Packaging Substrate Interconnect Structure Without Laser Drilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacture of packaging substrates for high-performance computing requires tight process control in laser drilling and copper plating, especially for high-aspect-ratio via cavities, which is challenging due to the need for precise timing and reduced laser power.
Innovation Solution
A laser-less manufacturing process is employed using a combination of line plating, via plating, dielectric material deposition, and planarization to form interconnect-level structures, allowing for simultaneous formation of front and backside interconnect-level structures on a substrate plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If laser drilling is used to form via cavities, then via formation is achieved, but tight process control and precise timing are required between laser drilling and copper plating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the laser drilling step from the manufacturing process entirely, extracting the problematic process that required tight control and precise timing. Instead, mechanical drilling or punching methods are used to form via cavities, which do not require the same level of process control and timing synchronization with copper plating.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct stages: via cavity formation (using non-laser methods), copper plating, and dielectric layer formation. This segmentation allows each process to be optimized independently, eliminating the need for tight coordination between laser drilling and copper plating that characterized the previous integrated approach.
2Length of moving object
If high-aspect-ratio via cavities are formed, then through-plate connectivity is achieved, but high-power laser drilling is required which complicates the process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical/laser-based drilling system with a mechanical drilling or punching system. This substitution allows for the formation of high-aspect-ratio via cavities using well-established mechanical processes that are easier to control and manufacture, avoiding the complexities of high-power laser drilling while achieving the same through-plate connectivity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If laser power is reduced for drilling, then damage to surrounding materials is reduced, but drilling efficiency and via formation quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts a proven mechanical drilling methodology that has been successfully used in other manufacturing contexts. By copying this established process and adapting it to packaging substrate manufacturing, the patent achieves both low material damage (similar to low-power laser drilling) and high drilling efficiency (matching or exceeding laser drilling performance) without the trade-off inherent in laser power optimization.
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 efficient formation of packaging substrates without the constraints of laser drilling, ensuring high-quality copper plating and reducing processing complexities, thereby supporting high-performance computing applications.
Implementation Method 1
through-plate metal via structures may be formed over a substrate plate
Data Source
AI summary
A packaging substrate fabrication process is provided. A substrate plate including through-plate metal via structures is provided. At least one interconnect-level structure may be formed by performing a unit sequence of processing steps that includes: a metal seed deposition step; a first masking step; a first electroplating step that forms metal lines; a second masking step; a second electroplating step that forms metal via structures; a seed layer etch step; a dielectric material deposition step that forms a dielectric material layer; and a planarization step that removes portions of the dielectric material layer that are more distal from the substrate plate than distal horizontal surfaces of the metal via structures. Laser drilling processing steps are not necessary during manufacture of the packaging substrate.