Porous alumina templates for electronic packages
Interposers and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an interposer includes a region having first and second oppositely facing surfaces and a plurality of pores, each pore extending in a first direction from the first surface towards the second surface, wherein alumina extends along a wall of each pore; a plurality of electrically conductive connection elements extending in the first direction, consisting essentially of aluminum and being electrically isolated from one another by at least the alumina; a first conductive path provided at the first surface for connection with a first component external to the interposer; and a second conductive path provided at the second surface for connection with a second component external to the interposer, wherein the first and second conductive paths are electrically connected through at least some of the connection elements.
1. A method of fabricating an interposer, comprising:
forming a plurality of pores in a region consisting of aluminum, each pore extending in a first direction from a first surface of the region towards a second surface opposite the first surface, and having alumina extending along a wall of each pore, the forming performed such that portions of the region remain as a plurality of electrically conductive connection elements extending in the first direction, the connection elements consisting essentially of aluminum and being electrically isolated from one another by at least the alumina extending along the walls of the pores;
forming a first conductive path at the first surface for connection with a first component external to the interposer; and
forming a second conductive path at the second surface for connection with a second component external to the interposer,
wherein the first and second conductive paths are electrically connected through at least some of the connection elements.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive paths are at least one of a plurality of contacts or a redistribution layer (RDL).
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each pore has a diameter of less than 2 micrometers.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the first conductive path further comprises:
forming a plurality of first contacts adjacent to the first surface for connection with the first component external to the interposer; and
wherein forming the second conductive path further comprises:
forming a plurality of second contacts adjacent to the second surface for connection with the second component external to the interposer,
wherein at least some of the first contacts are electrically connected with at least some corresponding second contacts through the connection elements.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising partially or fully filling at least some of the pores with a material.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the material used to partially or fully fill the at least some of the pores is at least one of a conductive or dielectric material.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection elements are remaining portions of the region consisting of aluminum located outside of the plurality of pores.