Laminated component carrier with a thermoplastic structure

Abstract

A component carrier for carrying at least one electronic component includes (a) a plurality of electrically conductive layers; (b) a plurality of electrically insulating layers; and (c) a thermoplastic structure. The electrically conductive layers, the electrically insulating layers, and the thermoplastic structure form a laminate. Further, a method for manufacturing such a component carrier and an electronic apparatus including such a component carrier are provided.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus permanently shaped during a manufacturing process, comprising: a component carrier arranged as a laminate formed with electrically conductive layers, electrically insulating layers and a thermoplastic structure; and a housing structure formed in a final three-dimensional shape; wherein the component carrier forms at least a part of the housing structure, and a thermosetting structure forming at least one of the electrically insulating layers of the laminate, wherein the thermosetting structure comprises a thermosetting material, wherein the thermosetting structure is formed partially over and partially under the thermoplastic structure; wherein the thermoplastic structure forms a core layer, wherein the thermoplastic structure comprises at least one exposed portion, wherein the exposed portion is not covered with the thermosetting structure, wherein the thermoplastic structure comprises a bent portion in the exposed portion, wherein the thermoplastic structure forming the core layer is rigid such that the bent portion permanently stays in a bent structural shape for forming the final three-dimensional shape, wherein a stiffness of the core layer is greater than a respective stiffness of at least one electrically insulating layer forming the thermosetting structure.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material is included in a composite layer structure.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 2, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises at least one of the group consisting of Polyolefins, Vinyl-Polymers, Styrene based Polymers, Polyacrylates, Polyacetals, Fluoropolymers, Polyamides, Polycarbonate (PC) and Derivatives, Polyesters, Liquid Crystalline Polymers (LCP), Polyarylether, Polyphenylenesulfone (PSU), Polyphenylenesulfone (PSU), Polyarylethersulfone (PES), Polyphenylensulfid (PPS), Polyetherketones, Polyimide (PI), Polyetherimide (PEI), Polyamidimide (PAI).

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic structure is a core laminate comprising a layer of the thermoplastic material which is sandwiched by two electrically conductive layers.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic structure comprises a thermoplastic material which is a semi-crystalline material or an amorphous material.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrically insulating layers forming the thermosetting structure are rigid.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exposed portion of the thermoplastic structure is not covered with the thermosetting structure along either surface of the thermoplastic structure.

8. A method for manufacturing a permanently shaped component carrier, comprising: forming a laminated stack including providing a core laminate having electrically conductive layers arranged about opposed surfaces of a thermoplastic structure, and providing electrically insulating layers arranged partially about the core laminate; providing a thermosetting structure that forms at least one of the electrically insulating layers of the laminated stack, wherein the thermosetting structure comprises a thermosetting material, wherein the thermosetting structure is formed partially over and/or partially under the thermoplastic structure; wherein the thermoplastic structure forms a core layer, wherein the thermoplastic structure comprises at least one exposed portion, wherein the exposed portion is not covered with the thermosetting structure, wherein the thermoplastic structure comprises a bent portion in the exposed portion, wherein the thermoplastic structure is rigid to form a housing structure such that the bent portion permanently stays in a bent rigid structural shape for forming the housing structure in a final three-dimensional shape, wherein a stiffness of the core layer is greater than a respective stiffness of at least one electrically insulating layer forming the thermosetting structure.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein forming the laminated stack further comprises: creating at least one exposed portion of the thermoplastic structure.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising: heating up the at least one exposed portion; and bending the laminated stack within the at least one exposed portion.

11. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising: assembling electronic components onto the laminated stack such that they are electrically connected to the electrically conductive layers at the outside of the laminated stack; heating up the at least one exposed portion; and bending the laminated stack within the at least one exposed portion.

12. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising: wherein the thermosetting structure at the core laminate at core portions being different from the at least one exposed portion.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising: forming a release layer at the at least one exposed portion; forming the thermosetting structure also in at least one region corresponding to the at least one exposed portion; and removing, within the at least one region, the thermosetting structure and the release layer together with the thermosetting structure.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein removing, within the at least one region, the thermosetting structure comprises forming, along at least one line encompassing the at least one region, a trench within the thermosetting structure such that a cut out of the thermosetting structure is formed; and removing the cut out from the core laminate.

