ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ON FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATE

• US 20150282341A1
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hu, Chuan, Kumar, Siddarth
• Granted Patent: US 9,930,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/56 Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulation layers, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05111 Tin [Sn] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05113 Bismuth [Bi] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05116 Lead [Pb] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05118 Zinc [Zn] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05124 Aluminium [Al] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05139 Silver [Ag] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05611 Tin [Sn] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05613 Bismuth [Bi] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05616 Lead [Pb] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05618 Zinc [Zn] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05624 Aluminium [Al] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05639 Silver [Ag] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05644 Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05647 Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/131 with a principal constituent of the material being a metal or a metalloid, e.g. boron [B], silicon [Si], germanium [Ge], arsenic [As], antimony [Sb], tellurium [Te] and polonium [Po], and alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13124 Aluminium [Al] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13139 Silver [Ag] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13144 Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13147 Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1319 : with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1329 : with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 : the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/291 : with a principal constituent of the material being a metal or a metalloid, e.g. boron [B], silicon [Si], germanium [Ge], arsenic [As], antimony [Sb], tellurium [Te] and polonium [Po], and alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29124 : Aluminium [Al] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29139 : Silver [Ag] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29144 : Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29147 : Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2919 : with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2929 : with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 : the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 : Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 : Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 : connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73203 : Bump and layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 : Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81101 : as prepeg comprising a bump connector, e.g. provided in an insulating plate member
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83101 : as prepeg comprising a layer connector, e.g. provided in an insulating plate member
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83851 : being an anisotropic conductive adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/0651 : Wire or wire-like electrical connections from device to substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06517 : Bump or bump-like direct electrical connections from device to substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06572 : Auxiliary carrier between devices, the carrier having an electrical connection structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3135 : Double encapsulation or coating and encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/13 : of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/16 : of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/29 : of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 : of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 : of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0652 : the devices being arranged next and on each other, i.e. mixed assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 : Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0781 : being an ohmic electrical conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0326 : containing O
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 : Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/115 : Via connections; Lands around holes or via connections H05K1/112 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 : associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0195 : Dielectric or adhesive layers comprising a plurality of layers, e.g. in a multilayer structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/303 : Surface mounted components, e.g. affixing before soldering, aligning means, spacing means H05K3/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0095 : hermetically-sealed
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/065 : sealed by encapsulation, e.g. waterproof resin forming an integral casing, injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49146 : with encapsulating, e.g., potting, etc.

Abstract

Generally discussed herein are systems and apparatuses that can include a flexible substrate with a hermetic seal formed thereon. The disclosure also includes techniques of making and using the systems and apparatuses. According to an example a technique of making a hermetic seal on a flexible substrate can include (1) forming an interconnect on a flexible substrate, (2) situating a device on the substrate near the interconnect, or (3) selectively depositing a first hermetic material on the device or interconnect so as to hermetically seal the device within the combination of the interconnect and first hermetic material.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming an interconnect on a flexible substrate;

situating a device on the substrate near the interconnect; and

selectively depositing a first hermetic material on the device and interconnect so as to hermetically seal the device within the combination of the interconnect and first hermetic material.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively depositing a second hermetic material on the flexible substrate before forming the interconnect, and wherein the interconnect is formed such that a portion of the interconnect overlaps the second hermitic material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selectively depositing the first hermetic material includes selectively depositing glass on the flexible substrate and wherein selectively depositing the second hermetic material on the device and interconnect includes selectively depositing glass on the device and the interconnect.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein selectively depositing the first hermetic material includes situating photoresist on the flexible substrate, depositing the first hermetic material on the photoresist and the flexible substrate, and removing photoresist so as to remove a portion of the deposited first hermetic material.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

forming a dielectric layer over the second hermetic material.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

removing moisture from an exposed surface of the flexible substrate, device, or interconnect before depositing the second hermetic material.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

bombarding the flexible substrate, device, first hermetic material, or interconnect with ions while depositing the second hermetic material.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein depositing the first or second hermetic material includes depositing the first or second hermetic material such that the first or second hermetic material is less than about ten microns thick.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein depositing the first or second hermetic material includes depositing the first or second hermetic material at a temperature that is less about one hundred degrees Celsius.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein:

selectively depositing a first hermetic material on the flexible substrate includes depositing the first hermetic material on first and second opposing surfaces of the flexible substrate;

forming an interconnect on the flexible substrate includes forming an interconnect on each of the first and second sides of the flexible substrate;

situating a device on the first hermetic material includes situating a respective device on the first hermetic material on each of the first and second sides of the flexible substrate; and

depositing a second hermetic material includes depositing a second hermetic material on the respective device on each of the first and second sides of the flexible substrate.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a glass island on a flexible substrate;

an interconnect on the flexible substrate and partially overlapping the glass island;

a device situated on the glass island and electrically coupled to the interconnect; and

a layer of glass over the device and at least partially over the interconnect, such that the layer of glass, the glass island, and the interconnect form a hermetic seal for the device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a dielectric layer over the layer of glass.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the glass island is less than about ten microns thick.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the glass island is a first glass island on a first surface of the substrate, the interconnect is a first metal contact on the first surface of the substrate, the device is a first device on the first surface of the substrate, and the layer of glass is a first layer of glass, and the apparatus further comprises:

a second glass island on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface opposite the first surface;

a second interconnect on the second surface partially overlapping the second glass island;

a second device situated on the second glass island and electrically coupled to second; and

a second layer of glass over the second device and at least partially over the second interconnect, such that the second layer of glass, the second glass island, and the second interconnect hermetically seal the second device.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an adhesive between and coupling the device to the glass island.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flexible substrate includes Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

17. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of stacked flexible substrate layers including a first substrate layer on a second substrate layer;

first and second die sections situated in the stacked flexible substrate layers; and

a first interconnect circuit patterned on a surface of the second substrate layer proximate the first substrate layer, wherein the first and second die sections are electrically coupled through the interconnect circuit.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of stacked flexible substrate layers further include a third substrate layer, wherein the second substrate layer is on the first substrate layer, and the apparatus further comprises:

a second interconnect circuit patterned on a surface of the third substrate layer proximate the second substrate layer; and

a via through the second substrate layer, wherein the via electrically couples the first interconnect circuit to the second interconnect circuit.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of stacked flexible substrate layers further include a fourth substrate layer situated on the first substrate layer, wherein the first die section includes a first active side facing an opposite direction as a second active side of the second die, and the apparatus further comprises:

a third interconnect circuit patterned on a surface of the first substrate layer proximate the four substrate layer.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of stacked flexible substrate layers include Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first die section is hermetically sealed using a combination of an interconnect of the first interconnect circuit, a hermetic material situated under the first die section, and a hermetic material over the first die section and at least partially over the interconnect.