Method for making multi-layer and pin grid arrays

Claim 2

The process of forming a structure from a ceramic and glass composite, said process comprising the steps of: providing particles of ceramic material; providing particles of glass material; mixing said particles of glass and ceramic together to form a mixture of ceramic and glass particles; heating said mixture to a temperature from about 500° to about 700° C. to form a slurry of solid ceramic particles in a matrix of molten glass; pressing said slurry at a pressure of less than about 15 psi into a mold having the shape of said desired structure; forming the slurry into said structure; and cooling said structure to solidify the molten glass.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 including the step of forming said mixture of about 10 to about 30% by volume of glass particles and the remainder ceramic particles.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 including the step of selecting said ceramic particles from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , TiO 2 and ZrSiO 4 .

Claim 5

The process of claim 3 wherein said ceramic particles are sized from about 1 to about 10 microns.

Claim 6

The process of claim 4 wherein said ceramic particles are substantially equiaxed.

Claim 7

The process of claim 5 wherein said ceramic particles are Al 2 O 3 .

Claim 8

The process of claim 3 including the step of selecting said glass from the group consisting of silicate, borosilicate, phosphate and zinc borosilicate glasses.

Claim 9

The process of claim 7 wherein said structure has a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 40×10 -7 to about 80×10 -7 in./in./° C.

Claim 10

The process of claim 7 including the step of rapidly mixing said slurry whereby said solid particles are substantially coated by said molten glass.

Claim 11

The process of claim 9 including the step of forming said slurry at a pressure of less than about 15 pounds per square inch.

Claim 12

The process of forming a multi-layer substrate from a ceramic and glass composite said process comprising the steps of: forming at least one through-hole through a first substrate said forming process comprising the steps of; providing particles of ceramic material; providing particles of glass material; mixing said particles of glass and ceramic together to form a mixture of ceramic and glass particles; heating said mixture to a temperature from about 500° to about 700° C. to form a slurry of solid ceramic particles in a matrix of molten glass; providing a mold; pouring said slurry into said mold to form said first substrate; disposing a first electrically conductive material in said at least one through-hole in the first substrate; forming a first electrically conductive circuit pattern layer on at least one surface of the first substrate; forming a second substrate from said slurry using substantially the same process as used to form said first substrate; forming at least one through-hole in said second substrate; disposing a second electrically conductive in the at least one through-hole in the second substrate; stacking said first substrate on said second substrate with the first circuit pattern layer on the surface of the first substrate disposed between said first and second substrate; and heating the stacked first and second substrates whereby the glass of each substrate becomes sufficiently soft to bond to the glass of the adjacent substrate and the first and second electrically conductive material in the through-holes of the first and second substrates contact the first circuit pattern layer so as to form a multi-layer circuit device.

Claim 13

The process of forming a multi-layer substrate from a ceramic and glass composite said process comprising the steps of: forming at least one through-hole through a first substrate said forming process comprising the steps of; providing particles of ceramic material; providing particles of glass material; mixing said particles of glass and ceramic together to form a mixture of ceramic and glass particles; heating said mixture to a temperature from about 500° to about 700° C. to form a slurry of solid ceramic particles in a matrix of molten glass; providing a mold; pouring said slurry into said mold to form said first substrate; disposing a first electrically conductive material in said at least one through-hole in the first substrate; forming a first electrically conductive circuit pattern layer on at least one surface of the first substrate; forming a second substrate from said slurry using substantially the same process as used to form said first substrate; forming at least one through-hole in said second substrate; disposing a second electrically conductive in the at least one through-hole in the second substrate; stacking said first substrate on said second substrate with the first circuit pattern layer on the surface of the first substrate disposed between said first and second substrate; and heating the stacked first and second substrates whereby the glass of each substrate becomes sufficiently soft to bond to the glass of the adjacent substrate and the first and second electrically conductive material in the through-holes of the first and second substrates contact the first circuit pattern layer so as to form a multi-layer circuit device.

Claim 14

The process of claim 11 including the step of pressing the stacked first and second substrates together subsequent to the heating step to strengthen the bond between the softened glass of said first and second substrates.

Claim 15

The process of claim 12 including the step of selecting the first and second electrically conductive material from an organic carrier and particles of electrically conductive material selected from the group consisting of palladium, gold, silver, copper and alloys thereof.

Claim 16

The process of claim 13 including the steps of: forming at least a third substrate from said slurry using substantially the same process as used to form said first and second substrates; forming at least one through-hole in said third substrate; disposing a third electrically conductive material in the at least one through-hole of the third substrate; stacking said third substrate on said second substrate with a second electrically conductive circuit pattern layer on a surface of the second substrate disposed between said second and third substrates; and heating the stacked first, second and third substrates whereby the glass of said substrates becomes sufficiently soft to bond to the glass of the adjacent substrate and the third conductive material in the through-hole of the third substrate contacts the second electrically conductive circuit pattern layer.

Claim 17

The process of claim 11 including the step of constructing said first electrically conductive circuit pattern layer from a foil.

Claim 18

The process of claim 15 including the step of stamping said foil to form said first circuit pattern.

Claim 19

The process of claim 15 including the step of selecting said foil from a material selected from the group consisting of deoxidized copper alloy and oxygen free copper alloy.

Claim 20

The process of claim 17 including the step of selecting the copper alloy foil from a material having alloy additions which make up less than about 10% of the alloy and the remainder being copper.

Claim 21

The process of claim 15 including the step of etching said foil to form said first circuit pattern.

Claim 22

The process of claim 13 wherein the steps of disposing the first and second electrically conductive material in the through-holes of said first and second substrates includes the steps of: forming a paste of particles of said electrically conductive metal and a binder of said organic carrier; and filling said through-holes with said paste.

Claim 23

The process of claim 20 including the step of heating said first and second substrates to drive off the binder and to consolidate the particles of electrically conductive metal.