carrier (100).

20. The device (150) according to any one of claims 13 to 19, comprising: A sensor mount (181), the electromagnetic radiation sensor (156) being mounted on the sensor mount (181), in particular, the sensor mount (181) being a robotic arm, wherein the sensor mount (181) is configured to move the electromagnetic radiation sensor (156), in particular, the sensor mount (181) is configured to translate the electromagnetic radiation sensor (156) laterally in a horizontal direction (x, y).

21. The apparatus (150) according to any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein The device (150) comprises a handling device for spatially manipulating the component carrier (100), in particular, the handling device is configured to tilt and / or rotate the component carrier.

22. The apparatus (150) according to any one of claims 13 to 21, wherein The apparatus (150) comprises an angular transport device configured to angularly displace the electromagnetic radiation source (154) and / or the further electromagnetic radiation source (158) so that the emitted electromagnetic radiation beams encounter the entrance surface of the component carrier (100) at different angles.

23. A device comprising: A device (150), the device (150) being a device (150) according to any one of claims 13 to 22; as well as A component carrier (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, The component carrier (100) is mounted on the mounting device (153) of the apparatus (150).

24. A method for reading an embedded code element (110) of a component carrier (100), the component carrier (100) being the component carrier (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the method comprising: A beam of electromagnetic radiation is emitted to pass through each of: a code element (110), the code element (110) comprising an opaque portion and a first translucent portion, at least one first layer structure (120), said at least one first layer structure (120) comprising at least a second translucent portion, wherein the at least one first layer structure (120) and the code element (110) are arranged so that the corresponding translucent portions overlap, such that the translucent area connects the at least two main surfaces of the stack; and The beam of electromagnetic radiation is received after passing through the component carrier (100).

25. Method for producing a component carrier (100), the component carrier (100) being the component carrier (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: The method comprises: The code element (110) is formed by at least one of etching, plating, photolithography, and patterning, and in particular, the code element (110) is formed using a laser.

26. Use of the apparatus (150) according to any one of claims 13 to 22 or the device according to claim 23 in an automatic inspection machine for inspecting and / or verifying and / or repairing a component carrier (100), in particular the automatic inspection machine is an automatic optical inspection machine.

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