PCB Substrate Sintered Layer Porosity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing substrates for printed circuit boards require expensive vacuum equipment for production, leading to high construction, maintenance, and operating costs, and complex material handling, which increases production costs, especially when scaling up.
Innovation Solution
A substrate with a sintered layer of metal particles on an insulating base film, where the porosity of the sintered layer within 500 nm of the interface is adjusted to 1% to 50%, allowing for high peel strength without the need for vacuum equipment, achieved through a method involving ink application and sintering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a thin copper layer is formed by sputtering on the base film, then the substrate density increases and performance improves, but vacuum equipment is required which increases construction cost, maintenance cost, and operating cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the vacuum-based sputtering method with a solution-based coating method followed by drying. Instead of using vacuum equipment to deposit copper particles, the invention applies copper-containing solution onto the base film and removes the solvent through drying, eliminating the need for expensive vacuum equipment while achieving the same thin copper layer formation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simple, inexpensive coating process that can be performed with basic equipment rather than expensive, complex vacuum systems. The solution-based approach uses readily available materials and equipment, making the production process more accessible and cost-effective for manufacturers
2Manufacturing precision
If vacuum equipment is used for production, then a thin copper layer can be formed, but the handling of materials and products becomes complicated, increasing production cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex vacuum system with a simple drying process. Instead of navigating the complexities of vacuum chamber loading, sealing, and material handling, the invention uses a straightforward approach: apply the copper-containing solution and dry it. This eliminates the need for complex vacuum equipment and simplifies material handling procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The coating process is designed to be self-contained and simple, requiring minimal specialized equipment or complex handling procedures. The solution is applied and then dried, with the process naturally progressing through these stages without requiring complex vacuum system management or specialized material handling protocols
3Area of stationary object
If the substrate size is increased, then higher density circuits can be accommodated, but large vacuum equipment is needed which markedly increases the equipment cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the vacuum deposition system with a solution coating and drying process that can be easily scaled to larger substrate sizes. Unlike vacuum equipment where increasing substrate size requires proportionally larger and more expensive vacuum chambers, the solution-based method can accommodate large substrates using simple, scalable coating and drying infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The solution-based coating process is universally applicable to substrates of various sizes without requiring different equipment configurations. The same basic coating and drying setup can handle both small and large substrates, providing scalability and eliminating the need to invest in progressively larger vacuum systems as substrate size increases
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 substrate is produced at a lower cost with high peel strength between the base film and metal layer, enabling efficient and cost-effective production of printed circuit boards without the need for specialized equipment.
Implementation Method 1
a sintered layer formed of a plurality of metal particles, the sintered layer being stacked on at least one surface of the base film
Implementation Method 2
a region of the sintered layer extending from an interface between the sintered layer and the base film to a position 500 nm or less from the interface has a porosity of 1% or more and 50% or less
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate for a printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a base film having insulating properties and a sintered layer formed of a plurality of metal particles, the sintered layer being stacked on at least one surface of the base film, in which a region of the sintered layer extending from an interface between the sintered layer and the base film to a position 500 nm or less from the interface has a porosity of 1% or more and 50% or less.