DE102023105398A1 - Additively manufactured MID electronic component - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method for producing a carrier (4) for a MID electronic component (2), a core body (12) with recesses (14) on the surface (8) of the carrier (4) is produced from a first plastic (18a) using an additive manufacturing process, and the recesses (14) are filled with starting electrodes (16) made of a second plastic (18b) which form conductor regions (10) for conductors (6) on the surface (8) of the carrier (4) and which complete the carrier (4), wherein the first plastic (18a) insulates the electrical conductors (6) on the starting electrodes (16) from one another and the second plastic (18b) is suitable for the direct application of the conductors (6) by an electroplating process.
In a method for producing a MID electronic component, the carrier (4) is produced by the method and the conductors (6) are applied to the carrier (4) by the electroplating method.
A carrier (4) contains the core body (12) made of the first plastic (18a) and the starting electrodes (16) made of the second plastic (18b).
A MID electronic component (2) contains the carrier (4) and electrical conductors (6) on its conductor areas (10).

Description

The invention relates to a MID electronic component (Mechatronic Integrated Device).

From the DE 10 2014 206 558 A1 A MID manufacturing process is known in the form of laser direct structuring (LDS). In LDS, metallic nuclei, e.g. small metal particles, are incorporated into the plastic material, which is then suitably shaped using the injection molding process. This is followed by structuring using a laser, which exposes the metal nuclei in a surface area to be structured. The surface area or the entire injection molded body is then subjected to passive galvanization in a galvanization bath, e.g. in a solution with CU ions. Chemical galvanization thus occurs due to the potential difference between the metal nuclei and the copper ions in the solution, which forms a first metallization layer, generally made of unalloyed copper. After the first metal layer of passive galvanization has been formed, active galvanization can then take place by applying an electrical potential, i.e. an electrical voltage to a suitable galvanization bath, to the individual conductor tracks formed. Active galvanization can be carried out more quickly and enables the use of specific materials, e.g. to form an alloy of gold and nickel with higher ductility and better material properties.

The object of the present invention is to propose improvements with regard to MID electronic components.

The object is achieved by a method according to patent claim 1. Preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention and other categories of invention emerge from the further claims, the following description and the attached figures.

The method is used to produce a carrier. The carrier is one for a designated MID electronic component. “Intended” means that the carrier is structurally tailored to a specific or a specific type of electronic component and is set up for use there; e.g. it is designed for the material and geometry requirements determined by this, etc. In other words, a particular electronic component is assumed to be known in terms of its geometry, size, material properties, etc.

The carrier to be manufactured (as the product of the manufacturing process) has a surface and at least one conductor area on its surface. A designated electrical conductor is to be applied to each of the conductor areas. "Intended" is to be understood here in the same way as above. The conductor is also assumed to be known in terms of its geometry, size, material properties, etc. The conductors complete the electronic component. In other words, the electronic component contains the carrier and the conductors attached to it.

In the process, a core body is produced from a first plastic using an additive manufacturing process. The manufacturing process is in particular a 3D printing process in which a material is ejected from a nozzle in order to gradually build up the core body from it. The core body is or becomes part of the carrier. The core body is manufactured in relation to the carrier in such a way that it has part of the surface of the carrier after completion of the process.

The core body is manufactured in such a way that it corresponds to the carrier except for the recesses: namely, in the area of each conductor area, it has a recess for a starting electrode that extends from the surface of the carrier into the carrier, and otherwise corresponds to the carrier. The recesses are then to be filled with starting electrodes as explained below. In this respect, the "carrier" or its "surface" is at least partly only an imagined/planned body/area at the moment the core body is manufactured. This is because it only comes into being as an actual surface/conductor area when the core body is completed to form the carrier with the starting electrodes (see below).

The surface and volume of the carrier therefore correspond to the surface and volume of the core body, with one exception: in the area of each conductor area of the surface of the carrier, the core body has a recess extending from the surface into the carrier for a respective starting electrode. In other words, a core body is produced that corresponds to the carrier minus the volume areas for the starting electrodes or has corresponding recesses at the location of the starting electrodes.

In the same manufacturing process, the recesses are filled with a second plastic up to the surface of the carrier, whereby the respective starting electrodes are formed from the second plastic. The part of the surface of the starting electrodes that is also part of the surface of the carrier (i.e. not in contact with the core body) forms the conductor areas and thus the corresponding surface section of the carrier.

The starting electrodes complete the core body and the carrier. In other words, the carrier is manufactured in such a way that it consists of the core body and the starting electrodes located in its recesses.

