Component Carrier Cavity Laser Drilling Depth Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing component carriers with deep cavities face challenges such as high surface roughness, low accuracy in depth control, and width, which are critical for applications like RF waveguides.

Innovation Solution

A component carrier with a stack of layers forming electrically conductive and insulating structures, featuring a conically shaped cavity with inclined side walls and recesses, manufactured using laser drilling and multiple release layers to achieve precise control over cavity depth and width.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of stationary object

If conventional laser drilling is used to create deep cavities, then cavity depth can be increased, but surface roughness increases and manufacturing precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecavity depthVSAvoidsurface roughness and dimensional accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cavity formation process is segmented into multiple sequential laser drilling steps, each creating a portion of the total cavity depth. This segmentation allows control over surface roughness at each stage while achieving the required total depth through cumulative material removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A preliminary conical cavity structure is formed first with controlled surface roughness, followed by subsequent processing steps that refine the cavity to achieve the final smooth-walled cylindrical geometry required for waveguide applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Length of stationary object

If conventional laser drilling is used for deep cavities, then cavity depth can be increased, but depth control accuracy and width precision deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecavity depthVSAvoiddepth control accuracy and width precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The laser drilling process incorporates feedback mechanisms including real-time monitoring of drilling parameters, adaptive control of laser power and pulse duration, and verification of cavity dimensions at intermediate stages to maintain depth control accuracy and width precision throughout the deep cavity formation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The laser drilling parameters are dynamically adjusted during the process based on depth progression, with different power levels, pulse frequencies, and beam focal positions applied at different stages to maintain precision while achieving the required cavity depth.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

The method enables the production of component carriers with high surface quality and accurate depth and width control, suitable for deep cavities used as RF waveguides, while ensuring reliable and cost-effective manufacturing.

Implementation Method 1

forming a cavity within said stack by removing material... by means of a laser beam for removing material to form the cavity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser ablation: Laser Ablation

Data Source

PatentEP4572539A1Component carrier and method for manufacturing a component carrier
Publication Date: 2025.06.18 AT & S AUSTRIA TECHNOLOGIE & SYSTEMTECHNIK AG
  • EP4572539A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4572539A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4572539A1 patent drawingFigure 3~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a component carrier (1) comprising a stack (2) of a plurality of layers (12) forming at least one electrically conductive layer structure (3) and at least one electrically insulating layer structure (4), said stack (2) comprising a - preferably conically shaped - cavity (5), wherein the cavity (5) extends - in the direction (D) perpendicular to the planes (P) in which the layers (12) extend - through at least two layers (12) of the plurality of layers, said cavity (5) being delimited by a side wall (6), said side wall (6) being inclined with respect to the direction (D) perpendicular to the planes (P) of the layers (12), wherein at least one recess (7) is provided in the side wall (6) of said cavity (5), said recess (7) locally disrupting the side wall extension and partially extending in the stack (2) along the planar extension of the stack (2).