# US 2021/0243899 A1 · A pcb structure for embedding electronic components

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- Number: US 2021/0243899 A1
- Document ID: US20210243899A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/051,723
- Filed: 2019-05-02
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-03
- Assignees: University of Limerick
- Applicants: University of Limerick
- Inventors: John Harris; Jennifer Hennessy; Seamus Clifford; Mark Southern
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243899A1

## CPC

- H05K 3/04: the conductive material being removed mechanically, e.g. by punching
- H05K 1/115: {Via connections; Lands around holes or via connections (H05K1/112 takes precedence)}
- H05K 1/16: incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistors, capacitors or inductors
- H05K 3/0047: {Drilling of holes}
- H05K 3/429: {Plated through-holes specially for multilayer circuits, e.g. having connections to inner circuit layers}
- H05K 1/162: {incorporating printed capacitors}
- H05K 1/167: {incorporating printed resistors}
- H05K 2201/09845: Stepped hole, via, edge, bump or conductor
- H05K 2201/10083: Electromechanical or electro-acoustic component, e.g. microphone
- H05K 2201/10121: Optical component, e.g. opto-electronic component
- H05K 2201/10151: Sensor
- H05K 2201/10196: Variable component, e.g. variable resistor
- H05K 2203/0207: Partly drilling through substrate until a controlled depth, e.g. with end-point detection
- H05K 2203/143: Treating holes before another process, e.g. coating holes before coating the substrate
- H05K 2203/1438: Treating holes after another process, e.g. coating holes after coating the substrate
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

## Abstract

A PCB, printed circuit board, structure for forming at least one embedded electronic component. The structure comprises a multi-layer PCB board comprising at least one through-hole via, the via comprising a plurality of electrodes vertically aligned within the via, each electrode comprising a plated ring; and an isolation section separating each of the electrodes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printed circuit board (PCB) structure for forming at least one embedded printed electronic component comprising:
a multi-layer PCB board comprising at least one through-hole via comprising an inner wall, the via comprising:
a plurality of electrodes vertically aligned within the via, each electrode comprising a plated ring; and
an isolation section separating each of the electrodes,
wherein the inner wall of the via is provided with a coating of one or more electronically active materials, such that each electronically active material makes electrical contact with at least two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes to form the at least one embedded printed electronic component.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The PCB structure of claim 1, wherein the through-hole via comprises one or more stepped-holes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The PCB structure of claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the via is partially coated with the one or more electronically active materials.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The PCB structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronically active materials comprise one or more of: a conductor, a semiconductor and a dielectric.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The PCB structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronically active materials comprise materials whose properties change due to a physical stimulus.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The PCB structure of claim 5, wherein the properties comprise: electrical, electronic, optical or physical properties.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The PCB structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronically active materials comprise materials whose physical state changes due to an electrical stimulus.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The PCB structure of claim 5, wherein the one or more electronically active materials comprise one or more of: piezoelectric materials, magnetic materials, photo-luminescent materials and phase-change materials.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The PCB structure of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more electronically active materials takes the form of an ink, a paste, a resin, or an adhesive.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The PCB structure of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the coating of the one or more electronically active materials is less than the radius of the via.

### Claim 11

A method of fabricating a printed circuit board (PCB) structure for embedding at least one printed electronic component, the method comprising: forming a multi-layer PCB, printed circuit board, comprising:
an upper PCB section, a lower PCB section, and an intermediate PCB section between the upper PCB section and the lower PCB section;
boring a through-hole of a first diameter in the multi-layer PCB;
counter-boring a hole of a second diameter from the hole in the lower PCB section to a height marginally greater than the lower PCB section and/or counter-boring a hole of the second diameter from the hole in the upper PCB section to a depth marginally greater than the upper PCB section, wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter;
plating the inner wall of the bored hole to form a via; and
selectively removing at least one band of plating from the via so as to create a plurality of vertically aligned electrodes within the via, each electrode comprising a plated ring, and each electrode separated by an isolation section;
wherein the step of selectively removing at least one band of plating from the via comprises:
back-drilling a hole of a third diameter from at least one counter-bored via to at least one predetermined depth of the PCB, wherein the third diameter is greater than the first diameter and less that the second diameter,
and wherein the method further comprises the step of coating the inner wall of the via with one or more electronically active materials such that each electronically active material makes electrical contact with at least two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes to form the at least one embedded printed electronic component.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 further comprising performing in a single step the steps of:
boring the through-hole of the first diameter in the multi-layer PCB; and
counter-boring the hole of the second diameter from the hole in the lower PCB section or from the hole in the upper PCB section.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the via in the lower PCB section is counter-bored, and further comprising performing the back-drilling of the hole of the third diameter from the counter-bored via in the lower PCB section, wherein the back-drilling comprises back-drilling to a height marginally less than the upper PCB section.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the via in the upper PCB section is counter-bored, and further comprising performing the back-drilling of the hole of the third diameter from the counter-bored via in the upper PCB section, wherein the back-drilling comprises back-drilling to a depth marginally less than the lower PCB section.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the via in the upper PCB section is counter-bored and the via in the lower PCB section is counter-bored, and further comprising:
performing the back-drilling of the hole of the third diameter from the counter-bored via in the upper PCB section and from the counter-bored via in the lower PCB section, wherein the back-drilling comprises back-drilling to a plurality of predetermined depths of the PCB.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more electronically active materials comprise one or more of: a conductor, a semiconductor and a dielectric.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more electronically active materials comprise materials whose properties change due to a physical stimulus.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the properties comprise electrical, electronic, optical or physical properties.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The method of any of claim 11, wherein the one or more electronically active materials comprise materials whose physical state changes due to an electrical stimulus.

### Claim 20

(canceled)

### Claim 21 (depends on 11)

The method of any of claim 11, wherein the thickness of the coating of the one or more electronically active materials is less than the radius of the via.