15. An electronic apparatus permanently shaped during a manufacturing process in a final three-dimensional shape, the electronic apparatus comprising: a component carrier arranged as a laminate formed with electrically conductive layers, electrically insulating layers, and a thermoplastic structure forming at least one of the electrically insulating layers of the laminate; and a housing structure formed in a final three-dimensional shape; wherein a thermosetting structure comprises a thermosetting material, wherein the thermosetting structure is formed partially over and/or partially under the thermoplastic structure, wherein the thermoplastic structure forms a core layer, wherein the thermoplastic structure comprises at least one exposed portion, wherein the exposed portion is not covered with the thermosetting structure, wherein the thermoplastic structure comprises a bent portion in the exposed portion, wherein the thermoplastic structure is rigid such that the bent portion permanently stays in a bent structural shape for forming the final three-dimensional shape, wherein a stiffness of the core layer is greater than a respective stiffness of at least one electrically insulating layer forming thermosetting structure.

16. The electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least two electrically conductive layers are arranged in the thermoplastic structure and at least one further electrically conductive layer is supported by one of the electrically insulating layers and is removed from the thermoplastic structure.

17. The electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the electrically insulating layers are arranged on opposing surfaces of the thermoplastic structure.

18. The electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the electrically insulating layers forming the thermosetting structure are rigid.

19. The electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the exposed portion of the thermoplastic structure is not covered with the thermosetting structure along either surface of the thermoplastic structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 illustrate a method for manufacturing a bent component carrier according to exemplary embodiments of the invention.

(2) FIG. 9, FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 illustrate a method for manufacturing a bent electronic assembly formed on a component carrier wherein before bending the component carrier electronic components are placed onto the component carrier according to exemplary embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

(3) The illustration in the drawing is schematically presented. It is noted that in different Figures, similar or identical elements or features are provided with the same reference signs or with reference signs, which are different from the corresponding reference signs only within the first digit. In order to avoid unnecessary repetitions elements or features which have already been elucidated with respect to a previously described embodiment are not elucidated again at a later position of the description.

(4) Further, spatially relative terms, such as “front” and “back”, “above” and “below”, “left” and “right”, et cetera are used to describe an element's relationship to another element(s) as illustrated in the figures. Thus, the spatially relative terms may apply to orientations in use which differ from the orientation depicted in the figures. Obviously all such spatially relative terms refer to the orientation shown in the figures only for ease of description and are not necessarily limiting as an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention can assume orientations different than those illustrated in the figures when in use.

(5) Furthermore, it should be recognized that the following description of a currently preferred method for manufacturing a component carrier includes only a selection of method steps respectively intermediate products. For the sake of conciseness of this description some straightforward method steps respectively intermediate products are omitted.

(6) As can be seen from FIG. 1, the currently preferred method for manufacturing a component carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the invention starts with a core laminate 100. The core laminate 100 includes a core layer 102, which in this document is also denominated a thermoplastic structure. This thermoplastic structure 102 comprises a thermoplastic material. According to the embodiment described here the thermoplastic material is Polyetherimide (PEI). The core laminate 100 further comprises two electrically conductive layers 104 and 106 which are formed at two opposite surfaces of the thermoplastic material layer 102. Descriptively speaking, the core laminate 100 represents a sandwich structure wherein the core layer 102 is located in between the two electrically conductive layers 104.

(7) According to the embodiment described here the electrically conductive layers are copper foils 104, 106 and the entire core laminate is a so called Copper Cladded Laminate (CCL) 100. This CCL 100 can be provided as a semi-finished product respectively a composite layer structure.

(8) FIG. 2 shows the result of a next step of the described method for manufacturing the component carrier. The two copper foils 104, 106 have been structured respectively patterned in order to form two structured conductive layers 204 and 206. The structured conductive layers 204, 206 form an appropriate inner conductor trace pattern of the component carrier to be produced, which component carrier is a so called multi-layer component carrier having two inner structured conductive layers. The entire structure shown in FIG. 2 can be denominated a structured core laminate 200.

