Overmolded structure within glass

Abstract

An arrangement of one or more electronic devices in or on a photosensitive glass substrate includes a photosensitive glass substrate, one or more electronic devices disposed in or on the photosensitive glass substrate, one or more overmold openings in the photosensitive glass substrate, and a layer of overmold material filling the one or more overmold openings and covering at least a portion of the one or more electronic devices.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 321,421, filed on March 18, 2022, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Description of Research Funded by the Federal Government None

[0003] The present invention relates to a method of encapsulating components and related devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to overmolding an electronic device on a glass substrate.

Background Art

[0004] Without limiting the scope of the present invention, the background of the present invention is described in relation to RF and electronic circuits.

[0005] Driven by wearable devices, small form factor devices, device - to - device communication, RF communication, and many other applications, the demand for overmolded electronic device packages is increasing. Overmolding packaging techniques provide enhanced mechanical strength, reduced electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage, reduced packaging size, and protection against humidity, dust, dirt, and vibration. Overmolding also seals connectors, overmolding grommets (also referred to herein as "overmolding openings"), and tension reliefs. The main reason for overmolding openings is to enhance the adhesion of the overmolding material to the substrate. Overmolding techniques can, therefore, protect integrated circuit dies, passive electronic components, or systems - in - a - package (SiP), etc.

[0006] Overmolding can be performed by various methods and materials for encapsulating RF and electronic circuits. These methods and materials include low-pressure molding (LPM) processes and liquid silicone rubber (LSR) molding processes. LPM processes may involve either polyamide or polyolefin (hot melt) materials and are typically used to encapsulate electronic components and protect them environmentally. Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) injection molding is typically used for mass production of flexible and durable parts. Overmolding encapsulation is used on several substrates, including printed circuit boards (PCBs), silicon, sapphire, and other materials.

[0007] LSR is a resin based on curing silicone that has low compression set, high stability, and resistance to extreme temperatures. Ideally, LSR is suitable for the production of parts where high quality is essential. Thermosetting liquid silicone injection molding requires intensive distribution mixing at low temperatures before being extruded into a heated cavity. Materials that flow easily at higher temperatures and solidify at low temperatures are called thermoplastics.

[0008] LPM materials used for overmolding electronics include a group of amorphous thermoplastic polyamides, because they have a processing temperature range of 180–240°C and a viscosity of approximately 3,000 centipoise. Polyamides have two suitable characteristics for electronic molding. The first characteristic is the adhesive properties of polyamides. Polyamides are high-performance hot-melt materials that mechanically adhere to substrates. Mechanical adhesion means that there is no chemical reaction with the substrate. To facilitate the necessary adhesion, overmolding openings have been used to anchor the overmolding material to the substrate. These overmolding openings are created by etching or milling molded holes, vias, trenches, or other structures into the substrate so that the molding material flows into the openings. The molding material then solidifies around the electronic components, wiring, bonding pads, or adhesive structures. Overmolding openings typically fill in a few seconds, but a typical entire molding cycle lasts 20–45 seconds. Several solutions for creating openings within overmolded packages include laser cutting and mechanical drilling. These solutions can be extended by using molding enclosures (e.g., mold chases) to create surface voids (e.g., chamfered edges) or removable inserts. Some components may require precise opening tolerances, such as openings above optical sensors. In consumer electronics, it is highly desirable to improve and expand the use of overmolded electronics packaging while reducing the difficulties in their overmolding process. Unfortunately, current technical processes for mechanical bonding have not been feasible for transitioning to glass substrates because the bond between glass and the overmolding material is not sufficient to withstand handling and packaging. [Overview of the project]

