Temperature-triggered fuse device and method of production thereof

• US 10,566,164 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2017
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Manufacturing Networks Incorporated (MNI)
• Original Assignee: Manufacturing Networks Incorporated (MNI)
• Inventors: Sherrima, Faraj
• Primary Examiner(s): Crum, Jacob R
• Application Number:
  US15/499,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20180315564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 337416
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0412 specially adapted for being mounted on a printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0414 Surface mounted fuses
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/761 with a fusible element forming part of the switched circuit H01H37/767 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 69/022 of printed circuit fuses
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/046 Fuses formed as printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/143 Electrical contacts; Fastening fusible members to such contacts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49107 Fuse making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A novel temperature-triggered fuse device is configured to be activated at a designer-specified ambient temperature by utilizing wetting force among a pair of wetting material bays and a solder bridge or a solder ball. The solder bridge or the solder ball is typically positioned on top of the pair of wetting material bays separated by an electrically-insulated gap. Preferably, the wetting material bays are at least partly made of gold, nickel, or other elements suitable for generating an increased wetting force to the solder bridge or the solder ball upon increases in ambient temperature. The novel temperature-triggered fuse device can be integrated into various types of integrated circuits (IC'"'"'s), or can function as a discrete fuse connected to one or more electronic components for robust protection from power surges and/or thermal runaway-related device malfunctions, meltdowns, or explosions. Various methods of producing the temperature-triggered fuse device are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A temperature-triggered fuse device for protection against power surges and thermal runaways in an electronic circuit, the temperature-triggered fuse device comprising:

a base substrate;

a first metal pad and a second metal pad located on top of the base substrate or on a sputtered seed layer on top of the base substrate, wherein inner edges of the first metal pad and the second metal pad are separated by a gap formed on the base substrate;

an electrically-insulating de-wetting film located on top of the base substrate and below the gap;

a first wetting material bay positioned on top of an inner segment of the first metal pad, and a first de-wetting material bay positioned on top of an outer segment of the first metal pad;

a second wetting material bay positioned on top of an inner segment of the second metal pad, and a second de-wetting material bay positioned on top of an outer segment of the second metal pad; and

a solder bridge or a solder ball placed on top of an inner segment of the first wetting material bay and an inner segment of the second wetting material bay across the gap on the base substrate coated with the electrically-insulating de-wetting film, wherein the solder bridge or the solder ball is configured to break apart due to a wetting force, when a surrounding temperature rises to an ambient threshold temperature in the temperature-triggered fuse device.

2. The temperature-triggered fuse device of claim 1, further comprising a first wire bonding pad connected to the first metal pad, and a second wire bonding pad connected to the second metal pad.

3. The temperature-triggered fuse device of claim 1, wherein the solder bridge or the solder ball provides an electrical connection among the first wetting material bay, the first metal pad, the second wetting material bay, and the second metal pad, when the solder bridge or the solder ball is structurally intact because the ambient threshold temperature is not yet reached.

4. The temperature-triggered fuse device of claim 1, wherein the solder bridge or the solder ball disconnects an electrical connection among the first wetting material bay, the first metal pad, the second wetting material bay, and the second metal pad, when the solder bridge or the solder ball is broken apart or melted due to an increase of the wetting force at or above the ambient threshold temperature.

5. The temperature-triggered fuse device of claim 1, wherein the first wetting material bay and the second wetting material bay are made of gold, nickel, copper, or a combination thereof.

6. The temperature-triggered fuse device of claim 1, wherein the first de-wetting material bay and the second de-wetting material bay are made of polymer films.

7. The temperature-triggered fuse device of claim 1, wherein the first metal pad and the second metal pad are made of aluminum or copper.

8. The temperature-triggered fuse device of claim 1, wherein the base substrate is silicon, silicon dioxide, or a printed circuit board.

9. The temperature-triggered fuse device of claim 1, wherein the gap formed on the base substrate is an air gap.