IP Library Granted Patent US 12690457
Granted Patent B2
US 12690457 · App. 17/858,512 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Thermal transfer, management and integrated control structure

Inventors: Jeb H. Flemming (Albuquerque, NM); Jeff A. Bullington (Orlando, FL); Kyle McWethy (Albuquerque, NM)
Assignee: 3D Glass Solutions, Inc.
H10W40/259H05K1/0206H05K1/0209H10W20/427H05K2201/093H05K2201/1056
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12690457
App. No.
17/858,512
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention includes a method of making a thermal management and signal control structure comprising forming in a substrate heat conductive vias and control vias, power vias, and ground vias, wherein the heat conductive vias and the control vias, power vias, and vias are aligned to a first metal plate on a first side of the substrate, wherein the control vias, power vias, and ground vias are surrounded by a glass layer; forming a second metal plate on a second side of the substrate, wherein the second metal plate is connected to the heat conductive vias; and forming a pad on each of the control vias, power vias, and ground vias, wherein each pad is configured to electrically connect the thermal management and signal control structure to at least one of: a printed circuit board, an integrated circuit, or a power management unit.

Claims (40)

1 . A method of making a thermal management and electrical connectivity structure comprising:

forming on a first side of a photodefinable glass (PDG) substrate a plurality of vias capable of serving as one or more heat conductive vias and at least one of one or more control vias, one or more power vias, and one or more ground vias, by:

forming a first patterned photoresist layer with one or more first via patterns on the first side of the PDG substrate, exposing the first patterned photoresist layer to a UV energy to activate exposed portions of the PDG substrate, removing the first patterned photoresist layer, and baking the PDG substrate to convert the exposed portions of the PDG substrate to a ceramic phase to form ceramic vias in the PDG substrate;

forming on a second side of the PDG substrate the one or more heat conductive vias and the at least one of one or more control vias, one or more power vias, and one or more ground vias, by:

forming a second patterned photoresist layer with the one or more via patterns on the second side of the PDG substrate, wherein the one or more second via patterns on the second side are aligned with the one or more first via patterns on the first side, exposing the second patterned photoresist layer to a UV energy that activates exposed portions of the PDG substrate, removing the second patterned photoresist layer, chemically etching the second side of the PDG substrate to remove the ceramic vias down to a metal plate pattern on the second side of the PDG substrate, depositing a first titanium adhesion layer on the PDG substrate, depositing a copper layer on the first titanium adhesion layer, and electroplating the PDG substrate to fill the one or more heat conductive vias and the at least one of one or more control vias, one or more power vias, and one or more ground vias with copper to form copper vias;

forming on the first side of the PDG substrate a heat conductive plate by:

forming a third patterned photoresist layer, and depositing a second titanium adhesion layer on the first side of the PDG substrate;

depositing a copper layer on the second titanium adhesion layer to form the heat conductive plate and to connect the one or more heat conductive vias formed on the first side to the heat conductive plate on the PDG substrate; and

etching away any remaining ceramic and glass to expose the copper vias and form air cavities therebetween, wherein a glass column surrounds and provides at least one of electrical isolation or mechanical support to the at least one of one or more control vias, one or more power vias, and one or more ground vias.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the PDG substrate is a semiconductor, ceramic, sapphire, or a photodefinable material.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the PDG substrate comprises a composition of: 60 to 76 weight % silica; at least 3 weight % K 2 O with 6 to 16 weight % of a combination of K 2 O and Na 2 O; 0.003 to 1 weight % of at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of Ag 2 O andAu 2 O; 0.003 to 2 weight % Cu 2 O; 0.75 to 7 weight % B 2 O 3 , and 6 to 7 weight % Al 2 O 3 ; and the combination of B 2 O 3 ; and Al 2 O 3 not exceeding 13 weight %; 8 to 15 weight % Li 2 O; and 0.001 to 0.1 weight % CeO 2 .

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the PDG substrate comprises a composition of: 35 to 76 weight % silica, 3 to 16 weight % K 2 O, 0.003 to 1 weight % Ag 2 O, 8 to 15 weight % Li 2 O, and 0.001 to 0.1 weight % CeO 2 .

