DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR MAKING AND USING CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES HAVING PATTERNS OF DEFORMABLE CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL FORMED THEREIN
Devices, systems, and methods for making and using circuit assemblies having a pattern of deformable conductive material formed therein are disclosed herein. In various aspects, a circuit assembly can include a substrate layer; a first pattern of deformable conductive material formed on a surface of the substrate layer using a removable stencil; and a first stacked layer configured to cover at least a portion of the first pattern of deformable conductive material.
1 . A method for manufacturing a circuit assembly, the method comprising:
providing a substrate layer comprising a substrate material;
placing a removable stencil comprising a stencil material on a surface of the substrate layer, wherein the removable stencil has a thickness and a pattern of passages formed therein;
depositing a deformable conductive material to at least partially fill the pattern of passages;
removing the removable stencil from the surface of the substrate layer to leave a first pattern of deformable conductive material formed on the substrate layer, wherein the first pattern of deformable conductive material can comprise at least one gap;
covering at least a portion of the first pattern of deformable conductive material with a first stacked layer, wherein the first stacked layer is an insulation layer, an encapsulation layer, or a combination thereof; and
unitizing the circuit assembly, wherein unitizing the circuit assembly causes the at least one gap to heal.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pattern of passages comprises a trace feature having a trace width, a trace flare feature having a trace flare width, a staggered pattern of trace flare features, a tab having a tab width, a via feature having a via diameter, or a combination thereof.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deformable conductive material comprises a viscosity, and wherein the viscosity is optimized such that the deformable conductive material heals upon the unitization but not such that the deformable conductive material overly deforms and does not achieve an intended pattern.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an adhesive characteristic of the deformable conductive material, a viscosity of the deformable conductive material, or a combination thereof are optimized such that the deformable conductive material remains on the substrate layer upon removal of the removable stencil and does not adhere to the pattern of passages of the removable stencil thereby lifting the deformable conductive material off of the substrate layer.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein unitizing the circuit assembly comprises heating at least a portion of the circuit assembly.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein unitizing the circuit assembly comprises applying pressure to at least one surface of the circuit assembly.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing at least one opening in the first stacked layer, the substrate layer, or a combination thereof.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after covering the at least a portion of the first pattern of deformable conductive material with the first stacked layer, placing the removable stencil on the first stacked layer, repeating the steps of depositing the deformable conductive material and removing the removable stencil to form a second pattern of deformable conductive material on the first stacked layer, and covering at least a portion of the second pattern of deformable conductive material with a second stacked layer.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising unitizing the circuit assembly including the substrate layer, the first stacked layer, and the second stacked layer, wherein the unitizing causes at least one gap of the second pattern of deformable conductive material to heal.
10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising, after covering at least a portion of the second pattern of deformable conductive material with the second stacked layer, placing the removable stencil on the second stacked layer, repeating the steps of depositing the deformable conductive material and removing the removable stencil to form a third pattern of deformable conductive material on the second stacked layer, and covering at least a portion of the third pattern of deformable conductive material with a third stacked layer.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising unitizing the circuit assembly including the substrate layer, the first stacked layer, the second stacked layer, and the third stacked layer, wherein the unitizing causes at least one gap of the third pattern of deformable conductive material to heal.
12 . The method claim 10 , further comprising, after covering at least a portion of the third pattern of deformable conductive material with the third stacked layer, repeating the steps of placing the removable stencil, depositing the deformable conductive material, removing the removable stencil, and covering at least a portion of the resulting pattern of deformable conductive material until a desired number of layers has been achieved.
13 . The method claim 12 , further including unitizing the circuit assembly including the desired number of layers.
14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching an electrical component to the substrate layer or the first stacked layer.
15 . A circuit assembly comprising:
a substrate layer;
a first pattern of deformable conductive material formed on a surface of the substrate layer using a removable stencil; and
a first stacked layer configured to cover at least a portion of the first pattern of deformable conductive material.
16 . The circuit assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first stacked layer is unitized to a surface of the substrate layer.
17 . The circuit assembly of claim 16 , further comprising:
a second pattern of deformable conductive material formed on a surface of the first stacked layer; and
a second stacked layer unitized to a surface of the first stacked layer;
wherein the second pattern of deformable conductive material is formed using the removable stencil.
18 . The circuit assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first pattern of the deformable conductive material comprises:
a pattern of contact points configured to correspond to at least one terminal of an electrical component;
a pattern of traces; or
a combination thereof.
19 . The circuit assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first pattern of deformable conductive material comprises a conductive gel.
20 . The circuit assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first pattern of deformable conductive material comprises a gallium alloy.