Claims
- 1. An anisotropically conductive structure comprising:
a dielectric matrix having a substantially uniform thickness and having a first major surface and a second major surface; and a plurality of conductive elements embedded in the dielectric matrix in a predetermined array.
- 2. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein the array is random.
- 3. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein the array is patterned.
- 4. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein the conductive elements comprise conductive microspheres having a narrow size distribution, wherein the diameter of the microspheres is less than the thickness of the matrix.
- 5. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein the conductive elements comprise conductive microspheres having a narrow size distribution, wherein the diameter of the microspheres is greater than the thickness of the matrix.
- 6. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein the conductive elements comprise a conductive microspheres having a narrow size distribution, wherein the diameter of the microspheres is substantially equal to the thickness of the matrix.
- 7. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein the conductive microspheres have a diameter within the range of about 3 to about 50 microns.
- 8. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein the conductive elements are selected from the group consisting of tin, lead, bismuth, zinc, indium, aluminum, copper, silver, gold, nickel, cobalt, iron, palladium, tungsten, gallium and alloys of these metals, metal-coated glass, metal-coated polymers and metal-coated ceramics.
- 9. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein the conductive elements comprise metal-coated polymeric particles.
- 10. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein the matrix comprises a polymeric film.
- 11. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 10 wherein the matrix comprises a thermoplastic film.
- 12. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 10 wherein the matrix comprises an adhesive film.
- 13. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 12 wherein the matrix comprises a multi-layer adhesive film.
- 14. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 10 wherein the matrix comprises a polymeric film selected from the group consisting of acrylate polymers, ethylene-acrylate copolymers, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, polyethylene, ethylene-propylene copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymers, styrene-butadiene block copolymers, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, carboxylated styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene copolymers, epoxidized styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene copolymers, styrene-isoprene block copolymers, polybutadiene, ethylene-styrene-butylene block copolymers, polybutadiene, ethylene-styrene-ethylene block copolymers, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl formal, polyamides, polyimides, polystyrenes, polyurethanes, polysulfones, polysulfides, polyesters, polyvinyls, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetals, polyvinyl ethers, polycarbonates, polyketones, polyethers, phenoxy resins, nitrile-butadiene rubber, silicone rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, cyanate epoxy resins, phenol resins, and blends thereof.
- 15. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 10 wherein the matrix comprises a multilayer polymeric film.
- 16. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the matrix is in the range of 2 to 50 microns.
- 17. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 further comprising a first adhesive adhered to the first major surface and a second adhesive layer adhered to the second major surface of the matrix.
- 18. The anisotropically conductive structure of claim 1 further comprising a release liner on the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer.
- 19. A method of making an anisotropically conductive structure comprising:
providing a dielectric film having a first and second major surface; applying a plurality of conductive particles onto the first major surface of the dielectric film in a predetermined array; heating the conductive particles; and embedding the conductive particles in the dielectric film.
- 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the heating and embedding steps are carried out simultaneously.
- 21. The method of claim 19 wherein the embedding step comprises applying pressure to the conductive particles.
- 22. The method of claim 19 wherein the predetermined array is random.
- 23. The method of claim 19 wherein the predetermined array is a pattern.
- 24. The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive particles are applied to the surface of the dielectric film by printing.
- 25. The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive particles are applied to the surface of the dielectric film by jetting.
- 26. The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive particles are applied to the surface of the dielectric film by transferring the conductive particles from a template.
- 27. The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive particles are heated by radiation.
- 28. The method of claim 27 wherein the radiation is near infrared radiation.
- 29. The method of claim 19 further comprising applying an adhesive layer to each of the first and second major surfaces of the dielectric film.
- 30. The method of claim 29 wherein a release liner is adhered to the adhesive layer applied to the first and second major surfaces of the dielectric film.
- 31. The method of claim 19 wherein the second major surface of the dielectric film is adhered to a support layer.
- 32. The method of claim 31 further comprising removing the support layer after embedding the conductive particles in the dielectric film.
- 33. The method of claim 19 wherein the dielectric film comprises a thermoplastic material.
- 34. The method of claim 19 wherein the dielectric film comprises an elastomeric material.
- 35. The method of claim 19 wherein the dielectric film comprises a multilayer film.
- 36. The method of claim 19 wherein the dielectric film comprises an adhesive film.
- 37. The method of claim 19 wherein dielectric film comprises a multilayer adhesive film.
- 38. The method of claim 19 wherein the thickness of the dielectric film is in the range of 2 to 50 microns.
- 39. The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive particles are selected from the group consisting of tin, lead, bismuth, zinc, indium, aluminum, copper, silver, gold, nickel, cobalt, iron, palladium, tungsten, gallium and alloys of these metals, metal-coated glass, metal-coated polymers and metal-coated ceramics.
- 40. The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive particles comprise metal-coated polymeric particles.
- 41. The method of claim 19 wherein the average diameter of the conductive particles is 3 to 50 microns.
- 42. A method of making an anisotropically conductive structure comprising:
providing a first dielectric film having a first and second major surface; applying a plurality of conductive particles onto the first major surface of the dielectric film in a predetermined array; applying a second dielectric film having a first and second major surface to the first major surface of the first dielectric film such that the conductive particles are between and in contact with the first major surface of the first dielectric film and the first major surface of the second dielectric film to form a multi-layered structure; and applying heat and pressure to the multi-layered structure to embed the conductive particles in the dielectric films.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional patent application Serial No. 60/366,423, filed Mar. 21, 2002 entitled “Anisotropically Conductive Film.”
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60366423 |
Mar 2002 |
US |