Abstract: A method is for making an electronic device that includes a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein. The multilayer circuit board may include at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The electronic device may further include a compressible dielectric material filling the membrane switch recess. The electronic device may also include at least one spring member within the membrane switch recess.

Abstract: A method is for making an electronic device that includes a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein. The multilayer circuit board may include at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The electronic may further include a compressible dielectric material filling the membrane switch recess. The electronic device may also include at least one spring member within the membrane switch recess.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein. The multilayer circuit board may include at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The electronic may further include a compressible dielectric material filling the membrane switch recess. The electronic device may also include at least one spring member within the membrane switch recess.

Abstract: A method is for making an electronic device including forming a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein, the multilayer circuit board including at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The method also includes filling the membrane switch recess with air, and positioning at least one biasing member in the membrane switch recess.

Abstract: A method has been described for making an electrical structure having an air dielectric and includes forming a first subunit including a sacrificial substrate, an electrically conductive layer including a first metal on the sacrificial substrate, and a sacrificial dielectric layer on the sacrificial substrate and the electrically conductive layer. The method further includes forming a second subunit including a dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer thereon including the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of one or more of the first and second subunits. The method also includes aligning the first and second subunits together, heating and pressing the aligned first and second subunits to form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions together, and removing the sacrificial substrate and sacrificial dielectric layer to thereby form the electrical structure having the air dielectric.

Abstract: A method is for making an electronic device including forming a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein, the multilayer circuit board including at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The method also includes filling the membrane switch recess with air, and positioning at least one biasing member in the membrane switch recess.

Abstract: A method is for making an electronic device including forming a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein, the multilayer circuit board including at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The method also includes filling the membrane switch recess with a compressible dielectric material, and positioning at least one biasing member in the membrane switch recess.

Abstract: A method for making a multilayer circuit board from circuit board layers, each including a dielectric layer and conductive traces thereon including a first metal. The method includes forming a through-via in a first circuit board layer, plating the through-via with the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of the first circuit board layer, the plated through-via, and the first metal. The method also includes aligning the first and second circuit board layers together so that the plated through-via of the first circuit board layer is adjacent a feature on the second circuit board layer, and heating and pressing the aligned first and second circuit board layers so as to laminate the dielectric layers together and form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions.

Abstract: A method has been described for making an electrical structure having an air dielectric and includes forming a first subunit including a sacrificial substrate, an electrically conductive layer including a first metal on the sacrificial substrate, and a sacrificial dielectric layer on the sacrificial substrate and the electrically conductive layer. The method further includes forming a second subunit including a dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer thereon including the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of one or more of the first and second subunits. The method also includes aligning the first and second subunits together, heating and pressing the aligned first and second subunits to form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions together, and removing the sacrificial substrate and sacrificial dielectric layer to thereby form the electrical structure having the air dielectric.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein. The multilayer circuit board may include at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The electronic may further include a compressible dielectric material filling the membrane switch recess. The electronic device may also include at least one spring member within the membrane switch recess.

Abstract: A method is for making an electrical inductor. The method includes forming a first subunit having a sacrificial substrate, and an electrically conductive layer defining the electrical inductor and including a first metal on the sacrificial substrate. The method includes forming a second subunit having a dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer thereon defining electrical inductor terminals and having the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of one of the first and second subunits. The method includes aligning the first and second subunits together, heating and pressing the aligned first and second subunits to form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions together, and removing the sacrificial substrate.

Abstract: A method has been described for making an electrical structure having an air dielectric and includes forming a first subunit including a sacrificial substrate, an electrically conductive layer including a first metal on the sacrificial substrate, and a sacrificial dielectric layer on the sacrificial substrate and the electrically conductive layer. The method further includes forming a second subunit including a dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer thereon including the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of one or more of the first and second subunits. The method also includes aligning the first and second subunits together, heating and pressing the aligned first and second subunits to form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions together, and removing the sacrificial substrate and sacrificial dielectric layer to thereby form the electrical structure having the air dielectric.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein. The multilayer circuit board may include at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The electronic may further include a compressible dielectric material filling the membrane switch recess. The electronic device may also include at least one spring member within the membrane switch recess.

Abstract: A method for making a multilayer circuit board from circuit board layers, each including a dielectric layer and conductive traces thereon including a first metal. The method includes forming a through-via in a first circuit board layer, plating the through-via with the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of the first circuit board layer, the plated through-via, and the first metal. The method also includes aligning the first and second circuit board layers together so that the plated through-via of the first circuit board layer is adjacent a feature on the second circuit board layer, and heating and pressing the aligned first and second circuit board layers so as to laminate the dielectric layers together and form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions.

Abstract: A method is for making a multilayer circuit board from circuit board layers, each including a dielectric layer and conductive traces thereon including a first metal. The method includes forming a through-via in a first circuit board layer, plating the through-via with the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of the first circuit board layer, the plated through-via, and the first metal. The method also includes aligning the first and second circuit board layers together so that the plated through-via of the first circuit board layer is adjacent a feature on the second circuit board layer, and heating and pressing the aligned first and second circuit board layers so as to laminate the dielectric layers together and form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions together.

Abstract: A method is for making a non-planar three-dimensional (3D) multilayered circuit board. The method may include forming a stacked arrangement including at least one pair of liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layers with a bonding layer therebetween. The stacked arrangement may further include at least one electrically conductive pattern layer on at least one of the LCP layers. The method may further include heating and applying pressure to the stacked arrangement to shape the stacked arrangement into a non-planar 3D shape and concurrently causing the bonding layer to bond together the adjacent LCP layers of the stacked arrangement to thereby form the non-planar 3D multi-layered circuit board.

Abstract: An electro-optical device may include a substrate having opposing first and second surfaces and an opening extending therebetween. The optical device may also include an optical waveguide extending laterally along the first surface and having an end aligned with the opening, and an electro-optical component carried by the second surface and aligned with the opening. The electro-optical device may further include an elastomeric body within the opening and having a first end face adjacent the optical waveguide and having a second end face adjacent the electro-optical component. The elastomeric body and the optical waveguide may have respective gradient refraction indices within ±5% of each other.

Abstract: A method is for making an electrical inductor. The method includes forming a first subunit having a sacrificial substrate, and an electrically conductive layer defining the electrical inductor and including a first metal on the sacrificial substrate. The method includes forming a second subunit having a dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer thereon defining electrical inductor terminals and having the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of one of the first and second subunits. The method includes aligning the first and second subunits together, heating and pressing the aligned first and second subunits to form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions together, and removing the sacrificial substrate.

Abstract: An optical device may include a substrate and an optical waveguide carried by the substrate and having a notch therein defining a feed optical waveguide and a longitudinal optical waveguide section on opposite longitudinal sides of the notch. The optical device may also include a transverse optical waveguide section carried by the substrate and transversely aligned with the feed optical waveguide adjacent the notch. The optical device may further include an elastomeric waveguide switch body configured to be moved between a first position within the notch and operative to switch light from the feed optical waveguide to the longitudinal optical waveguide section, and a second position removed from the notch and operative to switch light from the optical waveguide to the transverse optical waveguide section.

Abstract: A method is for making an electrical inductor. The method includes forming a first subunit having a sacrificial substrate, and an electrically conductive layer defining the electrical inductor and including a first metal on the sacrificial substrate. The method includes forming a second subunit having a dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer thereon defining electrical inductor terminals and having the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of one of the first and second subunits. The method includes aligning the first and second subunits together, heating and pressing the aligned first and second subunits to form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions together, and removing the sacrificial substrate.