Tantalum Embedded Microchip Hermetic Substrate Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process for solid electrolytic capacitors is time-consuming and expensive, and the thicker substrates required for cutting channels limit volumetric efficiency and miniaturization.
Innovation Solution
A solid electrolytic capacitor with a sintered porous anode body and substrate formed from a valve metal composition, where the anode substrate is impermeable to liquids, allowing for a hermetic seal and reduced thickness, eliminating the need for mechanical etching and seed layers, and enabling a more efficient production process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If mechanical cutting steps are performed to produce transverse and longitudinal channels through the substrate, then discrete capacitor elements are formed, but the manufacturing process becomes time-consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is prepared in advance with a hermetic seal and integrated anode body structure before the capacitor elements are formed. The anode body is pre-formed with a planar surface that directly contacts the substrate, eliminating the need for subsequent mechanical cutting to create channels. This preliminary structuring allows for direct formation of discrete capacitor elements without time-consuming machining steps.
2Ease of manufacture
If thicker substrates are used to allow cutting channels beyond the porous tantalum layer, then mechanical cutting can be performed, but volumetric efficiency is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the dimensional approach by forming the anode body in direct contact with the substrate surface, utilizing the vertical dimension efficiently. The anode body extends upward from the substrate without requiring horizontal channel cuts through the substrate thickness. This dimensional reorganization allows thin substrates to be used while maintaining manufacturing feasibility and maximizing volumetric efficiency.
3Reliability
If hermetic seal is formed between anode body and substrate, then liquid impermeability is achieved, but additional sealing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The hermetic seal function is merged with the anode body structure itself. The anode body is formed as an integral part that directly contacts and seals with the substrate surface, combining the sealing function with the electrical conductor function. This integration eliminates the need for separate sealing layers or components, achieving liquid impermeability without increasing structural complexity.
4Ease of manufacture
If seed layers are applied to substrate surface, then anode body can be formed, but additional material layers increase height profile
Solution Approach 1:
The seed layer is extracted from the manufacturing process. Instead of applying a separate seed layer to the substrate surface, the anode body is formed directly on the substrate through sintering of valve metal powder. This eliminates the intermediate seed layer, reducing the overall height profile while maintaining the capability to form the anode body structure.
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 solution simplifies the production process, reduces the height profile, and increases volumetric efficiency of the capacitors, making them more cost-effective and suitable for miniaturized applications.
Implementation Method 1
The sintered porous anode body and the sintered anode substrate are formed from a powder of a valve metal composition
Implementation Method 2
anodically oxidizing at least a portion of the sintered porous anode body and the sintered anode substrate to form a dielectric
Data Source
AI summary
A solid electrolytic capacitor and method for making the capacitor are provided. The capacitor includes a sintered porous anode body; a sintered anode substrate; a dielectric that overlies at least a portion of the anode body and at least a portion of the anode substrate and that is also formed within at least a portion of the anode body; a solid electrolyte cathode overlying at least a portion of the dielectric that overlies the anode body; an anode termination that is electrically connected to the anode substrate; and a cathode termination that is electrically connected to the solid electrolyte. The anode body is disposed on a planar surface of the anode substrate, and both the anode body and substrate are formed from a powder of a valve metal composition. Further, the anode substrate is hermetic and impermeable to liquids.