Patent · US Expired

Process for structuring polymer films

US5746929A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
6References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 18, 1997
Grant dateMay 5, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 18, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05K2203/163
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A process for structuring polymer films, such as printed circuit boards and film boards, uses a plasma, which is formed in a container by the excitation of gas mixtures by microwaves, in which there is a control of the surface temperature of the polymer films during structuring by the plasma. By adjusting the parameters it is possible to operate just below a material-damaging temperature limit for polymer films, so that structures or microshapes are carefully plasma-eroded in polymer films. At high surface temperatures and with a dense plasma, structures or microshapes are rapidly eroded by the plasma, in which the structures or microshapes are homogeneously plasma-eroded with a uniform distribution of the surface temperature and gas flow. The surface temperature is maintained below the material-damaging temperature by controlling the power density of the microwave energy, the level of energy provided to a heater in the container, and the pressure of gas in the container in accordance with a time pattern algorithm using a computer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.