DEVICE APPLICATIONS FOR VOLTAGE SWITCHABLE DIELECTRIC MATERIAL HAVING CONDUCTIVE OR SEMI-CONDUCTIVE ORGANIC MATERIAL

• US 20080035370A1
• Filed: 07/29/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Littelfuse Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Littelfuse Incorporated
• Inventors: Kosowsky, Lex, Fleming, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/829,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20080035370A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/257
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 15/00 Electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings containing embedded materials, e.g. particles, whiskers, wires
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/02 Electroplating of selected surface areas
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/56 of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 7/00 Electroplating characterised by the article coated
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 7/123 Semiconductors first coated with a seed layer or a conductive layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0257 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0259 Electrostatic discharge [ESD] protection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0293 Individual printed conductors which are adapted for modification, e.g. fusable or breakable conductors, printed switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0373 containing additives, e.g. fillers H05K1/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/167 incorporating printed resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0209 Inorganic, non-metallic particles
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0215 Metallic fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/026 Nanotubes or nanowires
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0281 Conductive fibers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0323 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0738 Use of voltage responsive materials, e.g. voltage switchable dielectric or varistor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/105 Using an electrical field; Special methods of applying an electric potential electroplating H05K2203/0723
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/242 characterised by using temporary conductors on the printed circuit for electrically connecting areas which are to be electroplated

Abstract

An electronic device comprising voltage switchable dielectric material (VSD) material that is composed in part of organic particles.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a formation of voltage switchable dielectric (VSD) material, wherein the VSD material comprises;

a binder;

organic material that is conductive or semi-conductive, wherein said organic material is either soluble in the binder or dispersed as nanoscale particles within the binder; and

conductor and/or semiconductor particles other than said organic material, said conductor and/or semiconductor particles being distributed in the binder;

wherein said organic material and said conductor and/or semiconductor particles are combined to provide said composition with a characteristic of being (i) dielectric in absence of a voltage that exceeds a characteristic voltage level, and (ii) conductive with application of said voltage exceeding said characteristic voltage level.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the conductive organic material and the conductor or semiconductor particles the formation of VSD material are substantially uniformly distributed in an overall thickness of the binder.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the organic material the formation of VSD material includes single and/or multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device corresponds to a printed circuit board.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the formation of VSD material is provided as a layer within the substrate device.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the formation of VSD material is provided as trace elements on a surface of the substrate device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a device selected from a group consisting of a discrete device, a semi-conductor package, a display device or backplane, a light-emitting diode, and a radio-frequency identification device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said organic material of the formation of VSD material includes a pure carbon compound corresponding to one of carbon graphite, carbon fiber, or a diamond powder.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the conductor and/or semiconductor particles of the formation of VSD material includes a metal or a metal complex.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a layer of voltage switchable dielectric (VSD) material formed by;

(i) creating a mixture comprising a binder, metallic and/or inorganic semi-conductor particles, and conductive or semi-conductive organic material;

(ii) applying the mixture to a target location on the device; and

(iii) curing the mixture at the target location.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising:

a first electrode and a second electrode, and

wherein the target location is a span between the first and second electrode.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the device corresponds to a substrate device, and wherein the VSD material is provided as a layer that is within a thickness of the substrate.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the VSD material underlies one or more contact elements for connecting the substrate to another device, and wherein the one or more contact elements include an aperture to electrically connect a surface of an individual contact element to the VSD layer.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the electronic device is a device selected from a group consisting of a light-emitting diode, a radio-frequency device, a discrete device, and a semi-conductor package or substrate.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the conductive or semi-conductive organic material and the conductor or semiconductor particles the formation of VSD material are substantially uniformly distributed in an overall thickness of the binder.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the conductive or semi-conductive organic material of the formation of VSD material includes single and/or multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the conductive or semi-conductive organic material of the formation of VSD material includes a pure carbon compound corresponding to one of carbon graphite, carbon fiber, or a diamond powder.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the conductor and/or semiconductor particles the formation of VSD material includes a metal or a metal complex.

19. A method for electroplating a substrate, the method comprising:

applying a voltage switchable dielectric (VSD) material onto a target region of a device, said VSD material comprising;

a binder;

organic material that is conductive or semi-conductive, wherein said organic material is either soluble in the binder or dispersed as nanoscale particles within the binder; and

conductor and/or semiconductor particles other than said organic material, said conductor and/or semiconductor particles being distributed in the binder;

wherein said organic material and said conductor and/or semiconductor particles are combined to provide said composition with a characteristic of being (i) dielectric in absence of a voltage that exceeds a characteristic voltage level, and (ii) conductive with application of said voltage exceeding said characteristic voltage level;

forming a pattern using the VSD material;

applying the voltage that exceeds the characteristic voltage level so that the VSD material is conductive;

while applying the voltage, exposing the target region of the device to an electrolytic medium.