Flexible Interconnect Circuit Lamination for High Current and Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for forming interconnect circuits, such as wire bundling and printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication, are limited in their ability to produce circuits that can carry large electrical currents, manage heat effectively, and form complex patterns, due to material and thermal resistance constraints.
Innovation Solution
A method involving lamination of a substrate to a conductive layer, followed by patterning and subsequent support with a permanent insulator, allowing for the use of new patterning techniques and materials, including chemical etching, laser ablation, and mechanical cutting, while enabling direct electrical, mechanical, and thermal coupling through insulator openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wire bundling is used to form interconnect circuits, then electrical current carrying capability is improved, but weight and size increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive layer is divided into multiple discrete conductive portions (traces, islands, strips) that are patterned separately on the substrate. This segmentation allows each conductive portion to be optimized for specific current carrying requirements while maintaining overall lightweight structure, eliminating the need for heavy wire bundling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical wire bundling system with a laminated conductive layer system that uses adhesion and patterning techniques. This substitution eliminates the need for physical wire assembly and heavy mechanical structures, achieving high current carrying capability through optimized conductive path geometry and material selection.
2Reliability
If wire bundling is used to form interconnect circuits, then electrical current carrying capability is improved, but heat transfer to surroundings deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate and insulator materials are selected with specific thermal conductivity properties to enhance heat transfer from the conductive portions. The conductive layers themselves are designed with local thickness variations and material compositions that optimize both electrical conductivity and thermal dissipation at critical locations, allowing efficient heat transfer to surroundings while maintaining high current carrying capability.
3Ease of manufacture
If chemical etching is used to form conductive traces on PCB, then conductive patterns are created, but material options for dielectric base are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a substrate as an intermediary layer between the conductive portions and the final circuit structure. This substrate serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support during patterning, enables the use of diverse materials (including flexible and thermally conductive materials), and can be selectively removed or retained. The substrate acts as a mediator that decouples the patterning process from material constraints, allowing chemical etching and other patterning techniques to be applied without limiting dielectric base material selection.
4Strength
If substrate is retained as permanent component, then structural support is improved, but circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, serves as a temporary or permanent mechanical foundation, enables thermal management, and can be integrated with the insulator layer. This multi-functionality allows the substrate to be retained as a permanent component without significantly increasing overall circuit complexity, as it consolidates several roles into a single element rather than requiring separate components for each function.
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
Enables the creation of interconnect circuits that can carry high electrical currents and manage heat efficiently, with the ability to form complex patterns and use new materials, overcoming the limitations of conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
A method may involve laminating a substrate to a conductive layer followed by patterning the conductive layer. The substrate supports these portions relative to each other during and after patterning.
Implementation Method 2
The first insulator maintains the orientation and position of the first conductive portion relative to the second conductive portion, while the substrate is being removed and after the substrate is removed.
Implementation Method 3
Pattern opening may be formed by techniques including, but not limited to, chemical etching, laser ablation, mechanical grinding, etc.
Implementation Method 4
Pattern opening may be formed by techniques including, but not limited to, chemical etching, laser ablation, mechanical grinding, etc.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a flexible interconnect circuit is described. A method may involve laminating a substrate to a conductive layer followed by patterning the conductive layer. This patterning operation forms individual conductive portions, which may be also referred to as traces or conductive islands. The substrate supports these portions relative to each other during and after patterning. After patterning, an insulator may be laminated to the exposed surface of the patterned conductive layer. At this point, the conductive layer portions are also supported by the insulator, and the substrate may optionally be removed, e.g., together with undesirable portions of the conductive layer. Alternatively, the substrate may be retained as a component of the circuit and the undesirable portions of the patterned conductive layer may be removed separately. These approaches allow using new patterning techniques as well as new materials for substrates and/or insulators.