Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan Patent Application Serial Number 095106584 filed Feb. 27, 2006, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a multilayer circuit board and the method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a substrate with a multilayer plated through hole and the method for forming the multilayer plated through hole. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   In general, multilayer circuit boards are frequently used in most electronic devices as media for signal transmission, power supply and grounding. As the electronic devices get complex and have more function, the number of trace layers of the multilayer circuit boards and longitudinal electrical connections between the trace layers are becoming greater. Accordingly, it is required to form much more plated through holes (PTHs) as electrical channels between these trace layers. 
   The Taiwan Patent Publication Number 589729, entitled “SUBSTRATE WITH VIA HOLE HAVING SHIELDING FUNCTION AND FORMING THE SAME”, discloses a substrate with via holes. The inner wall of the via hole is first formed with a barrel-shaped shielding layer and then covered by a dielectric layer. A signal channel is deployed in the via hole. The via hole is formed by first filling up the barrel-shaped shielding layer with a dielectric material and then drilling the dielectric material to form a hole. A signal channel is subsequently deployed in the hole. However, the way to form a via hole by drilling cannot precisely control the thickness of the resulting dielectric layer. This will cause the separation of the signal channel from the shielding layer to be non-uniform and even a short circuit. The way of forming a via hole by drilling is inappropriate to a substrate with a multilayer plated through hole. 
   The Taiwan Patent Number 1242783, entitled “CUT VIA STRUCTURE FOR AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF CONNECTING SEPARATE CONDUCTORS”, discloses a cut via structure. The cut via structure includes at least two separate conductors formed with a central hollow or filling structure. The gap between the separate conductors is formed in a vertically-cut or slanted-cut direction with respect to the cut via structure. In brief, it is to divide a via hole into two or more parts, and each of which is connected to at least one of top traces and bottom traces. However, when at the period of division of the via hole or even application to an end-product, such separation of one conductor from the other will result in a degradation of the via structure. A temperature change experienced by the substrate is likely to cause the via structure to be broken. The conventional coaxially paired via structure disclosed in above-identified patent has the disadvantage of high impedance and producing an induction. This is because the way of forming the dielectric layer is to fill up the via hole with a dielectric material and then drill the via hole. A signal channel is subsequently deployed in the via hole. This will cause the thickness of the resulting dielectric layer to be uneven and consequently result in the above-mentioned disadvantage. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate with a multilayer plated through hole and a method for forming the multilayer plated through hole. The method for forming a multilayer plated through hole is to form a dielectric layer and a conductive layer on the inner surface of a through hole in a substrate by deposition. The dielectric layer covers a portion of the trace layers of the substrate and electrically isolates the conductive layer from the plated through hole so as to substantially reduce the room for the plated through holes and the size of the substrate. The multilayer plated through hole of the present invention can be used in a high-density substrate. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a substrate with a multilayer plated through hole and a method for forming the multilayer plated through hole. The method for forming a multilayer plated through hole is to form a dielectric layer by electrophoretic deposition. The dielectric layer can electrically isolate the conductive layer from the plated through hole. The resulting dielectric layer is uniformly thick and very thin and therefore there is no need to achieve an alignment for drilling. This will be able to increase the electrical performance of the plated through hole and eliminate the crosstalk. 
   In order to achieve the above objects, a substrate with a multilayer plated through hole according to the present invention includes a substrate body having a plated through hole, a dielectric layer and a conductive layer. The substrate body further includes a first trace layer and a second trace layer. The plated through hole electrically connects the first trace layer to the second trace layer. The dielectric layer is formed on the inner surface of the plated through hole by deposition and covers a portion of the first trace layer and a portion of the second trace layer. The conductive layer is formed on the dielectric layer and the dielectric layer electrically isolates the conductive layer from the plated through hole. Therefore, another plated through hole comprised of a dielectric layer and a conductive layer can likewise be formed in the previously formed plated through hole thereby constructing a configuration of multilayer plated through hole. This will be able to substantially reduce the room for the plated through holes and the size of the substrate. The multilayer plated through hole of the present invention can be used in a high-density substrate. 
   The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a substrate with a multilayer plated through hole according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a substrate with a multilayer plated through hole according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 3   a  to  3   e  are cross-sectional views illustrating the method for forming the multilayer plated through hole of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a substrate with a multilayer plated through hole according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the reaction mechanism of forming the dielectric layer of  FIG. 2  by electrophoretic deposition. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a substrate  100  with a multilayer plated through hole according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate body  110  having opposing upper and lower surfaces  111 ,  112 . The substrate body  110  can be a multilayer printed circuit board. The substrate body  110  has a first trace layer  113 , a second trace layer  114  and a plated through hole  115 . The first trace layer  113  is formed on the upper surface  111  of the substrate body  110  and the second trace layer  114  is formed on the lower surface  112  of the substrate body  110 . The plated through hole  115  passes through the upper surface  111  to the lower surface  112 . The plated through hole  115  includes an electroless plating layer  115 A and a first conductive layer  116  that the two layers  115 A and  116  electrically connect the first trace layer  113  to the second trace layer  114 . In this embodiment, the first trace layer  113  includes a first terminal  117  and the second trace layer  114  includes a second terminal  118 . The first conductive layer  116  connects the first and second terminals  117 ,  118 . 
