Component carrier with electrically conductive layer structures having windows defined by a conformal mask and tapering at least partially
A component carrier includes an electrically insulating layer structure, a first electrically conductive layer structure, a second electrically conductive layer structure, and a laser through-hole with an electrically conductive medium filling at least part of the through-hole. The first electrically conductive layer structure covers a first side of the electrically insulating layer structure and has a first window extending through the first electrically conductive layer structure formed by etching using a conformal mask. The second electrically conductive layer structure covers an opposed side of the electrically insulating layer structure and has a second window extending through the second electrically conductive layer structure formed by etching using a conformal mask. The laser through-hole extends through the electrically insulating layer structure. At least a portion of at least one sidewall of the electrically conductive layer structures delimiting the windows is tapered.
1. A component carrier, comprising:
an electrically insulating layer structure;
a first electrically conductive layer structure covering a front side of the electrically insulating layer structure and having a first window extending through the first electrically conductive layer structure formed by etching using a conformal mask;
a second electrically conductive layer structure covering a back side of the electrically insulating layer structure and having a second window extending through the second electrically conductive layer structure formed by etching using a conformal mask;
a laser through-hole extending through the electrically insulating layer structure; and
an electrically conductive filling medium filling at least a part of the laser through-hole;
wherein at least a portion of at least one sidewall of the electrically conductive layer structures delimiting the windows is tapering,
wherein the laser through hole is X-shaped having a lateral offset between a center of the first window and a center of the second window which is different from another lateral offset between a center of a first tapering section of the laser through-hole in a front side portion of the electrically insulating layer structure and a center of a second tapering section of the laser through-hole in a back side portion of the electrically insulating layer structure.
2. The component carrier according to claim 1 , wherein a lateral overhang of at least one of the first electrically conductive layer structure and the second electrically conductive layer structure beyond a side wall of the electrically insulating layer structure delimiting the laser through hole is less than 5 μm.
3. The component carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulating layer structure is a core.
4. The component carrier according to claim 1 , wherein a component is embedded in the electrically insulating layer structure.
5. The component carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the laser through hole has a central cylindrical section between two opposing tapering sections.
6. The component carrier according to claim 1 , wherein sidewalls of the first electrically conductive layer structure delimiting the first window are tapering towards the electrically insulating layer structure.
7. The component carrier according to claim 1 , wherein sidewalls of the second electrically conductive layer structure delimiting the second window are tapering towards the electrically insulating layer structure.
8. A method of manufacturing a component carrier, comprising:
forming a first window extending through a first electrically conductive layer structure covering a front side of an electrically insulating layer structure by etching using a conformal mask;
forming a second window extending through a second electrically conductive layer structure covering a back side of the electrically insulating layer structure by etching using a further conformal mask;
forming a laser through-hole extending through the electrically insulating layer structure; and
filling at least a part of the laser through-hole with an electrically conductive filling medium,
wherein at least a portion of at least one sidewall of the electrically conductive layer structures delimiting the windows is tapering,
wherein the laser through hole is X-shaped having a lateral offset between a center of the first window and a center of the second window which is different from another lateral offset between a center of a first tapering section of the laser through-hole in a front side portion of the electrically insulating layer structure and a center of a second tapering section of the laser through-hole in a back side portion of the electrically insulating layer structure.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein forming the respective window comprises covering the respective electrically conductive layer structure with a sacrificial layer, irradiating the sacrificial layer with a patterned beam of electromagnetic radiation, and removing selectively only the irradiated or only the non-irradiated sections of the sacrificial layer.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
selectively etching away exposed material of the respective electrically conductive layer structure.