Patent ID: 6763575
Filing Date: 2004-07-20
Classification: H01F,H05K,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for forming a printed circuit board having integral inductor cores, which comprises:a) providing an electrically conductive structure which comprises a copper foil having a layer of nickel disposed thereon; b) laminating the conductive structure onto a first surface of an electrically non-conductive substrate, such that the nickel layer is in contact with the first surface of the substrate; c) removing the copper foil from the conductive structure, thereby leaving the nickel layer on the first surface of the substrate; d) removing any formed oxide on the nickel layer; and e) performing either step (i) or step (ii): (i) applying a photoresist onto the nickel layer; imagewise exposing the photoresist to actinic radiation; developing the resist to thereby remove nonimage areas while not removing image areas; depositing a layer of NiFe onto the nickel layer portions underlying the removed non-imaged areas of the photoresist; removing a balance of the photoresist; and optionally removing at least a portion of the nickel layer; thereby forming integral inductor cores on the first surface of the substrate; (ii) depositing a layer of NiFe onto the nickel layer; applying a photoresist onto the NiFe layer; imagewise exposing the photoresist to actinic radiation; developing the resist to thereby remove non-imaged areas while retaining imaged areas; removing the NiFe layer portions underlying the removed non-imaged areas of the photoresist from the nickel layer; removing a balance of the photoresist; and optionally removing at least a portion of the nickel layer, thereby forming integral inductor cores on the first surface of the substrate.