Abstract:
A circuit board has an embedded electronic component such as an integrated circuit chip with a wafer level chip size package. A via hole extends through the electronic component. Another via hole extends through the substrate or prepreg on which the electronic component is mounted inside the circuit board. Conductors in the via holes enable a terminal on the surface of the electronic component to be electrically connected to a wiring pattern or another electronic component on the opposite side of the substrate or prepreg. Routing the connection through the electronic component itself saves space and reduces the length of the connection.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a divisional of Application No. 11/273,339, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,989,706, filed Nov. 15, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a printed circuit board having an embedded electronic component with a via hole. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     It is known technology to embed passive electronic components such as resistors and capacitors and active electronic components such as integrated circuit chips in a printed circuit board, to increase the mounting density of the board. Embedded integrated circuit chips must have small packages, so it is advantageous to use chip scale packages, which are barely larger than the integrated circuit chip itself, or chip size packages, which in plan view are the same size as the chip itself. Recently, wafer level chip size packages have become prevalent. A wafer level chip size package (WCSP) is simply a dielectric layer covering the chip surface on which the integrated circuit is created, with conductive terminals such as solder bumps providing electrical access to the integrated circuitry. This type of package is formed on the semiconductor wafer from which the chip is fabricated, before the wafer is diced into individual chips. 
     A conventional process for forming a circuit board with embedded WCSP components is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . 
     In  FIG. 1 , WCSP components  1  that have been tested after package formation and are known to be non-defective are attached to a substrate  2  by means of a die bonding adhesive  3 . Next, the surface of the substrate  2  on which the WCSP components  1  are mounted is sealed with a dielectric layer  4  that surrounds and protects the WCSP components  1  as shown in  FIG. 2 . A second dielectric layer  5  is formed on the first dielectric layer  4 ; then a conductive wiring pattern  7  is formed on the second dielectric layer  5 , making electrical contact with the WCSP components  1  through openings in the second dielectric layer  5 . Next, a further dielectric layer  6  is formed, covering the conductive wiring pattern  7 , and solder balls  8  are formed as external terminals to complete the circuit board, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     In a variant of this process, the first two dielectric layers  4 ,  5  are formed simultaneously. 
       FIG. 4  shows a conventional circuit board  20  having components  10 ,  11 ,  12  mounted on its surfaces as well as having an embedded WCSP component  21 . The WCSP component  21  is attached to a substrate  13  by a die bonding adhesive  14  and is sealed in a first dielectric layer  15 , which is covered by a second dielectric layer  16 . (The two dielectric layers  15 ,  16  may be formed as a single combined layer.) A conductive wiring pattern  17  is formed on dielectric layer  16 , and the first semiconductor device  10  and the chip component  12  are mounted in electrical contact with the wiring pattern  17 . Another wiring pattern  19  formed on the opposite side of the circuit board  20 , on the undersurface of the substrate  13 , and the second semiconductor device  11  is mounted on this surface, making electrical contact with the wiring pattern  19 . The semiconductor devices  10 ,  11  are, for example, integrated circuit devices. The chip component  12  may be either an active component or a passive component. 
     The first semiconductor device  10  is electrically coupled to the second semiconductor device  11  through the wiring patterns  17 ,  19  and a conductive member or conductor  18  formed in a via hole extending from one surface to the other surface of the circuit board  20 . The WCSP component  21  is electrically coupled to the first semiconductor device  10  through wiring pattern  17 , and to the second semiconductor device  11  through the wiring patterns  17 ,  19  and a conductor  22  formed in another via hole. Further information can be found in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-347502. 
     One problem with the conventional circuit board  20  in  FIG. 4  is that the long length of the electrical connection indicated by the arrow  23  from the WCSP component  21  through wiring pattern  17 , conductor  22 , and wiring pattern  19  to the second semiconductor device  11  impedes the high-speed transmission of electrical signals from the WCSP component  21  to this semiconductor device  11 . 
     As the complexity of the semiconductor devices mounted on circuit boards increases year by year, the complexity of the wiring patterns on their surfaces and the number of electrical connections necessary between the surfaces also increases, requiring a large number of via holes to be formed. The embedding of WCSP components in such a circuit board is subject to layout constraints, not only because the embedded WCSP components must avoid the numerous via holes, but also because the embedded WCSP components require the formation of additional via holes for electrical connections that pass between the two surfaces of the circuit board as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . These constraints pose another problem; if they could be partially removed, additional layout space could be obtained and the component mounting density could be increased. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to increase the mounting density of circuit boards with embedded components. 