[0009] In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for overmolding one or more electronic devices in or on a photosensitive glass substrate, the method comprising the steps of: providing a photosensitive glass substrate containing one or more electronic devices; forming one or more overmolded openings in the photosensitive glass substrate; and applying an overmolding material to fill the one or more overmolded openings and to cover at least a portion of the one or more electronic devices. In one embodiment, the photosensitive glass substrate includes silica, lithium oxide, aluminum oxide, and cerium oxide. In another embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: masking a design layout that includes one or more overmolded structures to form one or more overmolded openings; exposing at least a portion of the photosensitive glass substrate to an active energy source; heating the photosensitive glass substrate above its glass transition temperature for at least 10 minutes; and cooling the photosensitive glass substrate to convert at least a portion of the exposed glass into a crystalline material to form a glass crystal substrate. In another embodiment, the step of forming one or more overmolded openings is carried out by etching a glass crystal structure with an etchant. In another embodiment, the anisotropic etching ratio of the exposed portion to the unexposed portion is at least 30:1. In another embodiment, each of the one or more overmolded openings includes an upper opening and an interior, with at least a portion of the interior being wider than the upper opening. In another embodiment, the overmolded material includes liquid silicone rubber, polyolefin, or amorphous thermoplastic polyamide. In another embodiment, the step of applying the overmolded material is carried out using a low-pressure molding process or a liquid silicone rubber process to achieve overmolding fluidity and formation. In another embodiment, each overmolded opening is either a blind opening or a through opening.In another embodiment, one or more electronic devices include an integrated circuit die; one or more passive electronic components; one or more lumped circuit elements including a resistor, inductor, or capacitor; or a system-in-package.

[0010] Another embodiment includes an apparatus for one or more electronic devices in or on a photosensitive glass substrate, the apparatus comprising a photosensitive glass substrate, one or more electronic devices disposed in or on the photosensitive glass substrate, one or more overmolded openings in the photosensitive glass substrate, and a layer of overmolding material filling the one or more overmolded openings and covering at least a portion of the one or more electronic devices. In one embodiment, each of the one or more overmolded openings includes an upper opening and an interior, with at least a portion of the interior being wider than the upper opening. In another embodiment, the photosensitive glass substrate comprises silica, lithium oxide, aluminum oxide, and cerium oxide. In another embodiment, the overmolding material comprises liquid silicone rubber, polyolefin, or amorphous thermoplastic polyamide. In another embodiment, the step of applying the overmolding material is carried out using a low-pressure molding process or a liquid silicone rubber process. In another embodiment, one or more overmolded openings are formed by the steps of: masking a design layout including one or more overmolded structures to form one or more overmolded openings; exposing at least a portion of a photosensitive glass substrate to an active energy source; heating the photosensitive glass substrate above its glass transition temperature for at least 10 minutes; and cooling the photosensitive glass substrate to convert at least a portion of the exposed glass into a crystalline material to form a glass crystal substrate. In another embodiment, the step of forming one or more overmolded openings is carried out by etching the glass crystal structure with an etchant. In another embodiment, the anisotropic etching ratio between the exposed and unexposed portions is at least 30:1. In another embodiment, each overmolded opening is a blind opening or a through opening. In another embodiment, one or more electronic devices include integrated circuit dies; one or more passive electronic components including resistors, inductors, or capacitors; one or more centrifugal circuit elements including resistors, inductors, or capacitors; or a system-in-package.

