CIRCUIT BOARD STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR FORMING THE SAME
20240114632 ยท 2024-04-04
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
H05K2203/0207
ELECTRICITY
H05K1/115
ELECTRICITY
International classification
Abstract
A circuit board structure is provided. The circuit board structure includes a via hole, a conductive layer, and an alternate stacking of a plurality of circuit layers and a plurality of insulating layers. The via hole penetrates through the plurality of circuit layers and the plurality of insulating layers. The lateral ends of the plurality of insulating layers form the sidewall of the via hole. The conductive layer is conformally disposed within the via hole. The conductive layer exposes the first region of the sidewall and covers the second region of the sidewall. The sidewall extends in the longitudinal direction of the via hole and has no misalignments in the radial direction.
Claims
1. A circuit board structure, comprising: an alternate stacking of a plurality of circuit layers and a plurality of insulating layers; a via hole penetrating through the plurality of circuit layers and the plurality of insulating layers, wherein lateral ends of the plurality of insulating layers form a sidewall of the via hole; and a conductive layer conformally disposed within the via hole, exposing a first region of the sidewall and covering a second region of the sidewall, wherein the sidewall extends in a longitudinal direction of the via hole and has no misalignments in a radial direction.
2. The circuit board structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first region and the second region are disposed alternately along the longitudinal direction.
3. The circuit board structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein a portion of the first region is sandwiched within the second region.
4. The circuit board structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein a portion of the second region is sandwiched within the first region.
5. The circuit board structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of the second region is adjacent to an edge between the via hole and an outer surface of the alternate stacking.
6. The circuit board structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sidewall has a same diameter at the first region and the second region.
7. The circuit board structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is electrically connected to at least some of the plurality of circuit layers.
8. The circuit board structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of the plurality of circuit layers are exposed at the first region of the sidewall.
9. The circuit board structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the via hole is a through hole with two ends communicating.
10. The circuit board structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the via hole is a blind via with one end covered by an additional insulating layer.
11. A method for forming a circuit board structure, comprising: providing a circuit board structure which comprises an alternate stacking of a plurality of circuit layers and a plurality of insulating layers, wherein the circuit board structure further comprises a via hole penetrating through the plurality of circuit layers and the plurality of insulating layers and a conductive layer conformally disposed within the via hole; and performing an electrical discharge machining step to remove a portion of the conductive layer, wherein a sidewall of the via hole formed of lateral ends of the plurality of insulating layer comprises a first region exposed from the remaining conductive layer and a second region covered by the remaining conductive layer, and the sidewall extends in a longitudinal direction of the via hole and has no misalignments in a radial direction.
12. The method for forming the circuit board structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein a diameter of the via hole is the same before and after the electrical discharge machining step.
13. The method for forming the circuit board structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electrical discharge machining step comprises: extending an electrical discharge machining electrode into the via hole; and removing the portion of the conductive layer to expose the first region by electric field induction.
14. The method for forming the circuit board structure as claimed in claim 13, wherein a section of the electrical discharge machining electrode is wrapped in an insulating material, and the section corresponds to a position of a portion of the second region in the longitudinal direction of the via hole.
15. The method for forming the circuit board structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein a portion of the conductive layer corresponding to a position of the insulating material in the longitudinal direction of the via hole remains in the via hole.
16. The method for forming the circuit board structure as claimed in claim 13, wherein a diameter of the electrical discharge machining electrode is smaller than a diameter of the via hole.
17. The method for forming the circuit board structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the remaining conductive layer is electrically connected to at least some of the plurality of circuit layers.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is noted that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion
[0009]
[0010]
[0011]
[0012]
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the provided subject matter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
[0015] Further, spatially relative terms, such as beneath, below, lower, above, upper and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The apparatus may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly.
[0016] The terms about, approximately, and substantially used herein generally refer to a given value or a range within 20 percent, preferably within 10 percent, and more preferably within 5 percent, within 3 percent, within 2 percent, within 1 percent, or within 0.5 percent. It should be noted that the amounts provided in the specification are approximate amounts, which means that even about, approximate, or substantially are not specified, the meanings of about, approximate, or substantially are still implied.
[0017] Some embodiments of the disclosure are described. Additional operations can be provided before, during, and/or after the stages described in these embodiments. Some of the stages that are described can be replaced or eliminated for different embodiments. Additional features can be added to the semiconductor device structure. Some of the features described below can be replaced or eliminated for different embodiments. Although some embodiments are discussed with operations performed in a particular order, these operations may be performed in another logical order.
[0018] The term substantially as used herein indicates the value of a given quantity that can vary based on a particular technology node associated with the subject semiconductor device. In some embodiments, based on the particular technology node, the term substantially can indicate a value of a given quantity that varies within, for example, ?5% of a target (or intended) value.
[0019] The present disclosure provides a circuit board structure and a method for forming the circuit board structure by electrical discharge machining. By locally removing the conductive layer in the via hole with an electrical discharge machining step, various advantages can be obtained while avoiding damage to the substrate. For example, when the conductive layer in the via hole is removed, the diameter of the via hole does not increase, thus facilitating the fabrication of higher density circuit layouts. By performing the electrical discharge machining steps, it is possible to form the sidewall of the via hole (formed of the lateral ends of the insulating layer in the substrate) without misalignment in the radial direction, and to remove the stubs in the via hole at any position to form conductive regions and non-conductive regions within the via hole. In addition, compared with the mechanical machining process, when removing the conductive layer in the via hole by the electrical discharge machining step, it is not needed to consider the problem of alignment deviation, and the opening of the via hole will not be clogged after the electrical discharge machining step. Therefore, through the method for forming a circuit board structure of the present disclosure, a circuit board structure with high-density layout and better yield can be manufactured.