     Another object of the invention is to secure additional layout space for circuit boards with embedded components. 
     A further object of the invention is to improve the electrical characteristics of circuit boards with embedded components. 
     A still further object is to improve the productivity of the circuit board manufacturing process. 
     The invention provides a circuit board having a substrate and first and second electronic components mounted on opposite surfaces of the substrate. The first electronic component has a first conductor formed on the surface distant from the substrate, a hole extending from this surface to the surface adjacent the substrate, and a second conductor disposed in this hole. The substrate has a similar hole extending from one surface to the opposite surface, and a third conductor disposed in this hole. The first electronic component is embedded in a dielectric layer. The second electronic component is electrically coupled to the first electronic component through the second and third conductors. 
     The first electronic component may have a wafer level chip size package with additional conductors formed on the same surface as the first conductor. The above dielectric layer may be sandwiched between the substrate and a second surface of the circuit board, on which is formed a wiring pattern to which the additional conductors are connected, the first electronic component thus being embedded inside the circuit board. 
     The invention also provides a method of forming a circuit board having an embedded electronic component. A substrate is prepared having wiring patterns on both surfaces, additional conductors formed on one surface, a hole extending from this surface to the other surface, and another conductor formed in the hole. 
     An electronic component with conductors and a hole as described above is mounted on the substrate so that the first conductor and additional conductors on the surface of the electronic component make electrical contact with the conductors on the surface of the substrate. A first preimpregnated glass cloth or ‘prepreg’, having an opening accommodating the electronic component, is laminated onto this surface of the substrate. A second prepreg is laminated onto the opposite surface of the substrate. A third prepreg is laminated onto the first prepreg. The second and third prepregs have conductors formed on their exposed surfaces. A hole is formed in the third prepreg, and a conductor is formed in this hole. The conductor on the exposed surface of the third prepreg is patterned. An electrical path is formed from the resulting pattern through the conductors in the holes in the third prepreg and the electronic component to the first conductor on the surface of the electronic component. 
     The invention provides another method of manufacturing a circuit board. An electronic component with conductors and a hole as described above is mounted on one surface of a first prepreg. A second prepreg, having an opening accommodating the electronic component, is laminated onto this surface of the first prepreg. A third prepreg is laminated onto the second prepreg. The first and third prepregs have conductors formed on their exposed surfaces. A hole is formed extending through the first prepreg, and a conductor is formed in this hole. The conductors on the surfaces of the first and third prepregs are then patterned. An electrical path is formed from the resulting pattern on the surface of the first prepreg through the conductors in the holes in the first prepreg and the electronic component to the first conductor on the surface of the electronic component. 
     When a conductor on the surface of an electronic component embedded in a circuit board must be electrically connected to a point on the distant surface of the substrate or prepreg on which the electronic component is mounted, routing the connection through a hole in the electrical component itself as described above saves space and shortens the length of the connection, thereby improving the electrical characteristics of the circuit board and enabling components to be more densely mounted. 
     By using prepregs with openings accommodating the embedded electronic component, the invented methods of manufacturing the circuit board simplify the manufacturing process and improve productivity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the attached drawings: 
         FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  show steps in the fabrication of a conventional circuit board including an embedded electronic component of the WCSP type; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic sectional view of another conventional circuit board including an embedded electronic component of the WCSP type; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic sectional view of a circuit board including an embedded semiconductor device of the WCSP type according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged sectional view of the embedded semiconductor device and the surrounding area in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  9 , and  10  show steps in the fabrication of a circuit board including an embedded electronic component of the WCSP type according to a second embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIGS. 11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14  show steps in the fabrication of a circuit board including an embedded electronic component of the WCSP type according to a third embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, in which like elements are indicated by like reference characters. 
     First Embodiment 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a circuit board  100  in the first embodiment of the invention includes an embedded WCSP component  101 , semiconductor devices  110 ,  111 , and a chip component  112 . 