"Filling" is to be understood here as meaning that the spatial areas of the carrier (the recesses) not made from the first plastic are made from the second plastic. However, this is to be understood in particular as a single continuous manufacturing process, i.e. as a rule the entire core body is not first manufactured with recesses and then the recesses are filled with the second plastic, but rather the filling takes place as part of a continuous process by alternating the manufacture of the core body and the starting electrodes.

The first plastic is chosen so that it insulates the electrical conductors from each other in the electronic component (sufficiently for the expected voltages / currents, etc.).

The second plastic is chosen so that the starting electrode is suitable for the direct application of the conductors in the conductor areas using a proper electro-galvanic process. “Proper” is to be understood here in the same way as above. The electro-galvanic process is also assumed to be known in terms of its properties, the materials used, etc.

In other words, the starting electrodes have the property, with regard to their material, the second plastic, that the material of the conductor is deposited or deposited there during the intended electroplating process and thus the (actual) conductor is formed on the starting electrode. "Immediate application" means that the conductors can be applied directly and without any other intermediate steps / surface treatment / activation etc. to the carrier / its starting electrodes produced using the process. Further surface treatment of the carrier to make it suitable for electroplating is therefore not necessary. The manufactured starting electrodes or conductor areas are therefore suitable ad hoc to function as initial electrodes for electroplating.

The conductor has in particular a specific resistance of less than 100 Ω mm ² /m. The electronic component is in particular an MID electronic component (Mechatronic Integrated Device, MID), in particular a so-called 3-D electronic component.

The invention is based on the following findings, observations and considerations and also has the following preferred embodiments. These embodiments are sometimes referred to as "the invention" for the sake of simplicity. The embodiments can also contain parts or combinations of the above-mentioned embodiments or correspond to them and/or possibly also include embodiments not previously mentioned.

The invention is based on the knowledge that 3D electronics are traditionally manufactured using MID - LDS technology. For this purpose, a plastic is mixed with a special compound and injection-molded (comparable to the present carrier). The injected 3D part is then "structured" using a laser, i.e. the compound particles are exposed at the points where conductors are to be created later (comparable to the present conductor areas). In the next step, these allow the deposition of copper, which is chemically - galvanically deposited until a thin, coherent layer is formed. The thin conductive copper structures can now be or are contacted as electrodes and electro-galvanically reinforced. Using electro-galvanizing (comparable to the present electro-galvanizing process), larger layer thicknesses can be deposited more quickly than with just chemical ("chemical-galvanic", see above) deposition; hence the two different electroplating baths (first chemical-galvanic, then electro-galvanic). Finally, the conductor is passivated in a final bath. The conductor structure is now ready for the application of electronic components.

The invention is based on the following idea: Instead of compound and laser structuring, a conductive plastic (second plastic), e.g. a conductive composite PLA such as "Conductive PLA" from Protoplant, Inc, Makers of Protopasta, 12001 NE 60th Way, Suite B-2, Vancouver, WA 98682, USA, is printed directly during 3D printing (with the first plastic for the rest of the body). This material, which is not sufficiently conductive for electronics (as a conductor), is used as a starting point (starting electrodes are formed) to act as initial electrodes and go directly into electroplating. This means that some work steps that are time-consuming and possibly not particularly environmentally friendly can be skipped.

According to the invention, a less conductive material (second material) is directly introduced/printed (with the first material) to act as a starting electrode for electroplating. In other words: Instead of compounding and laser structuring, a conductive plastic (second material) is directly applied to the 3D Printing (with the first material). This material, which is not sufficiently conductive for electronics, is used as a starting point to attach electrodes and go directly into electroplating.

According to the invention, a highly conductive printed 3D electronics (electronic component) results.

According to the invention, the following advantages arise: No injection mold is required for the part (carrier). Compounding is eliminated. Laser structuring is eliminated. The chemical copper bath is eliminated (deposition takes several hours). By applying copper (as a conductor), conductivity values can be achieved in order to be able to manufacture larger electronics or power electronics (electronic components).

In particular, when the additive manufacturing process works layer by layer (e.g. 3D printing), the entire carrier is manufactured layer by layer in a single production step. In other words, this involves an integrated production of the core body, recesses and starting electrodes as well as the creation of the entire (outer, which points to the external space surrounding the carrier) surface of the carrier.

In a preferred embodiment, an electrical insulator is selected as the first plastic. In other words, non-conductive plastic is selected. In particular, its specific resistance is at least 10 ¹² Ω mm ² /m. Such plastics are sufficiently available, so that the method can easily be carried out with them.