[0011] Another embodiment includes an apparatus for one or more electronic devices in or on a photosensitive glass substrate, the apparatus comprising a photosensitive glass substrate, one or more electronic devices disposed in or on the photosensitive glass substrate, one or more overmolded openings in the photosensitive glass substrate, and a layer of overmolded material filling the one or more overmolded openings and covering at least a portion of the one or more electronic devices, the apparatus being manufactured by a method comprising the steps of: masking a design layout including one or more overmolded structures to form one or more overmolded openings; exposing at least a portion of the photosensitive glass substrate to an active energy source; heating the photosensitive glass substrate above its glass transition temperature for at least 10 minutes; and cooling the photosensitive glass substrate to convert at least a portion of the exposed glass into a crystalline material to form a glass crystal substrate. In one embodiment, the step of applying the overmolded material is carried out using a low-pressure molding process or a liquid silicone rubber process. In another embodiment, the step of forming one or more overmolded openings is carried out by etching the glass crystal structure with an etchant. In another embodiment, the anisotropic etching ratio of the exposed portion to the unexposed portion is at least 30:1. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] For a more complete understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention, a detailed description of the invention will be provided below, along with the accompanying figures. [Figure 1] This figure shows a cross-section with an exemplary overmolded opening in a photosensitive glass substrate. [Figure 2] This figure shows an overmolded system-in-package (SiP). [Figure 3] This figure shows a cross-section of an overmolded opening in a copper metallized substrate. [Figure 4]This figure shows a cross-section of a surface-mount electronic device and a photosensitive glass substrate with filled blind and through-hole overmolding openings. [Figure 5] This figure shows a cross-section of a surface mount wire bond die covered by an overmolded layer that is secured by a filled overmolded opening. [Figure 6] This is a top view of a SiP with overmolded openings at the four corners. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart of an embodiment of the method of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] While the creation and use of various embodiments of the present invention will be discussed in detail below, it should be understood that the present invention provides many applicable concepts of the present invention that can be embodied in various specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific methods of creating and using the present invention and do not define the scope of the invention.

[0014] The devices of the present invention can generally be used for devices and arrays on glass-ceramic substrates for electronic equipment, microwaves, and radio frequencies. The present invention creates cost-effective glass-ceramic inductive individual devices or array devices. Using glass-ceramic substrates, it is possible to form inductive individual devices or array devices through both vertical and horizontal plane processing, either separately or simultaneously. The use of glass-ceramic substrate circulator / isolator devices can be fabricated and used in various telecommunications and other platforms. Novel circulator / isolator glass-ceramic devices can be fabricated as standalone devices for addition to other devices, directly integrated into a substrate, and then connected to other electronic components using vias, wires, or ball bonding, etc.

[0015] In one embodiment, the present invention is an RF circulator / isolator constructed for an integrated passive device (IPD) having a reduced size compared to currently available options. The present invention may be achieved by optimizing the core material within a test vehicle. The test vehicle may include one or more types of glass, for example, available from 3DGS, USA, with methods and components fabricated and designed as described herein and improved by core filling. Firstly, a standard cavity depth is used to ensure consistent measurements. Next, components formed, added, or connected to form a circuit are connected to the circulator / isolator, and then the test proceeds and a specific volume is evaluated as needed for accurate calculations.

[0016] Overmolding equipment can be incorporated in, on, or around glass ceramics (APEX® glass ceramics) as a novel packaging and substrate material for semiconductors, RF electronics, microwave electronics, and optical imaging devices. APEX® glass ceramics are processed using first-generation semiconductor equipment in a simple three-step process, and the final material can be either glass, ceramic, or a material containing areas of both glass and ceramic. APEX® glass ceramics have several advantages over current materials, including easily fabricated high-density vias, demonstrated microfluidic capabilities, microlens or microlens array capabilities, high Young's modulus for more rigid packaging, halogen-free manufacturing, and economical manufacturing. Photosensitive glass has several advantages in the fabrication of various microsystem components. Microstructures have been produced relatively inexpensively using these glasses with conventional semiconductor processing equipment. In general, glass has high-temperature stability, good mechanical and electrical properties, and better chemical resistance than plastics and many metals. One example of a glass ceramic is, for example, one containing 75-85 wt% silicon dioxide (SiO2), 7-11 wt% lithium oxide (Li2O), 3-6 wt% aluminum oxide (Al2O3), 1-2 wt% sodium oxide (Na2O), 0.2-0.5 wt% antimony trioxide (Sb2O3) or arsenic oxide (As2O3), 0.05-0.15 wt% silver oxide (Ag2O), and 0.01-0.04 wt% cerium oxide (CeO2). As used herein, the terms “APEX® glass ceramic,” “APEX® glass,” or simply “APEX®” are used to describe one embodiment of a glass ceramic composition for creating a device comprising one or more electronic devices on or within a photosensitive glass substrate having blind or through-overmolded openings etched or machined within the photosensitive glass substrate, the electronic circuits and overmolded openings being filled by the use of standard overmolding materials and processes.

