Abstract: Package substrates for optical die structures are generally described. In one example, an apparatus includes a package substrate having one or more plated through hole (PTH) structures, an optical waveguide coupled with the package substrate, the optical waveguide having one or more input/output (I/O) optical signal pathways to route I/O signals to and from the package substrate, and one or more optical fibers coupled with the optical waveguide, the one or more optical fibers being disposed in the PTH structures to route I/O signals to and from a motherboard.

Abstract: In some embodiments, selective electroless plating for electronic substrates is presented. In this regard, a method is introduced including forming a film on a surface of a substrate, the film designed to prevent the seeding of an electroless plating catalyst, laser ablating the surface of the substrate through the film to form trenches, and seeding the surface of the substrate with an electroless plating catalyst. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A routing layer for a microelectronic device includes a first region (110, 510) containing a first trench (111, 511), a second region (120, 520) containing a second trench (121, 521), and an electrically conductive material (230, 530) in the first trench and in the second trench. The first trench has a first depth (115) and the second trench has a second depth (125) that is different from the first depth.

Abstract: A process for fabricating an Integrated Circuit (IC) and the IC formed thereby is disclosed. The process comprises providing a substrate. The process further comprises forming a plurality of longitudinal trenches in the substrate and depositing a layer of a first conductive material on at least one longitudinal trench of the plurality of longitudinal trenches. A first layer of a second conductive material is deposited on the layer of the first conductive material. Thereafter, the process includes depositing a second layer of the second conductive material on the first layer of the second conductive material. The second layer of the second conductive material at least partially fills the at least one longitudinal trench. The first conductive material is selected such that a reduction potential of the first conductive material is less than a reduction potential of the second conductive material.

Abstract: A method for forming at least one micro-via on a substrate is disclosed. The method comprises drilling at least one hole in a substrate by using a first laser beam. The first laser beam has an energy distribution, which is more at edges of the first laser beam than at the center of the first laser beam. The method further comprises forming at least one blank pattern on a top surface of the substrate and around an outer periphery of the at least one hole by removing at least a portion of the substrate by using a second laser beam. At least one blank pattern of the plurality of blank pattern corresponds to pad of the at least one micro-via. Thereafter, the method comprises filling the plurality of blank patterns and the at least one micro-via with a conductive material to form at least micro-via.

Abstract: A method of enabling selective area plating on a substrate includes forming a first electrically conductive layer (310) over substantially all of the substrate, covering sections of the first electrically conductive layer with a mask (410) such that the first electrically conductive layer has a masked portion and an unmasked portion, forming a second electrically conductive layer (710, 1210), the second electrically conductive layer forming only over the unmasked portion of the first electrically conductive layer, and removing the mask and the masked portion of the first electrically conductive layer. In an embodiment, the mask covering sections of the first electrically conductive layer is a non-electrically conductive substance (1010) applied with a stamp (1020). In an embodiment, the mask is a black oxide layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing a printed circuit board. The method comprises forming a conductive layer on an insulated layer substrate. The method further includes partitioning the conductive layer into a first area and a second area by applying a photoresist mask. Furthermore, the method includes applying a first etching process to the conductive layer to pattern a first set of features on the first area of the conductive layer. Thereafter, the method includes applying a second etching process to the conductive layer to pattern a second set of features on the second area of the conductive layer. The second set of features on the second area of the conductive layer has a finer pitch as compared to the first set of features on the first area of the conductive layer.

Abstract: A method of removing unwanted material from a substrate includes providing a system (600) having an etchant solution (610) with an electrode (620) therein and a current supply (630) connected to the electrode, placing the substrate in the solution and connecting it to the current supply, providing an electric current to the electrode, and altering a polarity of the electric current such that the substrate experiences an anodic polarity for a first time period and a cathodic polarity for a shorter time period. An alternative method includes providing a solution delivery system (1100) having a second etchant solution (1110) with an eductor jet (1140) therein and a recirculation pump connected to the eductor jet, placing the substrate in the second solution, and using the eductor jet to spray the substrate with the second solution. If desired, both methods may be used.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a substrate core structure comprises, providing first and second patterned conductive layers defining openings therein on each side of a starting insulating layer; providing a first and a second supplemental insulating layers onto respective ones of a first and a second patterned conductive layer; laser drilling a set of via openings extending through at least some of the conductive layer openings of the first and second patterned conductive layers; filling the set of via openings with a conductive material to provide a set of conductive vias; and providing a first and a second supplemental patterned conductive layer onto respective ones of the first and the second supplemental insulating layers, the set of conductive vias contacting the first supplemental patterned conductive layer at one side thereof and the second supplemental patterned conductive layer at another side thereof.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a substrate core structure, and a substrate core structure formed according to the method. The method includes: laser drilling a first set of via openings through a starting insulating layer; filling the first set of via openings with a conductive material to provide a first set of conductive vias; providing first and second patterned conductive layers on opposite sides of the starting insulating layer; providing a supplemental insulating layer onto the first patterned conductive layer; laser drilling a second set of via openings through the supplemental insulating layer; filling the second set of via openings with a conductive material to provide a second set of conductive vias; and providing a supplemental patterned conductive layer onto an exposed side of the supplemental insulating layer, the second set of conductive vias contacting the first patterned conductive layer and the supplemental patterned conductive layer at opposite sides thereof.

