Conductive Step Structures for Reliable Solder Wetting

Instead of using subtractive cutting methods that cause misalignment, the patent uses additive printing methods to directly form conductive paste patterns. This inversion from removal to addition eliminates misalignment issues and achieves consistent wettable flanks with dimensions controlled by the printing process itself.

The patent replaces mechanical cutting processes with a printing system that deposits conductive paste through a mask aligned with the substrate. This substitution of mechanical cutting with a deposition-based printing process eliminates the misalignment problems inherent in cutting methods.

The patent replaces chemical etching processes with a physical printing process that deposits conductive paste. This substitution eliminates the difficulty of controlling etching parameters such as etchant concentration, temperature, and exposure time, replacing them with controllable printing parameters like paste viscosity, printing speed, and mask alignment.

The patent changes the fundamental process parameter from chemical etching (with difficult-to-control parameters) to physical deposition through printing. The new process parameters (paste composition, printing pressure, mask alignment) are much easier to control and reproduce, leading to consistent wettable flank thickness.

The patent combines multiple functions into a single printing process: forming conductive patterns, creating step structures, and defining wettable flanks all occur in one deposition step. This merging of functions reduces the number of separate manufacturing steps compared to traditional multi-step etching and deposition processes.

The conductive paste is deposited in advance with the exact final pattern and step structure required, eliminating the need for subsequent etching or patterning steps. The printing process performs the preliminary action of creating the complete conductive structure in one step.