Low profile discrete electronic components and applications of same
View Patent ↗Disclosed are low profile discrete electronic component structures that are suitable for placement and use in a vertical interconnection mode either within an electronic interconnection substrate, between interconnection substrate and electronic component or within an IC package.
1. A multi-layer electronic structure comprising:
first and second conductive layers disposed substantially parallel to one another;
a resistive layer disposed between the first and second conductive layers, the resistive layer having a first resistive circuit path that includes a first terminus and a second terminus,
a first insulating layer disposed between the resistive layer and the first conductive layer;
a second insulating layer disposed between the resistive layer and the second conductive layer;
a first through hole in the first insulating layer extending from the first conductive layer to the first terminus; and,
a second through hole in the second insulating layer extending from the second conductive layer to the second terminus; wherein a straight line extending from the first terminus to the second terminus is substantially parallel to the first conductive layer.
2. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 wherein a separation distance between the first and second insulating layers is less than 500 μm.
3. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 wherein a separation distance between the first and second insulating layers is less than 100 μm.
4. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 wherein the first resistive circuit path follows a geometrically non-linear path between the first terminus and the second terminus.
5. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 4 wherein the geometrically non-linear path comprises at least one sharp angle.
6. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 5 wherein the at least one sharp angle comprises at least one right angle.
7. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 5 wherein the first resistive circuit path includes at least one segment that is not parallel to the first conductive layer.
8. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the discrete electronic device is either a cylinder or a polyhedron in shape, the shape having a height measured from the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer, and wherein a polyhedron shape further has width defined by a linear distance across the first conductive layer.
9. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 8 , wherein the height is less than the width.
10. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 wherein the multi-layer electrical structure comprises a printed circuit.
11. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 wherein the multi-layer electrical structure comprises an IC package.
12. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 , the resistive layer further comprising a second resistive circuit path.
13. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 wherein at least portion of the first resistive circuit path is substantially parallel to the first conductive layer.
14. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 wherein the first resistive circuit path follows a geometrically linear path between the first terminus and the second terminus.
15. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 wherein the first insulating layer abuts a surface of the resistive layer.
16. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 15 wherein the second insulating layer abuts a surface of the resistive layer.
17. The multi-layer electronic structure of claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of the first through hole comprises a conductive coating.