3D Electronic Substrate Printing for Dense Circuit Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing electronic substrates are time-consuming, prone to defects, and limited in routing density due to mechanical drilling and plating processes, with high costs and material limitations, and require extensive rework for design changes.
Innovation Solution
Additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing and powder sintering, are used to co-deposit insulative and conductive materials, allowing for the creation of complex geometries and variable shapes with reduced process steps, eliminating the need for mechanical drilling and plating, and enabling components to be attached on any side of the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical drilling and plating processes are used to produce electronic substrates, then through-holes and conductive traces can be formed, but production time becomes excessively long (2-5 weeks for PWBs, 4-5 months for MCM substrates)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical drilling with laser drilling to form through-holes, and replaces mechanical plating with screen printing or aerosol jet printing to form conductive traces. This substitution of mechanical processes with thermal and deposition processes significantly reduces production time while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the time-consuming lamination and curing steps from the traditional multi-step substrate fabrication process. By forming all features (through-holes, traces, pads) directly on the substrate surface without requiring sequential layer lamination, the process achieves rapid production while preserving manufacturing quality.
2Reliability
If capture pads are made larger than electrically needed to prevent drilling breakout, then drilling reliability improves, but routing density decreases due to increased spacing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical drilling with laser drilling, which eliminates breakout issues entirely. Laser drilling creates clean, precise holes without mechanical stress or chip accumulation, allowing capture pads to be minimized to exact electrical requirements without compromising drilling reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the drilling method from mechanical to laser-based, fundamentally altering the process parameters. This enables capture pad dimensions to be optimized for electrical performance rather than mechanical tolerance compensation, thereby increasing routing density while maintaining reliability.
3Device complexity
If traditional lamination and curing processes are used to form multi-layer substrates, then layered structures can be created, but production complexity and time expenditure increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the time-consuming lamination and curing steps from the fabrication process. By forming all substrate features directly through laser drilling and material deposition on a single substrate layer, the process eliminates sequential lamination operations while maintaining the capability to create complex multi-layer circuit patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple separate fabrication operations (drilling, tracing, patterning) into a single integrated process sequence. All features are formed in one continuous operation without requiring intermediate lamination and curing steps, dramatically reducing production time while preserving structural complexity.
4Manufacturing precision
If drill bits are used to create through-holes, then holes can be formed, but equipment cost increases, tool lifespan is limited, and drill bits can break off in substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical drill bits with laser beams for hole formation. This eliminates tool wear, breakage, and replacement costs associated with mechanical drilling, while maintaining or improving hole formation accuracy through precise laser positioning and control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent eliminates the need for expensive, limited-life drill bits by using a laser system that does not consume physical tools. The laser beam can be repositioned and reused indefinitely without wear or replacement, fundamentally simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing equipment costs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces production time, minimizes defects, increases routing density, and allows for high-melting-point materials to be used in high-temperature applications, enabling faster and more reliable production of complex electronic substrates with enhanced thermal stability.
Implementation Method 1
additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing and powder sintering, are used to co-deposit insulative and conductive materials
Implementation Method 2
The deposited materials are sintered to form the electronic substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming electronic substrates and assemblies is provided. The method includes depositing a material. The material is deposited as a powder or slurry. The method includes sintering the material, and retrieving an article, including a solid electronic substrate. Also provided are electronic substrates formed by additive manufacturing, and methods of deploying the same.