   At least another plated through hole comprised of a dielectric layer  120  and a second conductive layer  130  is formed on the inner surface of the plated through hole  115 , wherein the dielectric layer  120  is formed on the inner surface of the plated through hole  115  by deposition and covers a portion of the first trace layer  113  and a portion of the second trace layer  114 . In order to make the resulting dielectric layer  120  uniformly thick and thinner, preferably, the dielectric layer  120  is formed by electrophoretic deposition. The dielectric layer  120  has a thickness of 10 to 50 μm and therefore does not obstruct the plated through hole  115 . In addition, the dielectric layer  120  can be selectively electrophoretically deposited only on the exposed surface of the metal portion and therefore does not obstruct the plated through hole  115  and cause a short circuit. The second conductive layer  130  is formed on the dielectric layer  120  and electrically isolated from the first conductive layer  116  of the plated through hole  115  by the dielectric layer  120 . Furthermore, in this embodiment, the dielectric layer  120  completely covers the first terminal  117 , second terminal  118  and first conductive layer  116 . The dielectric layer  120  is generally H-shaped and the central portion of the H-shaped dielectric layer  120  connecting the two generally parallel portions of the H-shaped dielectric layer  120  is hollow and of uniform inner diameter so as to provide a good electrical isolation and make ease of forming the second conductive layer  130 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second conductive layer  130  is formed on the dielectric layer  120  and has an extending portion  132  extending to the upper surface  111  of the substrate body  110 . The extending portion  132  can also connect to the first trace layer  113 . In addition, the second conductive layer  130  is formed on the inner surface of the plated through hole  115  and electrically isolated from other layers by the dielectric layer  120  to allow different signals to be simultaneously transmitted in both the first and second conductive layers  116 ,  130 . The multilayer plated through hole  115  of the present invention will be able to substantially reduce the room for the plated through holes and be used in a high-density substrate. 
   Refer to  FIGS. 3   a  to  3   e,  they illustrate a method for forming the substrate  100  with a multilayer plated through hole according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, as shown in  FIG. 3   a,  the substrate body  110  is provided. The substrate body  110  has the first and second trace layers  113 ,  114  and a through hole  119  is formed in the substrate body  110  by mechanical or laser drilling. The through hole  119  passes through the upper surface  111  of the substrate body  110  to the lower surface  112  of the substrate body  110 . As shown in  FIG. 3   b,  a layer of copper is deposited on the inner surface of the through hole  119  by electroless plating and plating techniques to form the plated through hole  115  with the electroless plating layer  115 A and first conductive layer  116 . The plated through hole  115  electrically connects the first trace layer  113  to the second trace layer  114 . In this step, the plated through hole  115  is hollow and not filled up. The first conductive layer  116  is exposed on the inner surface of the plated through hole  115 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3   c,  dry films  11 ,  12  are respectively formed on the upper surface  111  and lower surface  112  of the substrate body  110 . After exposure and development, the dry films  11 ,  12  cover respectively a portion of the first trace layer  113  and a portion of the second trace layer  114  and expose the first conductive layer  116 , first terminal  117  and second terminal  118 . Afterward, the dielectric layer  120  is formed on the first conductive layer  116 , first terminal  117  and second terminal  118  by electrophoretic deposition. In this embodiment, the dielectric layer  120  is made of polyimide (PI). The polyimide precursor is first formed on the surface of the metal portion by electrophoretic deposition and then baked to form the polyimide. The reaction mechanism of forming the dielectric layer  120  by electrophoretic deposition is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
   After removing the dry films  11 ,  12 , as shown in  FIG. 3   d,  dry films  21 ,  22  are respectively formed on the upper surface  111  and lower surface  112  of the substrate body  110 . In this embodiment, after exposure and development, the dry films  21 ,  22  expose a portion of the dielectric layer  120 , a portion of the upper surface  111  and a portion of the lower surface  112 . Afterward, an electroless plating layer  131  is formed on the exposed portions of the dielectric layer  120 , upper surface  111  and lower surface  112 . As shown in  FIG. 3   e,  the second conductive layer  130  is then formed on the electroless plating layer  131  by plating. The second conductive layer  130  is electrically isolated from the first conductive layer  116  and electrically connects the first trace layer  113  to the second trace layer  114 . Last, the dry films  21 ,  22  are removed and the substrate body  110  is prepared by thermal lamination, plating or otherwise to form the substrate  100  having a multilayer plated through hole. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , a substrate  200  with a multilayer plated through hole according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate body  210  having opposing upper and lower surface  211 ,  212 . The substrate body  210  has a first trace layer  213 , a second trace layer  214  and a plated through hole  215 . A series of conductive layers and dielectric layers are formed on the inner surface of the plated through hole  215  in order. The plated through hole  215  includes a first conductive layer  216  formed on the inner surface thereof and the first conductive layer  216  electrically connects the first trace layer  213  to the second trace layer  214 . A first dielectric layer  220  is formed on the inner surface of the plated through hole  215  by deposition and covers a portions of the first trace layer  213  and a portion of the second trace layer  214 . A second conductive layer  230  is formed on the first dielectric layer  220  and electrically isolated from the first conductive layer  216  by the first dielectric layer  220 . In this embodiment, the second conductive layer  230  is a metal shielding layer that is electrically independent or connected only to the grounding of the substrate  200 . A second dielectric layer  240  is formed in the plated through hole  215  and on the second conductive layer  230  by deposition. A third conductive layer  250  is formed in the plated through hole  215  and on the second dielectric layer  240 . The second dielectric layer  240  electrically isolates the second conductive layer  230  from the third conductive layer  250 . The third conductive layer  250  is in electrical contact with the first trace layer  213  and the second trace layer  214 . The second conductive layer  230  can eliminate a crosstalk between the first conductive layer  216  and third conductive layer  250  thereby increasing the electrical performance of the plated through hole  215  in the substrate  200 . 
   Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Technology Category: 5