Systems and methods for measuring geometric changes of embedded passive materials during a lamination process

A system for measuring changes in geometry occurring to elements formed of a material layer disposed on a first substrate when heat and pressure are applied to said material layer and said first substrate during a lamination process, comprising:

• at least one passive circuit component and at least one sample pad formed from said material layer and disposed on said substrate;
• at least a second substrate panel on top of said first substrate to form a multi-layer structure with said passive circuit component disposed between said first substrate and said second substrate;
• an optical measurement structure disposed on said sample pad to form at least a portion of an interferometer, wherein said interferometer is configured to directly measure dimensional changes in at least one of a length or a width occurring to said sample pad while applying heat and pressure to said multi-layer structure as part of a lamination process;
• and
• a processing device configured to determine at least one of a final geometric shape and an electrical value of said passive circuit component that was embedded between said first and second substrates during said lamination process, based on said dimensional changes which were previously measured for said sample pad.

A method for fabricating a circuit board, comprising:

• forming from a material layer disposed on a first substrate panel at least one passive circuit component and at least one sample pad;
• positioning at least a portion of an interferometer structure on said sample pad;
• forming a multi-layer structure by placing at least a second substrate panel on top of said first substrate panel so that said passive circuit component is disposed between said first substrate panel and said second substrate panel;
• directly measuring dimensional changes in at least a length and a width occurring to said sample pad while applying heat and pressure to a multi-layer structure as part of a lamination process;
• and
• determining a final geometric shape of said passive circuit component that was embedded between said first and second panels during said lamination process, based on said dimensional changes which were previously measured for said sample pad.