# US 11,452,212 B2 · Component carrier with electrically conductive layer structures having windows defined by a conformal mask and tapering at least partially > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,452,212 B2 - Document ID: US11452212B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/949,203 - Filed: 2020-10-20 - Published: 2021-04-29 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-23 - Assignees: AT&S (China) Co. Ltd. - Applicants: AT&S (China) Co. Ltd. - Inventors: Mikael Tuominen; Seok Kim Tay; Sally Sun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11452212B2 ## CPC - H05K 3/0032: {of organic insulating material} - H05K 1/115: {Via connections; Lands around holes or via connections (H05K1/112 takes precedence)} - H05K 3/0094: {Filling or covering plated through-holes or blind plated vias, e.g. for masking or for mechanical reinforcement} - H05K 3/427: {initial plating of through-holes in metal-clad substrates} - H05K 1/185: associated with components encapsulated in the insulating substrate of the PCBs; associated with components incorporated in internal layers of multilayer circuit boards - H05K 2201/09827: Tapered, e.g. tapered hole, via or groove - H05K 2201/09854: Hole or via having special cross-section, e.g. elliptical - H05K 2203/0723: Electroplating, e.g. finish plating - H05K 2203/107: Using laser light - H05K 2203/1476: Same or similar kind of process performed in phases, e.g. coarse patterning followed by fine patterning - H05K 2203/1572: Processing both sides of a PCB by the same process; Providing a similar arrangement of components on both sides; Making interlayer connections from two sides - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract 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. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The component carrier according to claim 1, wherein the electrically insulating layer structure is a core. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The component carrier according to claim 1, wherein a component is embedded in the electrically insulating layer structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The component carrier according to claim 1, wherein the laser through hole has a central cylindrical section between two opposing tapering sections. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises: selectively etching away exposed material of the respective electrically conductive layer structure.