Uphill screen printing in the manufacturing of microelectronic components

A method of forming at least one electrically conductive trace on a substrate comprising:

• providing a substrate having at least one face and having a dielectric structure of a preselected configuration formed on the at least one face of the substrate, the dielectric structure having at least one first surface vertically distanced from the substrate;
• providing a print screen having a first side and a second side and positioning the second side of the print screen opposite the at least one first surface of the dielectric structure of the substrate;
• providing and biasing a squeegee of a preselected hardness against the first side of the print screen toward the substrate, thereby forming an angle between at least a portion of the second side of the print screen forward of the squeegee and the at least one first surface of the dielectric structure;
• screen printing an electrically conductive substance onto the at least one face of the substrate located below the at least one first surface of the dielectric structure to form at least one electrically conductive trace;
• screen printing the electrically conductive substance onto at least a portion of the at least one first surface of the dielectric structure so as to further form and extend the at least one electrically conductive trace from the substrate to the at least one first surface of the dielectric structure;
• limiting the angle formed between the at least a portion of the second side of the print screen and the at least one first surface of the dielectric structure to an angle not exceeding approximately 15° while screen printing the at least one first surface of the dielectric structure;
• and
• firing the substrate.