[0017] Any exposed portion of a photosensitive glass substrate in the form of an overmolded aperture structure is converted to a crystalline material by heating the glass substrate to a temperature close to its glass transition temperature. When etching the glass substrate in an etchant such as hydrofluoric acid (HF), the anisotropic etching ratio between exposed and unexposed portions is at least 30:1 when the glass is exposed to a broad-spectrum mid-ultraviolet (approximately 308-312 nm) flood lamp. The exposed glass is then baked in a typically two-step process. First, the exposed glass is heated to 420°C-520°C for 10 minutes-2 hours to associate silver ions with silver nanoparticles, and second, the exposed glass is heated to 520°C-620°C for 10 minutes-2 hours to form lithium oxide around the silver nanoparticles. The glass plate is then etched. The glass substrate is typically etched in an etchant of 5%–10% by volume of HF solution, with an etching ratio of at least 30:1 between exposed and unexposed areas, thus creating one or more overmolded openings. The overmolded openings are then filled using standard overmolding processes and materials.

[0018] Figure 1 shows a cross-section of an embodiment with an exemplary overmolded opening in a photosensitive glass substrate. The apparatus 100 has one or more electronic devices 105 disposed in or on the photosensitive glass substrate 110. An exemplary overmolded opening 115 is present in the photosensitive glass substrate 110. A layer 120 of overmolding material fills the overmolded opening 115 and covers at least a portion of each of the electronic devices 105. In one embodiment, the overmolded opening 115 includes an upper opening and an interior, and at least a portion of the interior of the overmolded opening 115 is wider than the upper opening of the overmolded opening 115. In another embodiment, the photosensitive glass substrate 110 comprises silica, lithium oxide, aluminum oxide, and cerium oxide. In another embodiment, the overmolding material 120 comprises liquid silicone rubber, polyolefin, or amorphous thermoplastic polyamide. In another embodiment, the overmolding material is carried out using a low-pressure molding process or a liquid silicone rubber process. In another embodiment, one or more overmolded openings are formed by the steps of: masking a design layout including one or more overmolded structures to form one or more overmolded openings; exposing at least a portion of a photosensitive glass substrate to an active energy source; heating the photosensitive glass substrate above its glass transition temperature for at least 10 minutes; and cooling the photosensitive glass substrate to convert at least a portion of the exposed glass into a crystalline material to form a glass crystal substrate. In another embodiment, the step of forming the overmolded opening 115 is carried out by etching the glass crystal structure with an etchant. In another embodiment, the anisotropic etching ratio between the exposed and unexposed portions is at least 30:1. In another embodiment, one or more electronic devices 105 include an integrated circuit die; one or more passive electronic components including a resistor, inductor, or capacitor; one or more concentrated circuit elements including a resistor, inductor, or capacitor; or a system-in-package.

[0019] Figure 2 shows an overmolded system in package (SiP). SiP 200 is shown with an overmold layer 205 (not shown).

[0020] Figure 3 shows a cross-section of an overmold opening in a copper metallized substrate. Device 300 is shown with an integrated circuit die 305 on a copper metallized substrate 310. The overmold material 315 covers the integrated circuit die 305 and fills an overmold opening 320 having an etched locking feature 325, and the portion inside the overmold opening 320 is wider than the upper opening of the overmold opening 320, serving the function of locking the overmold material to the copper metallized substrate 310.

[0021] Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a device 400 with one or more surface-mounted electronic devices 410 and a photosensitive glass substrate 405 with filled blind and through overmold openings 415a, b.