In a preferred embodiment, a polylactide (PLA) is chosen as the first plastic. Such plastics are sufficiently available so that the process can be easily carried out with them.

In a preferred embodiment, the second plastic is chosen so that it is more electrically conductive than the first plastic and is also sufficiently conductive that the second plastic is suitable as a starting electrode for the (known in this respect) electroplating process. It is suitable when material is deposited on the starting electrode and this can be built up. Suitability for the electroplating process is thus achieved through the sufficient electrical conductivity (limited specific resistance) of the second plastic.

In a preferred embodiment, the second plastic is chosen so that it is less conductive than the conductor to be applied (known in this respect), i.e. it has a higher specific resistance than the latter. Such plastics are sufficiently available so that the method can be easily carried out with them. In particular, the specific resistance is therefore greater than 100 Ω mm ² /m.

In a preferred embodiment, the second plastic selected is one with a specific resistance of at least 0.1 Ω m (0.1 * 10 ⁶ Ω mm ² /m). The specific resistance refers to the printed state or manufactured state of the plastic. In particular, the specific resistance is at least 0.1 * 10 ⁶ Ω mm ² /m, in particular at least 0.3 * 10 ⁶ Ω mm ² /m. Such plastics are sufficiently available so that the process can be easily carried out with them.

In particular, an electrically conductive PLA composite was chosen as the second plastic. Such a material is particularly suitable for a 3D printing process. One such material is known, for example, as “Conductive PLA” (see above).

In a preferred embodiment, a copper conductor is selected as the intended conductor. In other words, the manufacturing process or the choice of material for the carrier is already designed for a later electro-galvanic coating with copper.

In a preferred embodiment, the additive manufacturing process is a 3D printing process. In this process, the first and second plastics are each dispensed from a nozzle of a multiple nozzle head. In other words, a double or multiple extruder is used in 3D printing. The production of the carrier, namely printing the core body and printing (“filling”) the recesses, can thus be carried out successively, layer by layer, in one work step.

The object of the invention is also achieved by a method according to claim 11. This is used to produce the above-mentioned MID electronic component. In the method, the above-mentioned carrier is first produced using the method explained above. Using the above-mentioned (intended) electro-galvanic method, the conductors are then applied to the conductor areas of the carrier. In other words, the conductors are electro-galvanically deposited on the starting electrode.

The method and at least some of its possible embodiments as well as the respective advantages have already been explained in connection with the manufacturing method for the carrier according to the invention.

The object of the invention is also achieved by a carrier according to claim 12. The carrier corresponds to the above-explained carrier for the intended MID electronic component. The carrier has at least one conductor region on its surface, with a designated electrical conductor being applied to each of the conductor regions in order to complete the electronic component. The carrier contains a core body made of a first plastic, which in the region of each conductor region has a recess for a starting electrode extending from the surface of the carrier into the carrier and otherwise corresponds to the carrier. The recesses are filled with a second plastic up to the surface of the carrier in order to form respective starting electrodes filling the recesses, the surface of which is the conductor region, with the core body being completed by the starting electrodes towards the carrier. The first plastic is selected so that the electrical conductors in the electronic component are insulated from one another by it.

The second plastic is selected so that the starting electrode is suitable for the direct application of the conductors in the conductor areas by a proper electro-galvanic process.

The carrier and at least some of its possible embodiments as well as the respective advantages have already been explained in connection with the manufacturing method according to the invention for the carrier/electronic component.

Embodiments of the carrier arise in particular in the form of the products of the embodiments of the manufacturing process explained above.

In a preferred embodiment, the carrier is produced by the method explained above.

The object of the invention is also achieved by a MID electronic component according to patent claim 14. This contains the carrier according to the invention and at least one electrical conductor applied to a respective conductor region.

The electronic component and at least some of its possible embodiments as well as the respective advantages have already been explained in connection with the manufacturing method according to the invention for the carrier/the electronic component and the carrier.

In a preferred embodiment, the electronic component is manufactured by the method explained above.

• 1 ein Elektronikbauteil einem Träger und darauf aufgebrachten elektrischen Leitern,
• 2a die Herstellung einer ersten Schicht,
• 2b die Herstellung einer zweiten Schicht,
• 2c die Herstellung einer dritten Schicht, und
• 2d die Herstellung einer vierten Schicht des Trägers aus 1.

Further features, effects and advantages of the invention emerge from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the attached figures. Each of these shows a schematic principle sketch:

• 1 an electronic component, a carrier and electrical conductors applied thereto,
• 2a the production of a first layer,
• 2b the production of a second layer,
• 2c the production of a third layer, and
• 2d the production of a fourth layer of the carrier from 1 .

