The present application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Application No. 2011-197477, filed Sep. 9, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a printed wiring board which includes forming an opening for a via conductor in an interlayer insulation layer by a laser and performing on the opening a plasma treatment using a processing gas containing a fluorovinyl ether gas.
2. Discussion of the Background
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-186598 describes performing a plasma treatment on a bottom surface and side wall of a via hole under pressure close to atmospheric pressure. In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-186598, a mixed gas containing argon and CF4 is listed as a gas to produce plasma. The entire contents of this publication are incorporated herein by reference.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a printed wiring board includes forming an interlayer insulation layer on a conductive circuit, applying laser to a portion of the interlayer insulation layer such that an opening reaching to the conductive circuit is formed for a via conductor, subjecting the opening to a plasma treatment using a processing gas which includes a reactive gas including a fluorovinyl ether gas having a double bond of two carbon atoms and a fluoroalkyl ether group, forming an upper conductive circuit on the interlayer insulation layer, and forming a via conductor in the opening such that the via conductor connects the conductive circuit and the upper conductive circuit.
A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding or identical elements throughout the various drawings.
Preparation of Copper-Clad Laminate
A copper-clad laminate (product number: MCL-E679F made by Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.) is prepared as a starting material (
Forming Conductive Circuit
Conductive circuit 34 is formed from the copper foil. Roughened surface (34a) is formed on conductive circuit 34 (
Forming Interlayer Insulation Layer
Resin film 50 is laminated on conductive circuit 34 and substrate 32, and is cured (
Forming Via-Conductor Opening
Using a laser, via-conductor opening 51 is formed in the resin film (
In this case, the diameter of a via-conductor opening is set at 50 μm. The diameter of an opening is the diameter on a surface of the interlayer insulation layer. Residue 53 remains on the bottom of a via-conductor opening. When the amount (wt. %) of silica particles contained in the interlayer insulation layer is 30% or greater, it is thought that the amount of resin or silica particles remaining on the bottom of a via-conductor opening increases. However, using a processing gas in the later-described embodiment, the bottom of a via-conductor opening is cleaned because of the high radical density of the plasma. Accordingly, a plasma treatment of the embodiment is preferred to be performed on an interlayer insulation layer that contains silica particles at 30% or greater. When a via-conductor opening with an opening diameter of 50 μm or smaller is formed in an interlayer insulation layer that contains silica particles at 30% or greater, cleaning is hard. However, the bottom of an opening is cleaned by performing a plasma treatment according to the embodiment.
Cutting
Substrate 30 with opening 51 was cut into unit substrate 300 of 5.0 cm2.
Desmearing Treatment
Such a plasma treatment is preferred to be performed under atmospheric pressure from the viewpoint of productivity or the like. The residue remaining on a conductive circuit, which is on the bottom of an opening, can be removed by atmospheric-pressure plasma using a gas with a smaller environmental load. Using atmospheric-pressure plasma allows such a treatment to be repeated continuously. For example, the transportation speed of printed wiring boards is set at 1 mm/sec. The thickness of residue is approximately 0.1 μm to 3 μm. According to the embodiment, filler ingredients such as silica remaining on the bottom of an opening are also removed by the plasma treatment at the same time. Therefore, a step for removing the filler (particles) is not required after the plasma treatment. Via conductors with a fine diameter are formed to have high reliability at low cost. Since the desmearing treatment (cleaning via conductor openings) of the embodiment has a small etching impact on the resin in a lateral direction (impact from side etching), the shape of a via-conductor opening is seldom deformed. An opening with a shape such as that shown in
However, it is also an option to perform a plasma treatment under vacuum or reduced pressure. That is because the residue on the bottom of a via-conductor opening is thought to be removed and cleaned through a reaction of the same active species under vacuum or reduced pressure using the processing gas of the embodiment.
