CIRCUIT CARRIER AND MANIFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20200137895A1
• Filed: 12/13/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Wu, Jiun-Yi, Lee, Chien-Hsun, Yu, Chen-Hua, Liu, Chung-Shi
• Granted Patent: US 10,638,616 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/115 Via connections; Lands around holes or via connections H05K1/112 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09127 PCB or component having an integral separable or breakable part
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0919 Exposing inner circuit layers or metal planes at the side edge of the printed circuit board [PCB] or at the walls of large holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4652 Adding a circuit layer by laminating a metal foil or a preformed metal foil pattern H05K3/4647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4691 Rigid-flexible multilayer circuits comprising rigid and flexible layers, e.g. having in the bending regions only flexible layers

Abstract

A circuit carrier and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The circuit carrier includes at least one flexible structure and a circuit structure. The flexible structure includes a first dielectric layer and a conductive pattern disposed thereon. The circuit structure is disposed on the flexible structure and electrically connected to the conductive pattern. The circuit structure includes a second dielectric layer and a circuit layer. The second dielectric layer is disposed on the flexible structure and has a Young'"'"'s modulus different from that of the first dielectric layer. The circuit layer is disposed on and extends into the second dielectric layer to be in contact with the conductive pattern of the flexible structure. The flexible structure is interposed in the circuit structure. A portion of the first dielectric layer and a portion of the conductive pattern of the flexible structure are extended out from an edge of the circuit structure.

Claims

1. A circuit carrier, comprising:

at least one flexible structure, comprising;

a first dielectric layer; and

a conductive pattern, disposed on a surface of the first dielectric layer; and

a circuit structure, disposed on the at least one flexible structure and electrically connected to the conductive pattern of the at least one flexible structure, the circuit structure comprising;

a second dielectric layer, disposed on the at least one flexible structure and being in contact with the surface of the first dielectric layer where the conductive pattern is on; and

a circuit layer, disposed on and extending into the second dielectric layer to be in contact with the conductive pattern of the at least one flexible structure,

wherein the at least one flexible structure is interposed in the circuit structure, a portion of the first dielectric layer and a portion of the conductive pattern of the at least one flexible structure are extended out from an edge of the circuit structure.

2. The circuit carrier of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible structure further comprises:

a coverlay layer, disposed between the conductive pattern and the second dielectric layer of the circuit structure, wherein at least a portion of the circuit layer penetrates through the coverlay layer to be in contact with the conductive pattern.

3. The circuit carrier of claim 2, wherein the coverlay layer comprises a lateral surface and a top surface connected to the lateral surface, and the second dielectric layer of the circuit structure covers a portion of the lateral surface and a portion of the top surface of the coverlay layer and exposes the rest of the lateral surface and the rest of the top surface of the coverlay layer.

4. The circuit carrier of claim 1, wherein the second dielectric layer of the circuit structure has a Young'"'"'s modulus different from a Young'"'"'s modulus of the first dielectric layer.

5. The circuit carrier of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible structure comprises a plurality of flexible structures disposed over one another, each of the plurality of flexible structures has an extended portion extending out form the edge of the circuit structure, and the extended portions of the plurality of flexible structures are extended toward different directions.

6. The circuit carrier of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible structure comprises a plurality of flexible structures disposed over one another, and the circuit carrier further comprises:

a conductive through hole, penetrating through the plurality of flexible structures and being in contact with the conductive patterns of the plurality of flexible structures and the circuit layer of the circuit structure.

7. The circuit carrier of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible structure further comprises:

a surface finish layer, disposed on a distal end of the portion of the conductive pattern of the at least one flexible structure away from the edge of the circuit structure.

8. The circuit carrier of claim 1, further comprising:

a patterned mask layer, disposed on the circuit layer and exposing at least a portion of the circuit layer.

21. The circuit carrier of claim 1, wherein the circuit carrier is adapted to connect an electronic device, and the portion of the conductive pattern of the at least one flexible structure is detachably connected to the electronic device.