     The embedded WCSP component  101  is attached to a substrate  113  by means of a die bonding adhesive  114  and is sealed with a dielectric layer  115  on which a further dielectric layer  116  is formed. The two dielectric layers  115 ,  116  may be formed simultaneously as a single layer. The embedded WCSP component  101  is an integrated circuit with circuit elements and interconnections (not shown) disposed near the upper surface in the drawing. 
     Dielectric layer  116  forms the first surface of the circuit board  100 , on which semiconductor device  110  and chip component  112  are mounted. The undersurface of the substrate  113  forms the second surface of the circuit board  100 , on which semiconductor device  111  is mounted. Semiconductor device  110  and chip component  112  make electrical contact with a wiring pattern  117  formed on dielectric layer  116  on the first surface of the circuit board  100 ; semiconductor device  111  makes electrical contact with a wiring pattern  119  formed on the second surface of the circuit board  100 . 
     The semiconductor devices  110 ,  111  are, for example, semiconductor integrated circuits. The chip component  112  may be an active electronic component such as a transistor or a semiconductor integrated circuit chip, or a passive electronic component such as a capacitor or a resistor. 
     Semiconductor device  110  is electrically coupled to semiconductor device  111  through the wiring patterns  117 ,  119  and a conductor  118  formed in a hole extending from the first surface to the second surface of the circuit board  100 . 
       FIG. 6  shows an enlarged sectional view of the embedded WCSP component  101  and the surrounding area in  FIG. 5 . The WCSP component  101  has a first surface on which electrode pads  124  are formed and a second surface, opposite the first surface, on which an electrode pad  125  is formed. The circuitry formed in the WCSP component  101  is disposed near its first surface and is electrically connected to wiring pattern  117  through the electrode pads  124  formed on that surface. In the substrate  113 , a conductor  126  is disposed in a hole opened so as to expose the electrode pad  125  on the second surface of the WCSP component  101 . The WCSP component  101  additionally has a conductor  120  formed in a hole extending through the WCSP component  101  from its first surface to its second surface, aligned with one of the electrode pads  124  on the first surface and the electrode pad  125  on the second surface. An electronic circuit element (not shown) in the WCSP component  101  is electrically coupled to the semiconductor device  111  mounted on the second surface of the circuit board  100  through the conductor  120  formed in this hole, the electrode pads  124 ,  125  at the ends of the hole, conductor  126 , and wiring pattern  119 . The arrow  121  in  FIG. 5  indicates the path of the electrical connection between the WCSP component  101  and the semiconductor device  111 . 
     As described above, according to the first embodiment, the circuit board  100  includes an embedded WCSP component  101  that has a conductor  120  formed in a hole extending through the WCSP component  101  from its first surface to its second surface, thereby enabling an electrode pad  124  on the first surface to be electrically connected to a semiconductor device  111  on the far side of the circuit board  100  without requiring the connection path to detour around the WCSP component  101  through a separate via hole in the circuit board  100 . The length of the electrical connection between the WCSP component  101  and the semiconductor device  111  mounted on the second surface of the circuit board  100  is thereby reduced, improving the electrical characteristics of the connection and reducing the signal propagation delay between the WCSP component  101  and semiconductor device  111 . The number of via holes that must be formed in the circuit board  100  is also reduced, and the amount of wiring in the wiring patterns  117 ,  119  on the surfaces of the circuit board  100  is reduced, providing additional layout space on the surfaces of the circuit board  100  so that the component mounting density can be increased. 
     Second Embodiment 
     The invention can also be practiced in multi-layer circuit boards.  FIGS. 7 to 10  show steps in the fabrication of a four-layer circuit board  300  including a pair of embedded WCSP components  306 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a substrate  301  is prepared. The substrate  301  has two major surfaces: a first surface on which a wiring pattern  302  and a plurality of electrode pads  304  are formed, and a second surface, opposite the first surface, on which a wiring pattern  303  is formed. The substrate  301  additionally has conductors  305  disposed in holes extending through the substrate  301  from the first surface to the second surface. Each WCSP component  306  has a first surface on which a plurality of electrode pads  307  and external terminals  308  are formed, and a second surface, opposite the first surface, on which an electrode pad  322  is formed. A hole extends through each WCSP component  306  from the first surface to the second surface. A conductor  309  is formed in this hole, electrically coupling the electrode pad  322  on the second surface to one of the electrode pads  307  on the first surface. 