[0022] Figure 5 shows a cross-section of a device 500 with a surface-mounted wire bond integrated circuit die 505 on a copper lead frame 510 and covered by a layer 515 of overmold material fixed by a filled overmold opening 520.

[0023] Figure 6 shows a top view of a SiP with overmold openings at the four corners. SiP 600 has overmold openings 605.

[0024] Figure 7 shows an embodiment of the method of the present invention. Method 700 begins with block 705 providing a photosensitive glass substrate containing one or more electronic devices. This is followed by block 710, which includes forming one or more overmolded openings within the photosensitive glass substrate. The step of applying an overmolding material to fill one or more overmolded openings and to cover at least a portion of one or more electronic devices is shown in block 715. One aspect of the embodiment further includes, as shown in block 720, a masking of a design layout including one or more overmolded structures to form one or more overmolded openings; as shown in block 725, a step of exposing at least a portion of the photosensitive glass substrate to an active energy source; as shown in block 730, a step of heating the photosensitive glass substrate above its glass transition temperature for at least 10 minutes; and as shown in block 735, a step of cooling the photosensitive glass substrate to convert at least a portion of the exposed glass into a crystalline material to form a glass crystal substrate. Another embodiment of the embodiment includes the step of forming one or more overmolded openings by etching a glass crystal structure with an etchant, as shown in block 740.

[0025] In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for overmolding one or more electronic devices in or on a photosensitive glass substrate, the method essentially comprising or consisting of the steps of: providing a photosensitive glass substrate containing one or more electronic devices; forming one or more overmolded openings in the photosensitive glass substrate; and applying an overmolding material to fill the one or more overmolded openings and cover at least a portion of the one or more electronic devices. In one embodiment, the photosensitive glass substrate includes silica, lithium oxide, aluminum oxide, and cerium oxide. In another embodiment, the method further includes the steps of: masking a design layout containing one or more overmolded structures to form one or more overmolded openings; exposing at least a portion of the photosensitive glass substrate to an active energy source; heating the photosensitive glass substrate above its glass transition temperature for at least 10 minutes; and cooling the photosensitive glass substrate to convert at least a portion of the exposed glass into a crystalline material to form a glass crystal substrate. In another embodiment, the step of forming one or more overmolded openings is carried out by etching a glass crystal structure with an etchant. In another embodiment, the anisotropic etching ratio of the exposed portion to the unexposed portion is at least 30:1. In another embodiment, each of the one or more overmolded openings includes an upper opening and an interior, with at least a portion of the interior being wider than the upper opening. In another embodiment, the overmolded material includes liquid silicone rubber, polyolefin, or amorphous thermoplastic polyamide. In another embodiment, the step of applying the overmolded material is carried out using a low-pressure molding process or a liquid silicone rubber process. In another embodiment, each overmolded opening is a blind opening or a through opening. In another embodiment, one or more electronic devices include integrated circuit dies; one or more passive electronic components including resistors, inductors, or capacitors; one or more concentrated circuit elements including resistors, inductors, or capacitors; or a system-in-package.