1 shows an electronic component 2. This contains a carrier 4, which is illustrated in the figure by hatching. The carrier 4 has a surface 8. The surface 8 thus forms the surface of the hatched area in 1 . On the surface 8, the carrier 4 has conductor areas 10, which represent respective sections of the surface 8. In 1 the conductor areas 10 are highlighted by thickened lines.

The conductor regions 10 are sections of the surface 8 of the carrier 4 that are covered by electrical conductors 6. In other words, a conductor 6 is applied to each of the conductor regions 10. The conductors 6 are also components of the electronic component 2.

The carrier contains a core body 12, which is manufactured from a first plastic 18a using an additive manufacturing process. In the area of each conductor region 10, the core body 12 contains a recess 14, which extends from the surface 8 of the carrier 4, more precisely from its conductor regions 10, into the carrier 4. The recesses 14 are in turn completely filled up to the surface 8 / conductor region 10 with a respective start electrode 16. The start electrodes 16 are made from a second plastic 18b. The surfaces of the start electrodes 16 (those facing the outside, i.e. those that are not in contact with the core body 12) are the conductor regions 10 and thus represent part of the surface 8 of the carrier 4.

The core body 12 together with the starting electrodes 16 forms the entire carrier 4. The Surface 8 is therefore the common surface of the composite of core body 12 and starting electrodes 16.

The first plastic 18a is an electrical insulator, here polylactide (PLA) with a specific resistance greater than 10 ¹² Ω mm ² /m. The second plastic 18b is selected such that it is more electrically conductive than the first plastic 18a and that it is suitable as a starting electrode 16 for an electroplating process which serves to further manufacture the electronic component 2 from the carrier 4, namely to apply the conductors 6 to the carrier 4.

The second plastic 18b is also selected so that it is less conductive than the conductor 6 to be applied. In the example, the conductor 6 is made of copper. The second plastic 18b therefore has a higher specific resistance than copper.

The second plastic is one with a specific resistance of at least 0.3 * 10 ⁶ Ω mm ² /m in the finished state, namely an electrically conductive PLA composite, here the “Conductive PLA” mentioned above.

The additive manufacturing process used to produce the carrier 4 is a 3D printing process.

The carrier 4 is constructed with this, starting with a layer 24a and then building on it with further layers 24b, c, d,... In this case, parts of the core body 12 and the starting electrodes 16 are produced equally for each layer 24a, b, c,...

2a shows a first manufacturing step of the carrier 4 using the additive manufacturing process, namely the production of the layer 24a. The process is explained here as an example in two dimensions, but is actually carried out three-dimensionally, i.e. also perpendicular to the plane of the paper, in order to create a spatial electronic component 2. In the process, the first plastic 18a is always dispensed or output from a first nozzle 20a of a multiple nozzle head 22, which is used in the 3D printing process. The second plastic 18b is dispensed from its second nozzle 20b.

The carrier 4 is manufactured by first producing a first layer 24a. The nozzle head 22 moves in the direction of the arrow 26. In a first path section 28a, the first nozzle 20 is active and separates the first plastic 18a in order to manufacture a part of the carrier 4. In the second section 28b, the first nozzle 20a is inactive and the second plastic 18b is deposited via the second nozzle 20b in order to manufacture (spatially speaking) a part of the starting electrode 16. Finally, in the third path section 28c, the first nozzle 20 is active again and separates the first plastic 18a in order to continue manufacturing the core body 12. According to 2a Therefore, in one step/one complete layer 24a, a part of the core body 12 and a recess 14 filled with the starting electrode 16 are manufactured.

2b shows how the layer 24b is then applied to the layer 24a. In this process, the nozzle head 22 moves in the direction of the arrow 26 in a further pass. Here, only the first nozzle 20 is active throughout the entire path section 28a in order to deposit the first plastic 18a and thus continue to manufacture the core body 12.

2c shows the subsequent production of the third layer 24c of the carrier 4. Here, the first nozzle 20a is again active over the entire path section 28a in order to continue to manufacture the core body 12 with the first plastic 18a. In the path section 28b, however, a first part of another starting electrode 16 is manufactured in the corresponding recess 14. Recesses 14 are therefore areas in which the first nozzle 20a is inactive in a production layer 24a-d, i.e. no first plastic 18a is deposited. This is how the recess 14 is formed. At the same time, however, the recess 14 is filled with second plastic 18b from the second nozzle 20b in the same work step.

