Photosensitive Glass Inductor Substrates With High-Aspect-Ratio Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional silicon microfabrication processes for creating inductive devices are expensive, have low yield, and produce inconsistent shapes due to the need for costly equipment and ultra-clean facilities, while alternative methods like injection molding and embossing result in defects and low uniformity.
Innovation Solution
A method for fabricating glass ceramic substrates using a photosensitive glass composite comprising silica, lithium oxide, and cerium oxide, which involves masking, exposure to an energy source, heating, crystallization, etching, and metal coating to create two or three-dimensional inductive devices with high magnetic permeability, allowing for cost-effective and consistent production of inductive devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional silicon microfabrication processes are used, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but equipment cost and facility cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive silicon microfabrication equipment with a disposable photosensitive glass substrate system. The substrate itself becomes the sacrificial element that defines the final shape, eliminating the need for costly capital equipment like photolithography and reactive ion etching tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes mechanical microfabrication processes with a chemical-photographic system. Instead of using mechanical cutting, milling, or traditional photolithography equipment, the invention uses photosensitive glass that responds to light exposure and chemical etchants to define the final device geometry.
2Ease of manufacture
If injection molding or embossing processes are used, then equipment cost decreases, but production consistency and shape uniformity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the manufacturing process by using photosensitive glass with specific compositional ratios (silica 70-80 wt%, lithium oxide 10-20 wt%, aluminum oxide 5-15 wt%, cerium oxide 0.1-1 wt%). These compositional parameters enable the glass to respond predictably to light exposure and etching, achieving shape consistency without injection molding equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite photosensitive glass material combining multiple oxides (silica, lithium oxide, aluminum oxide, cerium oxide) that work together to provide both the structural properties needed for device formation and the photosensitivity required for precise patterning. This composite material replaces the need for expensive molding tools while ensuring consistent results.
3Ease of manufacture
If photosensitive glass with traditional composition is used, then fabrication cost decreases, but etching aspect ratio and yield are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the compositional parameters of the photosensitive glass, specifically adjusting the ratios of silica (70-80 wt%), lithium oxide (10-20 wt%), aluminum oxide (5-15 wt%), and cerium oxide (0.1-1 wt%). These parameter changes enable etching aspect ratios exceeding 50:1 and yields greater than 90%, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions in the photosensitive glass material during the fabrication process. The glass undergoes controlled transformation from amorphous to crystalline phases during heating, and subsequent selective etching exploits differences in etchability between phases. This phase transition mechanism enables high-yield production with aspect ratios exceeding 50:1.
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 method enables the cost-effective fabrication of inductive devices with high magnetic permeability, achieving yields greater than 90% and aspect ratios exceeding 50:1, compared to legacy glass ceramics, with improved uniformity and performance by converting a significant portion of the glass into ceramic for enhanced microstructure formation.
Implementation Method 1
exposing at least one portion of the photosensitive glass substrate to an activating energy source
Implementation Method 2
exposing the photosensitive glass substrate to a heating phase of at least ten minutes above its glass transition temperature
Implementation Method 3
cooling the photosensitive glass substrate to transform at least part of the exposed glass to a crystalline material
Implementation Method 4
etching the glass-crystalline substrate with an etchant solution to form one or more angled channels or through holes
Implementation Method 5
coating the one or more angled channels with one or more metals
Data Source
AI summary
A method of fabrication and device made by preparing a photosensitive glass substrate comprising at least silica, lithium oxide, aluminum oxide, and cerium oxide, masking a design layout comprising one or more holes to form one or more electrical conduction paths on the photosensitive glass substrate, exposing at least one portion of the photosensitive glass substrate to an activating energy source, exposing the photosensitive glass substrate to a heating phase of at least ten minutes above its glass transition temperature, cooling the photosensitive glass substrate to transform at least part of the exposed glass to a crystalline material to form a glass-crystalline substrate and etching the glass-crystalline substrate with an etchant solution to form one or more angled channels that are then coated.