Ceramic-Polymer Composite PCB for Thin Profile Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printed circuit boards (PCBs) face challenges with thermal stability, rigidity, and dimensional stability due to their thickness, which affects their performance in high-speed applications and leads to issues like parasitic capacitance and warping, and current materials like FR4 are not suitable for thinner profiles required by evolving devices.
Innovation Solution
A co-continuous polymer-ceramic composite is developed, comprising a sintered porous ceramic with interconnected porosity and a curable polymer infiltrated within the ceramic's void space, which forms a stiff interconnected skeleton and a crack-arresting medium, enhancing mechanical durability and thermal expansion match with on-board components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If PCB thickness is reduced to enable thinner profiles, then device miniaturization is achieved, but mechanical durability and rigidity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining ceramic particles (providing rigidity and mechanical strength) with polymer matrix (providing flexibility and toughness) to create a composite PCB material that achieves both thin profile and mechanical durability simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a heterogeneous composite structure where ceramic particles are distributed within the polymer matrix, with each phase providing localized properties: ceramic provides rigidity and polymer provides toughness, achieving overall mechanical durability in thin profiles
2Reliability
If PCB thickness is reduced, then parasitic capacitance decreases improving high-speed performance, but dimensional stability deteriorates leading to warping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the composite material's thermal expansion coefficient through ceramic-polymer ratio adjustment, enabling dimensional stability in thin profiles while maintaining electrical performance for high-speed applications
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional FR4 materials are used, then manufacturing is simple, but thermal stability and suitability for thinner profiles are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by incorporating ceramic particles into polymer matrices to create new composite materials that maintain ease of manufacturing through established composite processing techniques while achieving superior thermal stability for thin-profile applications
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 composite achieves improved resiliency and toughness, enabling high-frequency performance and thinner profiles while maintaining mechanical durability, with dielectric properties comparable to or exceeding those of FR4 materials, and allowing for reduced thickness without compromising rigidity or stability.
Implementation Method 1
a curable polymer infiltrated within the ceramic's void space
Implementation Method 2
sintered porous ceramic with interconnected porosity
Data Source
AI summary
A ceramic and polymer composite including: a first continuous phase comprising a sintered porous ceramic having a solid volume of from 50 to 85 vol % and a porosity or a porous void space of from 50 to 15 vol %, based on the total volume of the composite; and a second continuous polymer phase situated in the porous void space of the sintered porous ceramic. Also disclosed is a composite article, a method of making the composite, and a method of using the composite.