[0020] It should be understood that the sidewall and diameter of the via hole in the present disclosure are defined by the interfaces between the lateral ends of the insulating layers in the substrate and the via hole.
[0021]
[0022] In the case of performing the conventional back-drilling step, the alignment between the back-drilling tool and the via hole 14 requires special consideration. For example, in
[0023] According to following discussions, the present disclosure provides an improved circuit board structure and the method for forming the same, which can result in a high-density circuit layout in the circuit board structure and improve the manufacturing yield.
[0024]
[0025] Based on the consideration of electrical conductivity, the circuit layers 10 may include metal materials, such as copper, aluminum, silver, gold, another suitable material, or a combination thereof. The material of the insulating layers 12 may include dielectric materials, such as PrePreg, photo-imagable dielectric (PID), photosensitive polymer (such as Benzocyclobutene), ABF film (Ajinomoto build-up film), resin coated copper foil (RCC), glass fiber resin composite material, another suitable material, or a combination thereof. The formation method of the circuit layers 10 may include performing a deposition process such as electroplating or chemical plating on the insulating layers 12. The conductive layer 16 may be formed by materials and processes similar to those of the circuit layers 10, and the description thereof is omitted here for simplicity.
[0026] It should be noted that, although the circuit layers 10 are illustrated as continuously extending horizontally in cross-sections in
[0027] Referring to
[0028] Referring next to
[0029] As shown in
[0030] In the circuit board structure 1 after the electrical discharge machining step is performed, as shown in
[0031] In some embodiments, the duration that the electrical discharge machining electrode 104 applies the voltage may be controlled to remove a portion of the conductive layer 16 without removing the circuit layers 10 adjacent to the via hole 14. Since the electrical discharge machining step only removes the conductive layer 16 and not the insulating layers 12, it is not necessary to strictly control the alignment between the electrical discharge machining electrode 104 and the via hole 14, and the diameter of the via hole of the circuit board structure 1 is not changed after performing the electrical discharge machining step, which facilitates the fabrication of circuit layouts with high density. Furthermore, in some embodiments, since the electrical discharge machining step is performed in the electrolyte, the components of the removed conductive material will flow away with the electrolyte and will not clog the opening of the via hole 14.
[0032] In summary, by using an electrical discharge machining step to remove a portion of the conductive layer 16 in the via hole 14, a circuit board structure with a high-density layout and better yield can be manufactured.
[0033]
[0034] Referring to
[0035] Referring next to
[0036] As shown in
[0037] In addition, since the insulating material 106 may mask a portion of the electrical discharge machining electrode 104, the portion of the conductive layer 16 corresponding to the position of the insulating material 106 in the longitudinal direction of the via hole 14 remains in the via hole 14. Thereby, the remaining conductive layer 16 covering the second region 14B (non-conductive region) is formed.
[0038] In the circuit board structure 1 after the electrical discharge machining step is performed, as shown in
[0039] In some embodiments, the duration that the electrical discharge machining electrode 104 applies the voltage may be controlled to remove a portion of the conductive layer 16 without removing the circuit layer 10 adjacent to the via hole 14. Since the electrical discharge machining step only removes the conductive layer 16 and not the insulating layers 12, it is not necessary to strictly control the alignment between the electrical discharge machining electrode 104 and the via hole 14, and the diameter of the via hole 14 of the circuit board structure 1 is not changed after the electrical discharge machining step, which facilitates the fabrication of higher density circuit layouts.
[0040] Furthermore, in some embodiments, since the electrical discharge machining step is performed in the electrolyte, the components of the removed conductive material will flow away with the electrolyte and will not clog the opening of the via hole 14. In summary, by using the electrical discharge machining step to remove a portion of the conductive layer 16 in the via hole 14, a circuit board structure with a high-density layout and better yield can be fabricated.
[0041] In addition, in embodiments where the insulating material 106 is used to wrap a section of the electrical discharge machining electrode 104, the position within the via hole 14 where the conductive layer 16 is removed can be controlled more freely. As shown in
[0042] Furthermore, referring to
[0043]
[0044] Referring to
[0045] Referring to
[0046] Referring to
[0047] Referring to
[0048] Although the via hole 14 included in the circuit board structure 1 of above embodiments is a through hole with two ends communicating, in fact, the via hole 14 may also be a blind via with one end covered by an additional insulating layer 12. Referring to
[0049] Referring to
[0050] Even if a back-drill step is performed on the alternate stacking of the circuit layers and the insulating layers 12 and then another alternate stacking is attached to the back-drilled side to form a similar structure, the resulting via hole cannot have a sidewall without misalignment in the radial direction. This is because the diameter of the tool used for the back drilling step must be larger than the original diameter of the via hole. As a result, as shown in
[0051] In summary, the present disclosure provides a circuit board structure and a method for forming the circuit board structure by electrical discharge machining. By locally removing the conductive layer in the via hole with an electrical discharge machining step, various advantages can be obtained while avoiding damage to the substrate. For example, when the conductive layer in the via hole is removed, the diameter of the via hole does not increase, thus facilitating the fabrication of higher density circuit layouts. By performing the electrical discharge machining steps, it is possible to form the sidewall of the via hole without misalignment in the radial direction, and to remove the stubs in the via hole at any position to form conductive regions and non-conductive regions within the via hole. In addition, compared with the mechanical machining process, when removing the conductive layer in the via hole by the electrical discharge machining step, it is not needed to consider the problem of alignment deviation, and the opening of the via hole will not be clogged after the electrical discharge machining step. Therefore, through the method for forming a circuit board structure of the present disclosure, a circuit board structure with high-density layout and better yield can be manufactured.
[0052] The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.