Thin Solid Electrolytic Capacitor Embeddable in Substrate
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for ultra-thin, surface mountable capacitors that can be embedded within printed circuit boards without increasing the board's thickness, as existing capacitors are not thin enough to meet the demands of modern electronic products which require components thinner than 0.254 mm.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of metal foil where a dielectric is formed, patterned with a non-conductive dam to create discrete regions, and a cathode is formed within these regions, allowing for the separation of individual capacitors, which can then be laminated and connected to substrates for surface mounting or embedding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional capacitor manufacturing methods are used, then capacitors can be produced with standard thickness, but the capacitors are too thick to be embedded in substrates without increasing board thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitor structure is segmented into discrete regions using patterned non-conductive dams, allowing the formation of multiple isolated capacitor elements on a single substrate. This segmentation enables precise control over individual capacitor dimensions and thickness while maintaining manufacturability through batch processing followed by singulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from three-dimensional bulk capacitor structures to two-dimensional thin-film structures by forming dielectric layers and cathode regions in planar configurations. This dimensional reduction enables capacitor thickness to be controlled at the micrometer scale, making them suitable for embedding in thin substrates.
2Length of moving object
If capacitors are made ultra-thin to meet product requirements, then they can be embedded in substrates, but mass production and singulation become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple capacitor structures are formed simultaneously in a preliminary batch manufacturing process before final singulation. The patterned non-conductive dams are applied early in the process to define discrete regions, enabling subsequent cathode formation and dielectric deposition to be performed across entire wafers or large substrates in a single operation, maximizing productivity before the final cutting step.
3Productivity
If capacitors are formed as identical batches for mass production, then manufacturing efficiency increases, but individual capacitor isolation and singulation require additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patterned non-conductive dams serve multiple functions simultaneously: they define discrete capacitor regions, provide electrical isolation between adjacent capacitors, and act as etch masks during fabrication. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate processing steps needed while maintaining high batch production efficiency.
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
Enables the mass production of identical capacitors that can be either surface mounted or embedded, achieving the required thinness and enabling the production of capacitors thinner than 0.254 mm, suitable for integration within printed circuit boards without thickness increase.
Implementation Method 1
oxidation, or anodization, of a valve metal sheet to form a dielectric oxide
Implementation Method 2
oxidation, or anodization, of a valve metal sheet to form a dielectric oxide
Implementation Method 3
A conductive layer is then formed on the dielectric, forming the initial cathode contact to the dielectric
Data Source
AI summary
An improved method for forming a capacitor. The method includes the steps of: providing a metal foil; forming a dielectric on the metal foil; applying a non-conductive polymer dam on the dielectric to isolate discrete regions of the dielectric; forming a cathode in at least one discrete region of the discrete regions on the dielectric; and cutting the metal foil at the non-conductive polymer dam to isolate at least one capacitor comprising one cathode, one discrete region of the dielectric and a portion of the metal foil with the discrete region of the dielectric.