Embedded Metal Trace Substrate Laser Ablation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current integrated circuit substrates face challenges in accurately controlling electrical properties such as impedance and shielding due to vertically offset bias and signal traces, leading to inefficiencies in signal routing and increased substrate size.
Innovation Solution
The method involves embedding bias and signal traces into a dielectric layer using LASER ablation techniques, allowing for precise control of trace depth, width, and displacement, resulting in co-planar structures that enhance impedance control and reduce substrate size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If vertically offset bias and signal traces are used on substrate surfaces, then substrate size can be reduced, but accuracy of electrical property control (impedance and shielding) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional surface traces to three-dimensional embedded traces within the substrate. By embedding bias and signal traces at different depths within the substrate body, the invention achieves both compact substrate size and precise electrical property control through vertical stacking, resolving the contradiction between miniaturization and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nested trace structures where signal traces are embedded within substrate layers that contain bias traces. This nesting approach allows multiple trace types to coexist in a compact volume while maintaining controlled spacing and coupling, thereby achieving both reduced substrate area and accurate electrical characteristics.
2Productivity
If more signal traces are placed on a given substrate, then signal routing density increases, but control of electrical properties by bias traces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By moving to three-dimensional embedded tracing, the patent increases signal routing capacity vertically through multiple substrate layers. Each layer can contain signal traces with dedicated bias traces, allowing high density while maintaining precise electrical control through the vertical stacking architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate is segmented into multiple layers, each containing signal and bias traces. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each layer's electrical properties while achieving high overall routing density through the stacked configuration.
3Area of stationary object
If trace width is minimized to increase signal trace count, then substrate density improves, but accuracy of electrical property control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent compensates for minimized trace widths by utilizing the vertical dimension. Even narrow traces maintain controlled electrical properties because their positioning in three-dimensional space relative to bias traces is precisely controlled, allowing accurate impedance and shielding control despite small cross-sectional dimensions.
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 provides a ten-fold improvement in accuracy for electrical property control, reduces substrate size by 20-50%, and minimizes crosstalk, while maintaining strong coupling between bias and signal traces.
Implementation Method 1
bias trace and signal trace trenches are formed into the dielectric layer using LASER ablation, or other ablation, techniques
Data Source
AI summary
A method and structure for creating embedded metal features includes embedded trace substrates wherein bias and signal traces are embedded in a first surface of the embedded trace substrate and extend into the body of the embedded trace substrate. The bias trace and signal trace trenches are formed into the substrate body using LASER ablation, or other ablation, techniques. Using ablation techniques to form the bias and signal trace trenches allows for extremely accurate control of the depth, width, shape, and horizontal displacement of the bias and signal trace trenches. As a result, the distance between the bias traces and the signal traces eventually formed in the trenches, and therefore the electrical properties, such as impedance and noise shielding, provided by the bias traces, can be very accurately controlled.