Method of manufacturing through-glass vias
A method of forming a through-glass via hole involves providing a glass substrate having first and second substantially planar parallel surfaces; masking the first and second substantially planar parallel surfaces to form a via-patterned portion thereon; and etching the via-patterned portion on the first and second substantially planar parallel surfaces to form a first channel in the first substantially planar parallel surface and a second channel in the second substantially planar parallel surface. The first channel and second channel are substantially orthogonal or non-orthogonal to one another. The first channel and the second channel intersect to form a quadrilateral through-glass via hole having via openings at the first and second substantially planar parallel surfaces. A low cost, low complexity and high reliability method for producing a glass substrate having a plurality of through-glass via holes such that the glass substrate can be used, for example, as an interposer.
1. A method of forming a through-glass via hole, said method comprising:
providing a glass substrate having first and second substantially planar parallel surfaces, wherein the glass substrate has a thickness of at least about 20 microns;
masking the first and second substantially planar parallel surfaces to form a via-patterned portion thereon; and
etching the via-patterned portion on the first and second substantially planar parallel surfaces to form a first channel in the first substantially planar parallel surface and a second channel in the second substantially planar parallel surface,
wherein the first channel and second channel are substantially orthogonal to one another, and
wherein the first channel and the second channel intersect to form a quadrilateral through-glass via hole having via openings at the first and second substantially planar parallel surfaces.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a plurality of first channels in the first substantially planar parallel surface and a plurality of second channels in the second substantially planar parallel surface.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising forming a plurality of through-glass via holes in the glass substrate.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising filling the plurality of through-glass via holes with precision beads or rods of a conductive material.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising filling the plurality of through-glass via holes with precision beads or rods of a conductive material with the use of a vibration table.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the first and second channels includes exposing the first and second planar parallel surfaces to a wet etchant to form the first channel in the first surface and the second channel in the second surface.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the through-glass via hole has substantially vertical sidewalls.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coating at least a portion of the through-glass via hole with a conductive thin film that is continuous through the via hole from the first surface to the second surface.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the conductive thin film has a thickness that is between about 0.1 and 5 microns.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising eliminating any remaining masking material used in the formation of the via-patterned portion.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mounting at least one of a MEMS or IC device on the first surface of the glass substrate and electrically connecting the MEMS or IC device to the conductive thin film in the through-glass via hole.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising mounting an electrical component on the second surface of the glass substrate, wherein at least one of the MEMS or IC device is electrically connected to the electrical component through the conductive thin film in the through-glass via hole.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filling the through-glass via hole with precision beads or rods of a conductive material.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filling the through-glass via hole with precision beads or rods of a conductive material with the use of a vibration table.
15. An electrical device comprising:
a glass substrate having first and second substantially planar parallel surfaces, wherein the glass substrate has a thickness of at least about 20 microns;
a first channel in the first substantially planar parallel surface and a second channel in the second substantially planar parallel surface,
wherein the first channel and second channel are substantially orthogonal to one another, and
wherein the first channel and the second channel intersect to form a quadrilateral through-glass via hole having via openings at the first and second substantially planar parallel surfaces.
16. The electrical device of claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of first channels in the first substantially planar parallel surface and a plurality of second channels in the second substantially planar parallel surface.
17. The electrical device of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of through-glass via holes in the glass substrate.
18. The electrical device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of through-glass via holes are filled with precision beads or rods of a conductive material.
19. The electrical device of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of through-glass via holes are filled with precision beads or rods of a conductive material with the use of a vibration table.
20. The electrical device of claim 15 , wherein the first and second channels are formed by exposing the first and second planar parallel surfaces to a wet etchant to form the first channel in the first surface and the second channel in the second surface.
21. The electrical device of claim 15 , wherein the through-glass via hole has substantially vertical sidewalls.
22. The electrical device of claim 15 , further comprising a coating on at least a portion of the through-glass via hole with a conductive thin film that is continuous through the via hole from the first surface to the second surface.
23. The electrical device of claim 15 , wherein the thickness of the conductive thin film is between about 0.1 and 5 microns.
24. The electrical device of claim 15 , further comprising at least one of a MEMS or IC device mounted on the first surface of the glass substrate that is electrically connected to the conductive thin film in the through-glass via hole.
25. The electrical device of claim 24 , further comprising an electrical component mounted on the second surface of the glass substrate, wherein at least one of the MEMS or IC device is electrically connected to the electrical component through the conductive thin film in the through-glass via hole.
26. The electrical device of claim 15 , comprising an interposer.
27. The electrical device of claim 15 , wherein the through-glass via hole is filled with precision beads or rods of a conductive material.
28. The electrical device of claim 15 , wherein the through-glass via hole is filled with precision beads or rods of a conductive material with the use of a vibration table.