(9) As can be seen from FIG. 3, in a next step there are formed two release layers. A first release layer 312 is formed over a center portion of the structured conductive layer 204. The second release layer 314 is formed under a center portion of the structured conductive layer 206. According to the embodiment described here a lateral dimension or size of the release layers 312, 314 is smaller than the corresponding dimension or size of the part of the structured conductive layer 204 or 206 at which the respective release layer 312 or 314 is formed. According to the embodiment described here the release layers 312, 314 are made of wax.

(10) With next steps illustrated in FIG. 4, the laminate is further extended (a) by forming two thermosetting material layers and (b) by forming two further structured conductive layers 432 and 434. Specifically, a first thermosetting material layer 422 representing a first part of a thermosetting structure is formed at the top of the laminate shown in FIG. 3. Similarly, a second thermosetting material layer 424 representing a second part of the thermosetting structure is formed at the bottom of the laminate shown in FIG. 3. According to the embodiment described here the material of the thermosetting structure 422, 424 is FR4.

(11) On top of the thermosetting material layer 422 there is formed a first further structured conductive layer 432. Accordingly, at the bottom of the thermosetting material layer 424 there is formed a second further structured conductive layer 434. According to the embodiment described here also the further structured conductive layers 432, 434 are made from copper.

(12) As can next be seen from FIG. 5, trenches or cuts are formed within the actually existing laminate around a portion of the thermosetting material layer 422, 424, which portion is defined by the release layer 312 respectively the release layer 314. Specifically, a first trench or cut 552 is formed in the thermosetting material layer 422 and a second trench or cut 554 is formed in the thermosetting material layer 424. According to the embodiment described here the trenches or cuts 552, 554 are formed by laser cutting.

(13) Next, as can be seen from FIG. 6, the previously formed cut out portions of the thermosetting material layers 422 and 424 together with the corresponding release layers 312 and 314, respectively, are removed. Thereby, the exposed portions are formed. Specifically, a first exposed portion 662 is formed at the upper side of the remaining laminate and a second exposed portion 664 is formed at the lower side of the remaining laminate.

(14) As can be seen from FIG. 7, the method for manufacturing the (multi-layer) component carrier continues with heating up the laminate structure shown in FIG. 6. According to the embodiment described here an electromagnetic radiation heating device 770 is employed, which emits IR radiation 772 towards the exposed portion 662.

(15) In this respect it is mentioned that according to the embodiment described here only one heating device 770 is employed. However, it should be clear for a person skilled in the art that of course the further heating device may be employed which irradiates the exposed portion 664 from the bottom.

(16) Since the remaining thermosetting structure 422, 424 shields most of the thermoplastic material layer 102 the (center) portion of the thermoplastic material layer 102 is heated up much more than the outer portion of the thermoplastic material layer 102. As a consequence, the laminate becomes mechanically flexible in particular within the area corresponding to the exposed portions 662, 664. Descriptively speaking, the exposed portions 662, 664 define a hinge region of the laminate shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

(17) As can be seen from FIG. 8, in a next step the laminate is bent. According to the embodiment described here a right angle is established between (a) the (former) left side of the laminate and (b) the right side of the laminate shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. By this way the final component carrier 890 is formed, which has undergone a 3D shape forming. Since within the exposed portions 662, 664 the flexibility of the laminate is comparatively high (when heated up), the right angle bending of the laminate results in a spatially restricted bent portion 882, 884, wherein reference numeral 882 denominates an outer side of the bent portion and the reference numeral 884 denominates an inner side of the bent portion.

(18) In FIG. 8 on the right side of the component carrier 890 (below the horizontal portion) there may be the interior of the housing structure. Accordingly, on the left side and on the upper side of the component carrier 890 there may be the exterior of the housing structure 900.

(19) It is pointed out that it is of course also possible that more exposed portions each corresponding to one possible hinge can be formed. Depending on the desired final 3D-shape of the component carrier 890 two or even more hinges could be formed (at each side) of the (flat) laminate.