[0026] In another embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus for one or more electronic devices in or on a photosensitive glass substrate, the apparatus essentially comprising or consisting of a photosensitive glass substrate, one or more electronic devices disposed in or on the photosensitive glass substrate, one or more overmolded openings in the photosensitive glass substrate, and layers of overmolding material filling the one or more overmolded openings and covering at least a portion of the one or more electronic devices. In one embodiment, each of the one or more overmolded openings includes an upper opening and an interior, with at least a portion of the interior being wider than the upper opening. In another embodiment, the photosensitive glass substrate comprises silica, lithium oxide, aluminum oxide, and cerium oxide. In another embodiment, the overmolding material comprises liquid silicone rubber, polyolefin, or amorphous thermoplastic polyamide. In another embodiment, the step of applying the overmolding material is carried out using a low-pressure molding process or a liquid silicone rubber process. In another embodiment, one or more overmolded openings are formed by the steps of: masking a design layout including one or more overmolded structures to form one or more overmolded openings; exposing at least a portion of a photosensitive glass substrate to an active energy source; heating the photosensitive glass substrate above its glass transition temperature for at least 10 minutes; and cooling the photosensitive glass substrate to convert at least a portion of the exposed glass into a crystalline material to form a glass crystal substrate. In another embodiment, the step of forming one or more overmolded openings is carried out by etching the glass crystal structure with an etchant. In another embodiment, the anisotropic etching ratio between the exposed and unexposed portions is at least 30:1. In another embodiment, each overmolded opening is a blind opening or a through opening. In another embodiment, one or more electronic devices include integrated circuit dies; one or more passive electronic components including resistors, inductors, or capacitors; one or more centrifugal circuit elements including resistors, inductors, or capacitors; or a system-in-package.

[0027] In another embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus for one or more electronic devices in or on a photosensitive glass substrate, the apparatus comprising a photosensitive glass substrate, one or more electronic devices disposed in or on the photosensitive glass substrate, one or more overmolded openings in the photosensitive glass substrate, and a layer of overmolded material filling the one or more overmolded openings and covering at least a portion of the one or more electronic devices, and is manufactured by a method comprising the steps of: masking a design layout including one or more overmolded structures to form one or more overmolded openings; exposing at least a portion of the photosensitive glass substrate to an active energy source; heating the photosensitive glass substrate above its glass transition temperature for at least 10 minutes; and cooling the photosensitive glass substrate to convert at least a portion of the exposed glass into a crystalline material to form a glass crystal substrate. In one embodiment, the step of applying the overmolded material is carried out using a low-pressure molding process or a liquid silicone rubber process. In another embodiment, the step of forming one or more overmolded openings is carried out by etching the glass crystal structure with an etchant. In another embodiment, the anisotropic etching ratio of the exposed portion to the unexposed portion is at least 30:1.

[0028] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are presented for illustrative purposes only, and not as limitations of the invention. The main features of the invention can be used in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will be able to recognize or confirm numerous equivalents to the specific procedures described herein by means of routine experimentation alone. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of the invention and are covered by the claims.

[0029] All publications and patent applications referenced herein represent the level of expertise of those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates. All publications and patent applications are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent that each individual publication or patent application is specifically and individually incorporated by reference.

[0030] The use of the words “one (a)” or “one (an)” may mean “one” when used in conjunction with the term “including” in the claims and / or specification, but also coincides with the meanings of “one or more,” “at least one,” and “one or more than one.” The use of the term “or” in the claims is used to mean “and / or” unless it is explicitly indicated that it refers only to the choices or that the choices are mutually exclusive, but this disclosure supports the definitions of choices only and “and / or.” Throughout this application, the term “about” is used to indicate that a value includes an inherent variation in the error of the device, and the method is used to determine that value, or the variation that exists among the subjects of study.

[0031] Where used herein and in the claims, the words “comprising” (and any form of “comprising,” such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having” (and any form of “having,” such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and any form of “including,” such as “includes” and “include”), or “containing” (and any form of “containing,” such as “contains” and “contain”) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional unlisted elements or method steps. In any embodiment of the compositions and methods provided herein, “comprising” may be replaced with “essentially consisting of” or “consisting of.” Where used herein, the expression “essentially consisting of” requires a particular whole or step, and one that does not substantially affect the features or functions of the claimed invention. As used herein, the term "consisting" is used to indicate the existence of an entire set of enumerated features, elements, properties, characteristics, methods / process steps, or limitations, or only a group of such sets of features, elements, properties, characteristics, methods / process steps, or limitations.

