Glass-Core Package Substrate With Vertical Power Planes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing package substrates with glass fiber reinforced cores require plated through holes (PTHs) for power delivery, which limit fine-grained routing and increase ohmic resistance due to large pitches and additional lateral routing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing laser-assisted etching processes to create vertically oriented planes within the glass core, allowing for finer pitches and eliminating the need for lateral routing, thereby reducing ohmic losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If plated through holes (PTHs) are used for power delivery in glass fiber reinforced cores, then power delivery routing is enabled, but ohmic resistance increases due to large pitches and additional lateral routing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar lateral routing to vertical routing by embedding conductive planes within the core structure. This dimensional change allows power delivery to occur through the thickness of the substrate rather than along the surface, eliminating the need for lateral routing and reducing ohmic resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive planes are nested within the glass fiber reinforced core structure itself, integrating the power delivery network into the core material. This nesting eliminates the need for separate lateral routing layers and reduces the overall resistance by providing direct vertical pathways.
2Ease of manufacture
If plated through holes (PTHs) with large pitches are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but fine-grained power delivery routing is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pitch parameter from large (PTH spacing) to small (conductive plane spacing) by embedding continuous or closely-spaced conductive planes within the core. This parameter change enables fine-grained power delivery routing while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized core fabrication processes.
3Reliability
If additional lateral routing is added to compensate for large PTH pitches, then power delivery coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the routing function from the lateral plane and relocates it to the vertical dimension within the core. By taking out the lateral routing requirement and replacing it with vertical conductive planes, the solution simplifies the overall routing structure while maintaining or improving power delivery coverage.
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 solution enables high-density, low-resistance power delivery by matching the pitch of vertically oriented planes to first-level interconnects, eliminating the need for lateral routing and reducing ohmic losses.
Implementation Method 1
a morphology of the glass core is altered with a laser to form a via hole through a thickness of the glass core
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments disclosed herein include package substrates and methods of forming such package substrates. In an embodiment the package substrate comprises a core and buildup layers on the core. In an embodiment, first level interconnect (FLI) pads are on a topmost buildup layer, and the FLI pads have a pitch. In an embodiment, a plurality of vertically oriented planes are embedded in the core, and the vertically oriented planes are spaced at the pitch.