9. A method of manufacturing a circuit carrier, comprising:

providing a flexible structure comprising a dielectric layer and a conductive pattern thereon;

laminating a pre-patterned dielectric layer and forming a conductive material on the flexible structure, wherein the conductive material is in contact with the conductive pattern of the flexible structure, the pre-patterned dielectric layer comprises a first region, a second region connected to the first region, and an opening provided within the second region, and the opening of the pre-patterned dielectric layer exposes a peripheral region of the flexible structure and is covered by the conductive material; and

selectively removing a first portion of the conductive material corresponding to the first region of the pre-patterned dielectric layer and a second portion of the conductive material corresponding to the second region of the pre-patterned dielectric layer to form a circuit layer and to expose the conductive pattern at the peripheral region of the flexible structure.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the flexible structure comprises:

forming the conductive pattern on the dielectric layer, wherein a Young'"'"'s modulus of the dielectric layer of the flexible structure is different from that of the pre-patterned dielectric layer; and

forming a coverlay layer on the dielectric layer to cover the conductive pattern, wherein after forming the pre-patterned dielectric layer, the coverlay layer of the flexible structure is covered by the pre-patterned dielectric layer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein forming the conductive material comprises:

laminating a conductive material layer over the pre-patterned dielectric layer;

removing a portion of the conductive material layer and a portion of the pre-patterned dielectric layer corresponding to the conductive material layer to form a via hole; and

forming another conductive material layer inside the via hole and on the conductive material layer remaining on the pre-patterned dielectric layer.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein selectively removing the conductive material comprises:

forming a sacrificial conductive pattern on the conductive material, wherein a material of the sacrificial conductive pattern is different from that of the conductive material, and the sacrificial conductive pattern partially exposes the conductive material;

selectively etching the portion of the conductive material exposed by the sacrificial conductive pattern; and

removing the sacrificial conductive pattern from the circuit layer.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

forming a patterned mask layer on the circuit layer, wherein the patterned mask layer exposes at least a portion of the circuit layer corresponding to the first region of the pre-patterned dielectric layer.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein after selectively removing the conductive material, a periphery of a stack of the flexible structure, the pre-patterned dielectric layer, and the conductive material is cut off.

15. A method of manufacturing a circuit carrier, comprising:

forming conductive patterns on two opposing surfaces of a first dielectric layer to form a flexible structure;

laminating a second dielectric layer on the two opposing surfaces of the first dielectric layer to sandwich the flexible structure therein, wherein a Young'"'"'s modulus of the second dielectric layer is different from that of the first dielectric layer;

laminating a conductive material layer on the two opposing surfaces of the first dielectric layer to sandwich the second dielectric layer and the flexible structure therein;

forming a patterned conductive layer over the second dielectric layer by partially removing the conductive material layer, wherein a portion of the patterned conductive layer penetrates through the second dielectric layer to be in contact with the conductive patterns of the flexible structure; and

selectively etching the patterned conductive layer to form a circuit layer and to expose a peripheral portion of at least one of the conductive patterns of the flexible structure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the flexible structure further comprises:

forming a coverlay layer on the two opposing surfaces of the first dielectric layer to cover the conductive patterns, wherein the second dielectric layer is formed on the coverlay layer of the flexible structure, and the coverlay layer laterally covers the portion of the patterned conductive layer penetrating through the second dielectric layer and the coverlay layer.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the flexible structure further comprises:

forming a surface finish layer on the peripheral portion of e at least one of the conductive patterns.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein

after laminating the conductive material layer, forming a sacrificial conductive pattern on the conductive material layer, wherein a material of the sacrificial conductive pattern is different from that of the conductive material layer, and the sacrificial conductive pattern exposes a portion of the conductive material layer;

removing the portion of the conductive material layer exposed by the sacrificial conductive pattern; and

removing the sacrificial conductive pattern after selectively etching the patterned conductive layer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second dielectric layer comprising an opening exposing a peripheral portion of the conductive patterns of the flexible structure,

after laminating the conductive material layer, the opening of the second dielectric layer is masked by the conductive material layer, and

after removing the portion of the conductive material layer exposed by the sacrificial conductive pattern, the opening of the second dielectric layer is unmasked.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

forming a patterned mask layer on the circuit layer after selectively etching the patterned conductive layer, wherein the patterned mask layer partially exposes the circuit layer.