When a via-conductor opening is treated by atmospheric-pressure plasma, a bias application is not required. Alternatively, a bias application may be employed. Resin residue remaining on the bottom of a via-conductor opening is removed. The reactive gas is a fluorovinyl ether gas containing a double bond of two carbon atoms and a fluoroalkyl ether group. As for a reactive gas, C3F6O (trifluoromethyl trifluorovinyl ether), C5F10O (perfluoropropyl vinyl ether) and the like are listed (
Accordingly, a massive amount of active species (F radicals (F•), CF2 radicals (CF2•), CF3 radicals (CF3•), CF3O radicals (CF3O•) or the like) for removing residue is thought to be produced in the plasma from a fluorovinyl ether gas (reactive gas) containing a double bond of two carbon atoms and a fluoroalkyl ether group. Also, from the oxygen in atmospheric air and the oxygen mixed in the processing gas, oxygen radicals are produced in the plasma. When such active species react with resin residue in a via-conductor opening, the resin residue is thought to be removed. Then, since the efficiency of generating active species is high in the embodiment, it is thought that resin residue is removed more certainly in the embodiment. The following shows reaction formulas expected when trifluoromethyl trifluorovinyl ether is used as the reactive gas.
Dissociation of a Fluorovinyl Ether Gas
C3F6O→F3C2•+CF3O•
Removal of Resin Ingredient
CxHyOz(resin)+O•→CO2+H2O
CxHyOz(resin)+(CF3O•)n→CO2+H2O+CF4
Removal of Silica Particles
SiO2→Si+2O
Si+2O+2CF2•→SiF4+2CO
Si+2O+CF3•+F•→SiF4+CO2
Si+2O+4F•→SiF4+O2
In the reactions above, resin residue and silica particles are thought to become gas and to be removed from the bottom of a via-conductor opening. The conductive circuit is exposed through the via-conductor opening.
In addition, when a plasma treatment is performed, the surface of the interlayer insulation layer other than via-conductor openings is also modified and its wettability is enhanced. Also, since the inside of a via-conductor opening is cleansed, a plating solution easily enters the opening when a via conductor is formed by plating. Especially, the bottom of a via-conductor opening is cleaned. Even if the opening diameter (diameter on the interlayer insulation layer) is 50 μm or smaller, voids are unlikely to occur in the via conductor. Since the resin residue on the bottom of an opening is removed, a via conductor is formed on the conductive circuit. Because there is no resin residue remaining between a via conductor and a conductive circuit, the connection reliability between the via conductor and the conductive circuit is enhanced even if the diameter of the via conductor (diameter on the interlayer insulation layer) is 50 μm or smaller. Since there is no resin residue remaining between a via conductor and a conductive circuit, delamination caused by resin residue seldom occurs between the via conductor and the conductive circuit. Connection reliability is secured in the printed wiring board.
The processing gas may further contain oxygen. The amount (vol. %) is 0.1% to 2%. When the processing gas contains oxygen, resin residue in a via-conductor opening is thought to be removed by oxygen radicals. If the processing gas does not contain oxygen, oxygen radicals are produced in the plasma from the oxygen in atmospheric air. However, if the processing gas contains oxygen, since the density of oxygen radicals increases, the efficiency of removing resin residue is thought to improve.
Since emission intensity is used as an indicator of radical density, plasma irradiation apparatus 10 may include spectroscope (product number: SR-500-B10, made by Andor Technology) 90 as its attachment to measure the emission spectra of plasma. Lens 92 to detect the emission in plasma is attached to the spectroscope. Emission spectra of CF2 radicals and CF3 radicals are known to be observed in a wavelength range of 200 nm˜290 nm. Spectroscope 90 is used to adjust the ratio when mixing gases through above-described mass flow controllers (82, 86). For example, the ratio of mixing gases is adjusted so that the emission intensities of CF2 radicals and CF3 radicals are three times or more the emission intensity of a processing gas that contains only argon gas. Namely, when the emission intensity is low, the mixing ratio of a reactive gas in the processing gas is raised, and when the emission intensity is higher than a predetermined threshold level, the mixing ratio of a reactive gas is lowered.
Forming Via Conductor and Conductive Circuit
By performing electroless plating, electroless plated film 52 is formed on interlayer insulation layer 50 and in via-conductor opening 51 (
Test Contents and Test Results
As a reactive gas, C3F6O (trifluoromethyl trifluorovinyl ether) or CF4 (tetrafluoromethane) is used. The gas in the example is C3F6O, and the gas in the comparative example is CF4. The processing gas is a mixed gas of argon, oxygen and a reactive gas. The ratios (vol. %) of mixing a reactive gas in the processing gas are shown in the following.
