High Throughput Additive Manufacturing for IC Conductive Traces
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Solution Overview
Problem
High throughput additive manufacturing techniques like cold spray struggle to create fine features or structures with high aspect ratios due to the ablation of soft photoresists by cold spray particles, limiting their ability to produce intricate designs.
Innovation Solution
The use of sacrificial and permanent dielectric patterns in combination with subtractive etching and cold spray techniques allows for the creation of conductive traces with fine features and high aspect ratios, enabling the production of complex structures by applying a conductive layer over a patterned dielectric and removing the sacrificial layer to expose the conductive trace.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cold spray technique is used to deposit conductive material, then high throughput and thick conductor layers are achieved, but fine features and high aspect ratio structures cannot be created due to photoresist ablation
Solution Approach 1:
The process is segmented into distinct stages: first depositing a thick conductive layer using cold spray for high throughput, then applying a separate photoresist layer for precise patterning, and finally using etching to define fine features. This segmentation allows each process to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive layer is deposited in advance before the patterning step. By pre-depositing the thick conductive layer using cold spray, the process enables subsequent precise patterning without the constraints of photoresist ablation during deposition, thereby achieving both high throughput and fine feature capability.
2Manufacturing precision
If standard photoresist is used for patterning, then fine features can be defined, but cold spray particles ablate the soft photoresist preventing direct use
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive layer is deposited before applying the photoresist layer. This preliminary deposition allows the photoresist to be applied soft and thick without exposure to cold spray particles, preventing ablation while maintaining its ability to define fine features through subsequent patterning.
Solution Approach 2:
The process introduces an intermediary etching step that transfers the pattern from the photoresist to the conductive layer. This intermediary mechanism allows the photoresist to define patterns without directly exposing it to the harmful cold spray particles, thereby protecting the photoresist while achieving precise pattern transfer.
3Productivity
If cold spray deposits thick conductor layers, then high throughput is achieved, but fine features less than 50 micrometers cannot be directly created
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is divided into two independent stages: thick layer deposition via cold spray followed by precise patterning via photoresist and etching. This segmentation enables the first stage to optimize for throughput with minimal feature size constraints, while the second stage optimizes for fine feature definition without being constrained by deposition speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The thick conductive layer is deposited in advance with relaxed feature size constraints, then the fine features are defined in a subsequent patterning step. This preliminary deposition approach allows the use of cold spray for high throughput without requiring the deposition process itself to create fine features, which are instead created through the subsequent etching process.
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 method enables the fabrication of conductive traces with feature sizes less than 50 micrometers and thicknesses of at least 50 micrometers, allowing for the creation of complex patterns and improved electrical and thermal performance in microelectronic assemblies.
Implementation Method 1
High throughput additive manufacturing techniques such as cold spray can enable thick conductor layers
Implementation Method 2
The use of sacrificial and permanent dielectric patterns in combination with subtractive etching and cold spray techniques
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies for high throughput additive manufacturing (HTAM) structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a sacrificial dielectric is formed to provide a negative mask on which to pattern a conductive trace using HTAM. In another embodiment, a permanent dielectric is patterned using a processing such as laser project patterning. A conductive trace can then be patterned using HTAM. In yet another embodiment, conductive traces with tapered sidewalls can be patterned, and then a buffer layer and HTAM layer can be deposited on top.