Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
1996-08-07
2001-12-18
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement
C361S792000, C428S901000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331680
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to multilayer electrical interconnection devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multilayer electrical interconnection device and a method of fabricating the same through the use of thermal spray technology. The fabricated multilayer interconnection device is particularly suited for use in the design and manufacture of high quality, low cost Automotive Electrical Distribution system components (AEDs) and Automotive Electronic Modules (AEMs) with high current carrying capability.
BACKGROUND
The use of circuit boards in manufacturing electronic equipment provides many advantages, including minimal size and weight, high reliability, and suitability for automated production. A circuit board comprises an insulating layer carrying conductive metal traces and bonding locations for electrical components. With advances in electronics, particularly in the miniaturization of integrated circuits, a need for multilayer boards has arisen to accommodate the high number of circuit interconnections per unit of surface area on a board.
Multilayer circuit boards utilize separate trace patterns on various layers in three dimensions and layer-to-layer interconnects (i.e., vias or plated throughholes) to implement complex interconnections in a small space. Multilayer circuit boards have been manufactured by laminating separate boards together and by a monolithic, plated-up technique. The higher cost and difficult production processes associated with prior art multilayer circuit boards, however, have limited their utility.
The size and thickness of metal traces determines the magnitude of electrical current that can be safely carried. Thus, it would be desirable to be able to arbitrarily control the size and thickness of conductors within a multilayer structure to carry arbitrary amounts of current.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has the advantage of providing a multilayer electrical interconnection device having a relatively inexpensive and simple production method and resulting in a monolithic, multilayer device capable of carrying a relatively large amount of current.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a multilayer electrical interconnection device and method of making the same by application of thermal spray materials through positive and negative masks, respectively, to form conductive areas and vias, and insulating layers such that inter-layer direct metallurgical bonding between conductive layers intrinsically result.
The device fabrication method includes the initial provision of a substrate. Thereafter, a plurality of alternating insulating and conducting layers are deposited atop the substrate and one another by thermal spraying of respective insulating or conducting material through correspondingly defined apertures in spray masks. Inter-layer electrical interconnections are intrinsically formed by direct metallurgical bonding between the conducting material of an overlying layer and the conducting material of a previously sprayed layer. The defined apertures are formed through the use of positive and negative masking systems.
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Collins David Robert
Klassen David John
Pergande Paul Earl
Peterman Thomas Randall
Whitney, Jr. Morgan Merritt
Patel Dhiru R
Reichard Dean A.
Shelton Larry I.
Visteon Global Technologies Inc.
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