The mixing ratios of the example are 1.5% and 2%, and the mixing ratios of the comparative example are 1.5%, 2% and 10%. The mixing ratio of oxygen is 0.5 vol. %. Other conditions are shown as follows.
pressure condition: under atmospheric pressure
amount of argon flow: 5.0 slm
distance of a substrate from the plasma irradiation nozzle: 10 mm
treatment time: 1 min.
Under the above conditions, a plasma treatment was performed on each unit substrate. Then, via-conductor openings were photographed by an SEM (product number: S-4800, made by Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation). Those SEM images were binarized, and the degree of residue remaining on the bottoms of the openings after the plasma treatment was evaluated (
Also, emission intensities of radicals in the plasma were measured by emission spectro-photometric analysis using a spectroscope (product number: SR-500-B10, made by Andor Technology). The results of emission intensities in a wavelength range of 250-290 nm are shown in
As one of the reasons for the difference between
When the reactive gas of the embodiment is compared with the reactive gas of the comparative example, the radical density of plasma is thought to be higher in the embodiment. Thus, chemical reactions of residue and radicals are thought to occur more frequently in the embodiment than in the comparative example.
Accordingly, residue is thought to be removed even with a lower density of a reactive gas in the embodiment. Performing an atmospheric-pressure plasma treatment (such as 60-Hz non-equilibrium pressure plasma) is a preferred example of the embodiment. Equipment cost decreases. Desmearing treatments are performed at low cost under a lower environmental load.
If the density of a reactive gas is low, the impact on human bodies and the environment is suppressed. Also, the processing cost is lowered. Accordingly, the embodiment is suitable for a process of manufacturing highly functional high-density printed wiring boards safely at low cost.
In addition, the global-warming potential (HGWP) of C3F6O is 0.01 or lower, while the global-warming potential (HGWP) of CF4 is 7.1. Moreover, since C3F6O is used at a density ⅕ or lower that of CF4, C3F6O is environmentally friendly.
When plasma and radicals collide at the bottom of a via-conductor opening, it may be helpful for removing residue. In such a case, the bottom of a via-conductor opening is certainly cleansed. In the embodiment, since the reactive gas contains oxygen under atmospheric pressure, a massive amount of oxygen radicals is obtained. It is considered preferable for removing resin residue. According to the embodiment, since resin or filler residue on the bottom of a via-conductor opening is reduced, the formation of a via conductor is not hindered. Therefore, connection reliability is enhanced. Accordingly, the plasma treatment according to the embodiment is a useful technology for obtaining highly functional high-density printed wiring boards.
As the imaging view in
In addition, to reduce the CTE of an interlayer insulation layer, the amount of inorganic filler in the interlayer insulation layer is increased. Therefore, the formation of an opening by a laser is thought to be hindered, causing an increase in the amount of resin residue including inorganic particles such as silica particles left on the bottom of the via-conductor opening. Conduction failure is thought to occur.
Since CF4 has a high global-warming potential (GWP), performing a plasma treatment using a gas containing CF4 is considered to have a negative impact on the environment. Increasing the density of CF4 in a gas for producing plasma is thought to have a negative impact on human bodies and the environment. For example, exposure to gas is thought to cause problems such as health hazards and global warming.
A method for manufacturing a printed wiring board according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the following: forming an interlayer insulation layer on a conductive circuit; in the interlayer insulation layer, forming an opening for a via conductor on the conductive circuit by using a laser; performing a plasma treatment on the opening by using a processing gas that contains a fluorovinyl ether gas having a double bond of two carbon atoms and a fluoroalkyl ether group; forming an upper conductive circuit on the interlayer insulation layer; and forming a via conductor in the opening.
The above embodiment describes how to remove residue from inside an opening formed by a laser. However, the embodiment of the present invention may also be used for cleaning an opening formed through exposure and development treatments.
Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
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