Coreless Substrate Embedded Inductors Without Magnetic Filler Leaching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for integrating inductors into coreless electronic substrates face challenges such as limited magnetic property improvements, incompatibility with standard fabrication processes, and the risk of magnetic material leaching into plating and etching solutions.
Innovation Solution
The formation of conductive vias in coreless electronic substrates using a lithographic process, combined with panel planarization, prevents exposure of magnetic materials to plating and etching solutions, allowing for the fabrication of relatively thick inductor coils that reduce resistance and improve performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If magnetic resins are used to form inductors in coreless substrates, then magnetic properties such as permeability are improved, but the magnetic fillers leach into plating and etching solutions causing process instability and quality deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
A barrier layer is introduced as an intermediary between the magnetic resin and the plating/etching solutions. This barrier layer prevents direct contact between the magnetic fillers and the chemical solutions, thereby stopping the leaching process while allowing the magnetic resin to maintain its beneficial magnetic properties for inductor formation
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful component (magnetic fillers) is effectively isolated from the plating and etching processes by removing their direct interaction pathway. The barrier layer extracts the magnetic resin from the standard fabrication process flow, allowing conventional plating and etching to proceed without contamination while the magnetic properties are preserved through the barrier
2Ease of manufacture
If standard fabrication processes (wet plating and etching) are used, then manufacturing compatibility is maintained, but magnetic fillers leach into solutions detrimental to process stability and solution life
Solution Approach 1:
The fabrication process is segmented into distinct stages: first forming the barrier layer, then forming magnetic resin structures, and finally proceeding with standard plating and etching processes. This segmentation isolates the magnetic materials from harmful chemical exposures while maintaining compatibility with standard manufacturing workflows
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier layer is formed preliminarily before any magnetic resin application or plating/etching processes. This preliminary protective action ensures that when subsequent standard fabrication processes are applied, the magnetic fillers are already protected from leaching, maintaining both process compatibility and stability
3Length of stationary object
If thin substrate structures are used to reduce Z-height, then integration density is improved, but inductor coil thickness is limited resulting in higher resistance and lower performance
Solution Approach 1:
The inductor coil is configured to extend in multiple dimensions within the substrate, utilizing both horizontal and vertical space. By forming coils that can achieve greater effective thickness through multi-layer or three-dimensional winding patterns, the design compensates for limited substrate thickness while maintaining low resistance and high performance
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 enables the integration of inductors with high inductance density and Q factor into coreless electronic substrates without compromising the stability and quality of the fabrication process, addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
inductors are passive electrical components electrically attached to an electronic substrate to which the integrated circuit devices are electrically attached. These inductors store energy in a magnetic field generated by a magnetic material
Implementation Method 2
The formation of conductive vias in coreless electronic substrates using a lithographic process
Data Source
AI summary
An inductor can be formed in a coreless electronic substrate, such that the fabrication process does not result in the magnetic material used in the inductor leaching into plating and/or etching solutions/chemistries, and results in a unique inductor structure. This may be achieved by forming conductive vias with a lithographic process, rather than a standard laser process, in combination with panel planarization to prevent exposure of the magnetic material to the plating and/or etching solutions/chemistries.