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the PDG substrate is at least one of: a PDG substrate comprising at least 0.1 weight % Sb 2 O 3 or As 2 O 3 ; a PDG substrate comprising 0.003 to 1 weight % Au 2 O; or a PDG substrate comprising 1 to 18 weight % of an oxide selected from the group consisting of CaO, ZnO, PbO, MgO, SrO and BaO; and a PDG substrate having an anisotropic-etch ratio of exposed portion to the unexposed portion of at least one of 10 to 20:1; 21 to 29:1; 30 to45: 1; 20 to 40:1; 41 to 45:1; and 30 to 50:1.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the PDG substrate is a photosensitive glass ceramic composite substrate comprising at least one of silica, lithium oxide, aluminum oxide, or cerium oxide.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the thermal management and electrical connectivity structure into a feature of at least one or more electronic circuits, or one or more passive and active components to form a bandpass filter, a low-pass filter, a high-pass filter, a shunt, or a notch filter.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a center-to-center spacing between the vias of the plurality of vias capable of serving as one or more heat conductive vias is 10, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 90, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225 or 250 μm, wherein each heat conductive via has a diameter of 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 90, 100, 125, 150, 175, to 200 μm, and wherein each heat conductive via has a via depth of 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 90, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 300, 400, 500, 600, 800, 900, or 1000 μm.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a center-to-center spacing of the vias capable of serving as the at least one of one or more control vias, the one or more power vias, and the one or more ground vias is 10, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 90, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225 or 250 μm for the control, power, and ground via patterns.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer, the vias capable of serving as the one or more heat conductive vias and the at least one of one or more control vias, the one or more power vias, and the one or more ground vias comprise Cu or Al.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer, the vias capable of serving as the one or more heat conductive vias and the at least one of one or more control vias, the one or more power vias, and the one or more ground vias have a thickness of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, or 1,000 nm.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a pad on each of the vias capable of serving as the at least one of one or more control vias, one or more power vias, and one or more ground vias on the first and second side of the PDG substrate.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising electrically connecting each pad on the first and second sides of the thermal management and electrical connectivity structure to at least one of: a printed circuit board, an integrated circuit, or a power management unit.

14 . A method of making a thermal management and electrical connectivity structure comprising:

forming on a first side of a photodefinable glass (PDG) substrate a first patterned photoresist layer with one or more first via patterns that comprise a plurality of vias capable of serving as one or more heat conductive vias and at least one of one or more control vias, one or more power vias, and one or more ground vias, wherein the one or more first via patterns are aligned to a metal plate pattern on the first side of the PDG substrate;

exposing the first side of the PDG substrate on which the first patterned photoresist layer has been formed to a UV energy that activates portions of the PDG substrate exposed to the UV energy;

removing the patterned photoresist layer;

baking the PDG substrate to convert the UV-exposed portions of the PDG substrate to a ceramic phase to form ceramic in the vias in the PDG substrate;

forming on a second side of the PDG substrate a second patterned photoresist layer with one or more second via patterns, wherein the one or more second via patterns are aligned with the one or more first via patterns on the first side of the PDG substrate;

exposing the second side of the PDG substrate on which the second patterned photoresist layer has been formed to a UV energy that activates portions of the PDG substrate exposed to the UV energy;

removing the second patterned photoresist layer;

depositing a first titanium adhesion layer on the first side of the PDG substrate;

depositing a first metal layer on the first titanium adhesion layer;

chemically etching the second side of the PDG substrate to remove the ceramic in the vias;

electroplating the PDG substrate to fill the vias with copper to form copper vias;

lapping and polishing the first side of the PDG substrate;

forming on the first side of the PDG substrate a third patterned photoresist layer to form a first plate;

depositing a second titanium adhesion layer on the first side of the PDG substrate;

depositing a second metal layer on the second titanium adhesion layer to form the first plate and to connect the copper vias formed on the first side to the first plate on the PDG substrate;

etching away any remaining ceramic and glass to expose the copper vias and form air cavities therebetween; and

forming a pad on each of the at least one of one or more control vias, one or more power vias, and one or more ground vias.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first or second metal layer, the vias capable of serving as the one or more heat conductive vias and the at least one of one or more control vias, one or more power vias, and one or more ground vias comprise Cu or Al.