Abstract: In some embodiments, annular via drilling (AVD) technology is presented. In this regard, an annular via is introduced comprising an inner wall and an outer wall, the inner wall and the outer wall coupled with a dielectric layer and extending linearly from a surface of a conductor to a top of the dielectric layer. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A method may include depositing a dielectric layer onto a substrate, removing portions of the dielectric layer to create a plurality of separated non-removed portions of the dielectric layer, depositing one or more passive electronic components into each of the plurality of separated non-removed portions, and curing the separated non-removed portions of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: Some embodiments include thin film capacitors (TFC) formed on a package substrate of an integrated circuit package. The TFC include a polymer-based dielectric layer deposited directly on the package substrate. At least one of the TFC includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, with the polymer-based dielectric layer located between the first and second electrode layers. Each of the first and second electrode layers is also formed individually and directly on the package substrate. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A microelectronic device, a method of fabricating the device, and a system including the device. The device includes: a substrate including a polymer build-up layer, and a passive structure embedded in the substrate. The passive structure includes a top conductive layer overlying the polymer build-up layer, a dielectric layer overlying the top conductive layer, and a bottom conductive layer overlying the dielectric layer. The device further includes a conductive via extending through the polymer build-up layer and electrically insulated from the bottom conductive layer, an insulation material insulating the conductive via from the bottom conductive layer, and a bridging interconnect disposed at a side of the top conductive layer facing away from the dielectric layer, the bridging interconnect electrically connecting the conductive via to the top conductive layer.

Abstract: A microelectronic substrate, a method of forming the same, and a system including the same. The microelectronic substrate comprises: a conductive layer; a spacer layer disposed onto the conductive dielectric layer; a dielectric build-up layer disposed onto the spacer layer, the spacer layer being made of a material that has a lower shrinkage than a material of the embedding dielectric-build-up layer during curing, and a higher viscosity than a material of the embedding dielectric build-up layer in its pre-cure form and during curing; and active or passive microelectronic components embedded within the dielectric build-up layer.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for in-situ fabricating a semiconductor component imbedded in a substrate. A substrate is ablated with a first laser beam to form a void therein. A first conductive element is formed in the void of the substrate with a second laser beam. A semiconductor material is deposited upon the first conductive element with a third laser beam operating in the presence of a depositing atmosphere. A second conductive element is formed on the first semiconductor material with a fourth laser beam. The process may be used for fabricating a Schottky barrier diode or a junction field effect transistor and the like.

Abstract: Package substrates and methods to fabricate therein are described. A package substrate may include conductive layers, vias, dielectric layers and traces fabricated therein, all patterned on one or two sides of a core embedded within a package substrate. For an embodiment, vias and traces may be formed by an ablation process and a subsequent ink printing process. For other embodiments, vias and traces may be formed by various combinations of other processes such as, but not limited to, ablation, ink printing, paste deposition, and laser assisted deposition. For various embodiments, the traces may have aspect ratios greater than 1.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include thin film capacitors formed on a package substrate of an integrated circuit package. At least one of the film capacitors includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a dielectric layer between the first and second electrode layers. Each of the first and second electrode layers and the dielectric layer is formed individually and directly on the package substrate. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for in-situ fabricating a semiconductor component imbedded in a substrate. A substrate is ablated with a first laser beam to form a void therein. A first conductive element is formed in the void of the substrate with a second laser beam. A semiconductor material is deposited upon the first conductive element with a third laser beam operating in the presence of a depositing atmosphere. A second conductive element is formed on the first semiconductor material with a fourth laser beam. The process may be used for fabricating a Schottky barrier diode or a junction field effect transistor and the like.

Abstract: A method of providing a printed circuit board, a printed circuit board formed according to the method, and a system comprising the printed circuit board. The method comprises: providing a microelectronic substrate; providing a via-defining substrate by providing via openings in the substrate using laser irradiation; providing a laser activatable film on the via-defining substrate; and providing interconnects on the via-defining substrate. Providing interconnects comprises providing a patterned build-up layer on the via-defining substrate comprising exposing the laser activatable film to laser irradiation to selectively activate portions of the film according to a predetermined interconnect pattern; and metallizing the patterned build-up layer according to the predetermined interconnect pattern to yield the interconnects to provide the printed circuit board.