     The external terminals  308  make electrical contact with respective electrode pads  307  on the first surface of the WCSP components  306 . The external terminals  308  may be solder bumps formed on the respective electrode pads  307 . The electrode pad  307  that is electrically connected through the hole in each WCSP component  306  to the electrode pad  322  its the second surface does not have an external electrode  308 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , flux or solder paste is applied to the electrode pads  304  on the first surface of the substrate  301  by a screen printing technique; then the WCSP components  306  are mounted on the first surface of the substrate  301  so that the external terminals  308  on the first surfaces of the WCSP components  306  align with the electrode pads  304  on the first surface of the substrate  301 . The external terminals  308  of the WCSP components  306  are then mechanically and electrically joined to the electrode pads  304  of the substrate  301  by reflow soldering. If necessary, flux residue and the like are removed in a cleaning process after the reflow process. The remaining space between the WCSP components  306  and the substrate  301  is filled with, for example, an epoxy resin filler  310 . 
     Three prepregs are now prepared: a first prepreg  313  that has openings  330  for the WCSP components  306 ; a second prepreg  314  clad with copper foil  315  on one surface; and a thin third prepreg  312  likewise clad with copper foil  311  on one surface. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the first prepreg  313  is laminated onto the first surface of the substrate  301 , the WCSP components  306  fitting into the openings in the first prepreg  313 . The second prepreg  314  is laminated onto the second surface of the substrate  301 , so that the second surface of the substrate  301  meets the unclad surface of the second prepreg  314  (the surface that is not clad with copper foil). The third prepreg  312  is laminated onto the first prepreg  313 , so that the first prepreg  313  meets the unclad surface of the third prepreg  312 . Thus the substrate  301  is disposed between prepregs  313  and  314 , and the WCSP components  306  are embedded between the substrate  301  and the thin prepreg  312 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , to complete the four-layer circuit board  300 , holes extending to the electrode pads  322  on the second surfaces of the WCSP components  306  are opened by cutting the thin prepreg  312  by laser, and conductors  320  are formed in these holes. In addition, via holes are formed in the circuit board  300 , extending through the prepregs  312 ,  313 ,  314  and the substrate  301 , and conductors  316  are formed in these via holes, making electrical contact with the wiring patterns  302 ,  303  on the substrate  301  and copper foil conductors formed on the surfaces of the circuit board  300 . The upper copper foil conductor (the copper foil cladding  311  of the thin prepreg  312 ) is patterned to form a wiring pattern  319  with lands  317  to which external terminals such as solder balls  318  can be attached. This wiring pattern  319  is electrically coupled to the electrode pads  322  of the WCSP components  306  through the conductors  320  disposed in the holes. Besides the solder balls  318  formed on the lands  317 , a chip component  321  is mounted on the thin prepreg  312 , making electrical contact with the wiring pattern  319 . 
     One of the embedded WCSP components  306  is electrically connected to the chip component  321  through the conductor in the hole extending through the WCSP component, the electrode pad  322  on its surface, the conductor  320  disposed in the corresponding laser-cut hole in the thin prepreg  312 , and the wiring pattern  319 . The other embedded WCSP component  306  is electrically connected in a similar fashion to one of the solder balls  318 . As in the first embodiment, these connections are comparatively short: they do not have to be routed through the wiring patterns on the substrate  301 , detour around the WCSP components  306 , or pass through via holes external to the WCSP components  306 ; instead, they pass directly through holes in the WCSP components  306  themselves. 
     The use of a prepreg  313  having openings  330  that accommodate the WCSP components  306  enables the circuit board  300  including the embedded WCSP components  306  to be formed in a simple laminating process, irrespective of surface irregularities of the substrate  301 , whereby the productivity of the circuit board manufacturing process can be improved. 
     In a variation of the second embodiment, the orientation of the WCSP components  306  is vertically reversed, so that the first surface with electrode pads  307  and external terminals  308  is adjacent the thin prepreg  312  and the second surface with electrode pad  322  is adjacent the substrate  301 . The external terminals  308  are joined to electrode pads on the thin prepreg  312  by reflow soldering, and the electrode pads  322  at the ends of the holes penetrating through the WCSP components  306  are electrically connected to the wiring pattern  302  on the facing surface of the substrate  301 . 