(20) FIG. 9 illustrates an intermediate step for forming manufacturing a bent electronic assembly. By contrast to the illustration shown in FIG. 6 electronic components 942, 946, and 944 are assembled onto the upper surface of the thermosetting material layer 422 respectively onto the lower surface of the thermosetting material layer 424. In order to be more precise the electronic components 942 and 944 are connected to the structured conductive layer 432 respectively to the structured conductive layer 434. Metallic interconnections realized by metallized vias or studs 905 electrically connect the structured conductive layer 204 with the structured conductive layer 432 with which appropriate connection pads for the electronic components 942 and 946 are formed. Correspondingly, metallic interconnections realized by metallized vias or studs 907 electrically connect the structured conductive layer 206 with the structured conductive layer 434 with which appropriate connection pads for the electronic component 944 are formed.

(21) As can be seen from FIG. 9, according to the embodiment described here the electronic components 942 and 944 are so called ball grid arrays, which, in a known manner, are electrically connected to the structured conductive layer 432 and to the structured conductive layer 434, respectively, by means of solder balls 943 and solder balls 945, respectively. Further, in the illustrated embodiment the electronic component 946 is a simple double-pole component such as a resistor or a capacitor. The electric terminals of the electronic component 946 are formed in a known manner at side surfaces, which are electrically connected to the structured conductive layer 432 by means of solder material 947. In this respect it is mentioned that the assembly shown in FIG. 9 has undergone not only a placement procedure, wherein the electronic components 942, 946, and 944 are placed on the upper respectively lower surface of the laminate structure comprising the core material 102, the two structured conductive layers 204, 206, the two thermosetting material layers 422, 424, and the two structured conductive layers 432, 434, but also a reflow procedure, wherein solder paste is melted and solidified in order to permanently electrically connect the electronic components 942, 946, and 944 with the respective connection pads.

(22) FIG. 10 illustrates, in accordance with FIG. 7, a possible procedure for heating up the laminate structure shown in FIG. 9 having the electronic components 942, 944, and 946 permanently mounted at the top respectively at the lower surface of the laminate structure.

(23) FIG. 11 illustrates a further possible procedure for heating up the laminate structure shown in FIG. 9. Instead of the heating device 770 now a heating wire 1174 is employed in order to emit IR radiation 1176 being responsible for the heat introduction into the thermoplastic material layer 102. A reflector 1178 is used in order to “focus” the IR radiation 1176 onto the thermoplastic material layer 102.

(24) It is mentioned that in addition to the heating wire 1174 also a non-depicted for the heating wire could be employed, which emits IR radiation to the thermoplastic material layer 102 from the bottom. Additionally it is possible to apply the heat also by a contact heating device which transfers the heat rather by heat conduction than radiation.

(25) As can be seen from FIG. 12, in a next step the laminate being populated with the electronic components 942, 946, and 944 is bent. In accordance with FIG. 8, also here a right angle is established between (a) the (former) left side of the laminate and (b) the right side of the laminate shown in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11. It should be clear that during the bending process the thermoplastic material layer 102 should have a sufficiently high temperature at least within the hinge regions 882, 884 in order to avoid an unwanted breakage of the thermoplastic material layer 102. After cooling down the hinge regions 882, 884 will permanently stay in the deformed respectively bent structural shape.

(26) It should be noted that the term “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and the use of articles “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(27) 100 core laminate/Copper Cladded Laminate (CCL) 102 core layer/thermoplastic structure/thermoplastic material layer 104 electrically conductive layer/copper foil 106 electrically conductive layer/copper foil 200 structured core laminate 204 structured conductive layer 206 structured conductive layer 312 release layer/wax 314 release layer/wax 422 thermosetting structure/thermosetting material layer 424 thermosetting structure/thermosetting material layer 432 structured conductive layer 434 structured conductive layer 552 trenches/cuts 554 trenches/cuts 662 exposed portion 664 exposed portion 770 heating device 772 IR radiation 882 bent portion/hinge region (outer side) 884 bent portion/hinge region (inner side) 890 component carrier (3D shaped) 905 metallic interconnection/stud 907 metallic interconnection/stud 942 electronic component/ball grid array 943 solder balls 944 electronic component/ball grid array 945 solder balls 946 electronic component/double-pole component 947 solder material (after reflow procedure) 1174 heating wire 1176 IR radiation 1178 IR reflector