2d Finally, the production of the fourth layer 24d is shown. Here, on the first path section 28a, the second nozzle 20b is active in order to produce a first part of a further starting electrode 16. In the path section 28b, the core body 12 is further manufactured using the first plastic 18a. Finally, in the path section 28c, the previously started starting electrode 16 is further manufactured by depositing the second plastic 18b again.

The manufacture of the carrier 4 by the method explained is thus completed. This forms a first part of a more comprehensive manufacturing process for the entire electronic component 2. In a second part of this process, the conductors 6 are then applied or deposited on the carrier 4 or the conductor areas 10 of the surface 8 using an electroplating process. The result, the electronic component 2, is in 1 to see.

List of reference symbols

2

Electronic component

4

carrier

6

Director

8

surface

10

Ladder area

12

Core body

14

Recess

16

Starting electrode

18a,b

first, second plastic

20a,b

first, second nozzle

22

Multiple nozzle head

24a-d

layer

26

Arrow

28a-c

Route section

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102014206558 A1 [0002]

Claims (15)

Method for producing a carrier (4) for a designated MID electronic component (2), which has at least one conductor region (10) on its surface (8), wherein a designated electrical conductor (6) is to be applied to each of the conductor regions (10) in order to complete the electronic component (2), in which: - using an additive manufacturing process, a core body (12) of the carrier (4) is produced from a first plastic (18a), which in the region of each conductor region (10) has a recess (14) extending from the surface (8) of the carrier (4) into the carrier (4) for a starter electrode (16), and otherwise corresponds to the carrier (4), - in the manufacturing process, the recesses (14) are filled with a second plastic (18b) up to the surface (8) of the carrier (4) in order to form the respective starter electrodes (16), the surface of which is the conductor region (10) and which complete the core body (12) to form the carrier (4), - wherein the first plastic (18a) is selected such that it insulates the electrical conductors (6) from one another in the electronic component (2), - wherein the second plastic (18b) is selected such that the starting electrodes (16) are suitable for the direct application of the conductors (6) in the conductor regions (10) by means of a designated electro-galvanic process. Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that in the manufacturing process the recesses (14) up to the surface (8) of the carrier (4) are filled with the second plastic (18b) in such a way that this takes place as a single continuous manufacturing process within the framework of a continuous process by alternating the manufacture of the core body (12) and the starting electrodes (16). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an electrical insulator is selected as the first plastic (18a). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a polylactide is selected as the first plastic (18a). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second plastic (18b) is selected such that it is more electrically conductive than the first plastic (18a) and is sufficiently conductive that it is suitable as a starting electrode (16) for the electroplating process. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second plastic (18b) is selected such that it is less conductive than the conductor (6) to be applied. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second plastic (18b) is one with a specific resistance of at least 0.1 * 10 ⁶ Ω mm ² /m. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an electrically conductive PLA composite is selected as the second plastic (18b). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a copper conductor is selected as the intended conductor (6). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additive manufacturing method is a 3D printing method and in this the first (18a) and second plastic (18b) are each dispensed from a nozzle (20a,b) of a multiple nozzle head (22). Method for producing an MID electronic component, in which: - a carrier (4) of the electronic component (2) is produced by a method according to one of the preceding claims, - the conductors (6) are applied to the conductor regions (10) of the carrier (4) using the intended electroplating process. Carrier (4) for a designated MID electronic component (2), which has at least one conductor region (10) on its surface (8), wherein a designated electrical conductor (6) is to be applied to each of the conductor regions (10) in order to complete the electronic component (2), - with a core body (12) of the carrier (4), which is made from a first plastic (18a) and which has in the region of each conductor region (10) a recess (14) for a starting electrode (16) extending from the surface (8) of the carrier (4) into the carrier (4), and otherwise corresponds to the carrier (4), - wherein the recesses (14) are filled with a second plastic (18b) up to the surface (8) of the carrier (4) in order to form respective starting electrodes (16), the surface of which is the conductor region (10), wherein the core body (12) is connected to the carrier by the starting electrodes (16) (4) is completed, - wherein the first plastic (18a) is selected so that the electrical conductors (6) in the electronic component (2) are insulated from one another by this, - wherein the second plastic (18b) is selected such that the starting electrodes (16) are suitable for the direct application of the conductors (6) in the conductor regions (10) by means of a designated electro-galvanic process. Carrier (4) produced by a method according to one of the Claims 1 until 10 . MID electronic component (2), with the carrier (4) according to Claim 12 or 13 , and with at least one electrical conductor (6) applied to a respective conductor region (10). Electronic component (2) according to Claim 14 , produced by a process according to Claim 11 .

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