     Third Embodiment 
     The prepreg method illustrated in the second embodiment can also be used to fabricate a circuit board of the type described in the first embodiment. As a third embodiment of the invention,  FIGS. 11 to 14  show steps in the fabrication of such a circuit board  400  including an embedded WCSP component  101 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the WCSP component  101  has the structure described in the first embodiment, with a conductor  120  in a hole electrically connecting one of a plurality of electrode pads  124  formed on one major surface to an electrode pad  125  formed on the other major surface. 
     As in the second embodiment, three prepregs are prepared: a first prepreg  405  clad on one surface with copper foil  406 , a second prepreg  403  having an opening  404  for the WCSP component  101 , and a third prepreg  402  clad on one surface with copper foil  401 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , the WCSP component  101  is attached to the unclad surface of the first prepreg  405  by a die bonding adhesive  114 . The second prepreg  403  is laminated onto the same surface of prepreg  405  so that the opening  404  accommodates the WCSP component  101 . The third prepreg  402  is laminated onto the second prepreg  403  so that the unclad surface with the third prepreg  402  meets the second prepreg  403 . The copper foil cladding  401  is at this stage electrically isolated from the WCSP component  101 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , via holes extending through all three prepregs  402 ,  403 ,  405  are formed, and conductors  118  are formed in these holes. A hole is formed by cutting the first prepreg  405  by laser so as to expose electrode pad  125  of the WCSP component  101 , and a conductor  126  is formed in this hole. Similar holes and conductors are formed in the third prepreg  402  to provide electrical paths to the electrode pads  124  on the opposite surface of the WCSP component  101 . The copper foil cladding  401  on the third prepreg  402  is patterned to form a wiring pattern  117 , and the copper foil cladding  406  on the first prepreg  405  is patterned to form a wiring pattern  119 , which is electrically coupled to wiring pattern  117  through conductors  118 . The WCSP component  101  is electrically coupled to wiring pattern  119  through electrode pad  125  and the conductor  126  disposed in the hole in the first prepreg  405 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , a semiconductor device  110  and a chip component  112  are mounted on the surface of the third prepreg  402 . Another semiconductor device  111  is mounted on the surface of the first prepreg  405 . Semiconductor device  110  is electrically coupled to semiconductor device  111  through wiring pattern  117 , a conductor  118 , and wiring pattern  119 . The WCSP component  101  is electrically coupled to the semiconductor device  111  through conductor  120 , electrode pad  125 , conductor  126 , and wiring pattern  119 . 
     Use of a prepreg  403  having an opening  404  accommodating a WCSP component  101  enables a circuit board  400  including an embedded WCSP component  101  to be formed in a simple laminating process, whereby the productivity of the circuit board manufacturing process can be improved. Compared with the second embodiment, since the circuit board has fewer layers, the manufacturing process is simpler and the thickness of the circuit board  400  can be reduced. 
     Although a circuit board with solder balls formed on external terminals was shown in the second embodiment, the invention is not limited to this structure. A connector or socket of the type generally used on mother and daughter boards may be utilized for electrical connections to other circuit boards and components (not shown). 
     Although circuit boards including simple embedded WCSP components were described in the embodiments above, the embedded circuitry may be more complex. For example, an embedded WCSP component may have peripheral components, also embedded in the circuit board, to which the WCSP component is connected through the wiring patterns. Alternatively, a multi-chip package or module may be embedded as a single unit. Such an embedded package or module may include both active and passive electronic components. An embedded WCSP component may also include both active and passive circuitry. 
     The embedded component is not necessarily a WCSP component. The embedded component may be, for example, a passive component with a silicon or ceramic substrate having a conductor formed in a hole in this substrate. 
     Although prepregs having surface-to-surface openings were used in the second and third embodiments, the embodiments are not limited to this structure. Countersunk prepregs may be used instead, or sheet prepregs made of a resin with high fluidity may be used. 
     The method of forming holes in the prepregs is not limited to the laser cutting method mentioned in the second and third embodiments. The thin prepregs in particular may be replaced by sheets of a photosensitive material, in which case holes may be formed by photolithography. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that further variations are possible within the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.