[0032] The term “or any combination thereof,” as used herein, refers to all sequences and combinations of the enumerated items preceding the term. For example, “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” is intended to include at least one of A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC, and also to include BA, CA, CB, CBA, BCA, ACB, BAC, or CAB, where the order is important in a particular context. Continuing this example, explicitly included are combinations containing repetitions of one or more items or terms, such as BB, AAA, AB, BBC, AAABCCCC, CBBAAA, CABABB, etc. A person skilled in the art will understand that, unless otherwise evident from the context, there is typically no limit to the number of items or terms in any combination.

[0033] Where used herein, approximate terms such as “about,” “de facto,” or “substantially” refer to a state that, when modified in this way, is understood not necessarily absolute or perfect, but is considered close enough to guarantee to a person skilled in the art that the state exists. The extent to which this description may change depends on how large the change may be, yet still causes a person skilled in the art to recognize the modified feature as still possessing the required properties and capabilities of the unmodified feature. Generally, however, under the influence of the preceding discussion, numerical values ​​in this specification modified by approximate terms such as “about” may vary by at least ±1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, or 15% from the stated value.

[0034] All compositions and / or methods disclosed and claimed herein can be prepared and performed without excessive experimentation in view of this disclosure. While the compositions and methods of the present invention are described in relation to preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions and / or methods, and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the methods described herein, without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the present invention. All such similar substitutions and modifications that are apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope, and concept of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for overmolding one or more electronic devices in or on a photosensitive glass substrate, The steps include providing the photosensitive glass substrate including the one or two or more electronic devices, The steps include forming one or more overmolded openings in the photosensitive glass substrate, wherein each overmolded opening is a blind opening, The method comprising the steps of applying an overmolding material to fill the one or more overmolding openings and covering at least a portion of the one or more electronic devices.

2. A step of masking a design layout that includes one or more overmolded structures in order to form the one or more overmolded openings, The steps include: exposing at least a portion of the photosensitive glass substrate to an active energy source; The steps include heating the photosensitive glass substrate at a temperature above its glass transition temperature for at least 10 minutes, The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of cooling the photosensitive glass substrate in order to convert at least a portion of the exposed glass into a crystalline material to form a glass crystal substrate.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the anisotropic etching ratio between the exposed portion and the unexposed portion is at least 30:

1.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the one or more overmolded openings includes an upper opening and an interior, and at least a portion of the interior is wider than the upper opening.

5. An apparatus for one or more electronic devices located within or on a photosensitive glass substrate, The photosensitive glass substrate and, The one or more electronic devices disposed within or on the photosensitive glass substrate, One or more overmolded openings in the photosensitive glass substrate, wherein each overmolded opening is a blind opening, The apparatus comprising a layer of overmolding material that fills the one or more overmolding openings and covers at least a portion of the one or more electronic devices.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the one or more overmolded openings includes an upper opening and an interior, and at least a portion of the interior is wider than the upper opening.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the one or more electronic devices include an integrated circuit die; one or more passive electronic components including a resistor, inductor, or capacitor; one or more centrifugal circuit elements including a resistor, inductor, or capacitor; or a system-in-package.

8. An apparatus comprising one or more electronic devices in or on a photosensitive glass substrate, the apparatus comprising: the photosensitive glass substrate; the one or more electronic devices disposed in or on the photosensitive glass substrate; one or more overmolded openings in the photosensitive glass substrate, each of which is a blind opening; and a layer of overmolded material filling the one or more overmolded openings and covering at least a portion of the one or more electronic devices. A step of masking a design layout that includes one or more overmolded structures in order to form the one or more overmolded openings, The steps include: exposing at least a portion of the photosensitive glass substrate to an active energy source; The steps include heating the photosensitive glass substrate at a temperature above its glass transition temperature for at least 10 minutes, The apparatus is manufactured by a method comprising the step of cooling the photosensitive glass substrate in order to convert at least a portion of the exposed glass into a crystalline material to form a glass crystal substrate.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of the one or more overmolded openings includes an upper opening and an interior, and at least a portion of the interior is wider than the upper opening.

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