TH42699A - A single-plane power circuit board with two signals. - Google Patents

Abstract

The DC60 method of fabricating a printed circuit board or circuit card involves arranging a metal layer, which acts as a power plane, sandwiched between a pair of optically patterned dielectric layers. Through-holes, optically filled metal, and interlayer conductors are placed within the optically patterned material, and the signal circuitry is located on the surface of each dielectric material and connected to the interlayer conductors and through-holes. The boundary may be around the board or card with the metal layer ending at the edge of one of the dielectric layers. A thin copper sheet is arranged with holes so that the first and second layers made of optically patterned, hardened dielectric material are placed on opposite sides of the optically patterned copper. Patterns are created on the first and second layers made of optically patterned material. To expose the metallic layer through a conductor, through-holes are created in the copper through-holes, where holes are patterned in the two dielectric layers. Then, on the optically applicable surface, the interlayer conductors and through-holes are metallicized by copper plating. This should be done by shielding the remaining circuitry with a photoresistive material and offset printing techniques. Afterwards, the photoresistive material is removed, and the circuit board or card is metallicized on both sides, the interlayer conductors extend from both sides to the central copper layer, and the metallicized through-holes connect to the outer copper circuit layer. In both printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication methods, a metallic layer is arranged to act as a power plane sandwiched between a pair of optically applicable dielectric layers. The optically applicable metallicized through-holes and the metallicized interlayer conductors are located in the optically applicable material, and the signal circuitry is on the surface of the dielectric material. Each dielectric is connected to the interlayer current conductor and through holes that are plated. The boundary may be around a panel or card with a metal layer that ends from the edge of one of the dielectric layers. A thin copper sheet is provided with holes for the first and second layers made of a photodeformable, catalytic dielectric material. A pattern is created on the first and second layers made of the photodeformable material to expose the metal layer through the interlayer current conductor. Through holes are created at the holes in the copper where the holes are patterned in both dielectric layers. Afterwards, the photodeformable surface, the interlayer current conductor, and the through holes are metallized by copper plating. This should be done by shielding the rest of the circuit with a photoresistible material and offset printing technique. Afterwards, the photoresistible material is removed, and the circuit panel or card is metallized on both sides, the interlayer current conductor. Layers protrude from both sides towards the copper layer in the center, through holes that are plated and connected to the copper layers forming the outer circuit on both sides.

Claims (8)

1. A printed circuit board consists of a single metal layer sandwiched between a pair of dielectric layers. Each of these dielectric layers is constructed from a solidified, optically imprinted dielectric material, and each has an outer boundary, a perimeter surrounding the circuit board, which is comprised of a metal layer that terminates at a distance spaced from the edge of one of the dielectric layers and adjacent to the edge of the other dielectric layer. The metallization on each of the first and second such layers forms the circuit system on the first and second layers of the optically imprinted material, and the current-carrying conductors between the layers, the metallized electrical conductors in the first and second layers of the optically imprinted material, are connected to the circuit system and terminate at the metal layer. 2. The invention, as described in claim 1, retains its distinctive feature of a metal-plated through-hole protruding through each layer made of dielectric material and through the metal layer. 3. The invention, as described in claim 2, in which the metal-plated through hole is electrically connected to a circuit system on both dielectric materials. 4. The invention, as described in Claim 1, in which a number of circuit boards are assembled into a single integrated board connected by the extent of a dielectric layer of such material. 5. The invention, as described in claim 1, in which the metal layer is copper. 6. The invention, as described in claim 1, in which the circuit system is made of copper. 7. A printed circuit board (PCB) consisting of metal layers sandwiched between pairs of dielectric layers, where each dielectric layer is constructed with a hardened, optically imprinted dielectric material. The metallicization of each first and second layer creates a circuit system on the first and second layers of the optically imprinted material, and current-carrying conductors between the metallic layers, at least in the first layer of the optically imprinted material, are connected to this circuit system and to the metal layers and openings in the metal layers and in the first and second layers of the optically imprinted material. These openings are metallically imprinted to connect at least a portion of the circuit system on the first layer to a portion of the circuit system on the second layer, without touching the metal layer. 8. The invention, as described in claim 7, in which holes and current-carrying structures between such holes in the dielectric material are created by light.