Segmented Printed Circuit Board Warpage Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Printed circuit boards with embedded thin semiconductor ICs face warpage issues due to excessive area occupancy by ICs, making them difficult to handle as they become smaller and thinner.

Innovation Solution

A printed circuit board design featuring a strip substrate sectioned into unit areas with a separation space between them, where the ratio of electronic component area to total area is between 0.2 and 0.5, and including dummy patterns made of metallic material to structurally reinforce the substrate and prevent warpage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the area occupied by electronic components is increased to reduce the number of components per unit area, then the component density decreases, but the warpage problem occurs making the board difficult to handle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewarpage controlVSAvoidhandling difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is divided into multiple unit areas with separation spaces between them. This segmentation distributes the electronic components across different units, preventing excessive concentration in one area and thereby reducing warpage while maintaining manageable board characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the substrate are designed with different properties: unit areas contain electronic components while separation spaces are designed with specific cross-sectional areas to provide structural support and prevent warpage. The dummy patterns in separation spaces further enhance local structural quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Volume of moving object

If the printed circuit board is made thinner to meet size requirements, then the board becomes more compact, but the rigidity decreases making handling difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveboard thicknessVSAvoidrigidity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the substrate into unit areas with separation spaces, the design creates a structured framework that provides rigidity even in thin boards. The separation spaces act as structural elements that prevent excessive flexibility while maintaining thin overall dimensions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The substrate structure combines different materials with complementary properties: the base substrate material provides flexibility and thinness, while the dummy patterns made of metallic material provide structural reinforcement and rigidity, creating a composite structure that achieves both thinness and strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If dummy patterns are added to reinforce the substrate structure, then the rigidity increases, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate rigidityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The dummy patterns are integrated into the existing substrate manufacturing process, combining the reinforcement function with the standard fabrication steps. This merging approach adds rigidity without requiring separate manufacturing processes, thereby limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10104767B2Printed circuit board

Publication Date: 2018.10.16 SAMSUNG ELECTRO MECHANICS CO LTD

AI summary

A printed circuit board includes: a strip substrate sectioned into unit areas; electronic components respectively installed in each of the unit areas; and a separation space disposed between the unit areas.