Embedded components in a substrate

• US 9,521,754 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flex, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Multek Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Bergman, Mark, Shang, Shurui, Vrtis, Joan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ishwarbhai B
• Application Number:
  US14/463,361
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 174250-268, 361760-766, 361792-795
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/183 Components mounted in and supported by recessed areas of the printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/185 Components encapsulated in the insulating substrate of the printed circuit or incorporated in internal layers of a multilayer circuit semiconductor chips encapsulated by interconnect and support structures H01L23/5389, H01L24/00
• 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

Abstract

An embedded component is formed in a PCB stack by applying an adhesive layer across an entire surface of a copper layer and selectively positioning the component on a portion of the adhesive layer. A B stage pre-preg layer having a component cut-out is added onto the adhesive layer such that the component adhered to the adhesive layer fits within the component cut-out of the B stage pre-preg layer. Another copper layer is added onto the B stage pre-preg layer and the PCB stack is laminated. Since B stage pre-preg is not fully cured, a gap between the component and a side wall of the component cut-out is filled by flow of the surrounding B stage pre-preg during the lamination step. One or more additional pre-preg and copper layers are added to the PCB stack with corresponding interconnects formed and coupled to the contact pads on the component.

Claims

1. A printed circuit board comprising:

a core substrate layer comprising a first copper layer laminated to a first surface of a first pre-preg layer and a second copper layer laminated to a second surface of the pre-preg layer;

an adhesive layer of a same material applied to an entire first surface of the first copper layer;

an electronic component having a first surface adhered to the adhesive layer;

a second pre-preg layer laminated to the first copper layer, wherein the second pre-preg layer includes a component cut-out and the second pre-preg layer is coupled to the adhesive layer and configured such that the electronic component fits within the component cut-out and the second pre-preg layer contacts the electronic component due to flow of the second pre-preg layer during lamination;

a third copper layer laminated to the second pre-preg layer.

2. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein the electronic component comprises one or more contact pads on a second surface.

3. The printed circuit board of claim 1 further comprising one or more additional pre-preg and copper layers laminated to the third copper layer.

4. The printed circuit board of claim 1 further comprising one or more additional pre-preg and copper layers laminated to the second copper layer.

5. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein the electronic component comprises an active electronic component.

6. The printed circuit board of claim 1 wherein the electronic component comprises a passive electronic component.