System for making a conductive circuit on a substantially non-conductive substrate

Abstract

A method for forming a conductive circuit on a substantially non-conductive substrate includes indenting a major surface of a substrate with a plurality of features, plating the major surface and the indentations formed with a conductive layer, and removing a portion of the conductive layer leaving at least one of the plurality of the indentations filled with conductive material separated from at least one other of the plurality of the indentations filled with conductive material separated by non-conductive material. An electrical device formed includes a sheet of insulative material having grooves therein. The sheet of insulative material has a first planar surface, and a second planar surface. A conductive material is positioned within the grooves. The conductive material within the grooves forms electrical traces in the electrical device. The conductive material within the grooves fills the groove and includes a surface coplanar with at least one of the first planar surface or the second planar surface. Other electrical devises can be formed using multiple sheets formed with electrical traces.

1 . An electrical device comprising: 
 a sheet of insulative material having grooves therein, the sheet of insulative material including:    a first planar surface; and    a second planar surface    a conductive material within the grooves, the conductive material forming electrical traces in the electrical device.    
   
   
       2 . The electrical device of  claim 1  wherein the conductive material within the grooves fills the groove and includes a surface coplanar with at least one of the first planar surface or the second planar surface.  
   
   
       3 . The electrical device of  claim 1  wherein the first planar surface of the sheet of the insulative material has grooves therein, and wherein the second planar surface of the insulative material has grooves therein.  
   
   
       4 . The electrical device of  claim 1  wherein the first planar surface of the sheet of the insulative material has grooves therein that are filled with the conductive material, and wherein the second planar surface of the insulative material has grooves therein that are filled with the conductive material.  
   
   
       5 . The electrical device of  claim 4  wherein the conductive material within the grooves on the first planar surface fills the groove and includes a surface coplanar with the first planar surface, and wherein the conductive material within the grooves on the second planar surface fills the groove and includes a surface coplanar with the second planar surface.  
   
   
       6 . The electrical device of  claim 1  further comprising a second sheet of insulative material, the second sheet of insulative material including: 
 a first planar surface; and    a second planar surface    a conductive material within the grooves of the second sheet of insulative material, the conductive material forming electrical traces in the electrical device,    wherein the second sheet of insulative material is attached to the first sheet of insulative material to form a multi-layered electrical device.    
   
   
       7 . The electrical device of  claim 1  wherein one of the first planar surface or the second planar surface is an exterior surface of the electrical device, the exterior surface of the electrical device including features that are flush with the exterior surface of the device.  
   
   
       8 . The electrical device of  claim 7  wherein the features that are flush with the exterior surface of the device are pads.  
   
   
       9 . The electrical device of  claim 7  wherein the exterior surface is ground.  
   
   
       10 . A system for making a conductive circuit on a substantially non-conductive substrate, the system comprising: 
 an indenter that forms a plurality of indentations on a major surface of the substrate;    a plater that plates conductive material on the major surface of the substrate and within the indentations formed in the major surface of the substrate; and    a grinder that removes a portion of the conductive material plated on the major surface of the substrate leaving conductive material within the indentations in the major surface of the substrate, wherein the conductive material within at least some of the plurality of indentations is separated from the conductive material within some of the other indentations by non-insulative material.    
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 10  wherein the grinder removes a portion of the conductive material within the plurality of indentations.  
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 10  wherein the grinder removes a portion of the conductive material within the plurality of indentations and the conductive material over the non-conductive material between the indentations to form a planar surface including non-conductive material and conductive material.  
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 10  wherein the indenter includes a plate having a negative of the indentations in the substrate.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the indentations include at least one channel.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the indentations include at least one pad.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the indentations include at least one via.  
   
   
       17 . An electrical device comprising: 
 a sheet of insulative material having indentations therein, the sheet of insulative material including:    a first planar surface; and    a second planar surface    a conductive material within the indentations, the conductive material forming electrical traces in the electrical device.    
   
   
       18 . The electrical device of  claim 16  wherein the conductive material within the indentations fills the indentations and includes a surface coplanar with at least one of the first planar surface or the second planar surface.  
   
   
       19 . The electrical device of  claim 18  wherein the at least one of the first planar surface or the second planar surface includes an indentation that forms a via in the electrical device.  
   
   
       20 . The electrical device of  claim 16  wherein the first planar surface of the sheet of the insulative material has indentations therein that are filled with the conductive material, and wherein the second planar surface of the insulative material has indentations therein that are filled with the conductive material.