Flex-rigid wiring board and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board includes positioning a flexible board and a non-flexible substrate adjacent to each other, forming a metal layer over the flexible board such that the metal layer is formed to stop laser irradiation from reaching into the flexible board, forming an insulating layer such that the insulating layer covers the metal layer, the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate, irradiating laser upon the insulating layer such that a portion of the insulating layer covering the metal layer is cut; and removing the portion of the insulating layer covering the metal layer from the flexible board such that at least a portion of the flexible board is exposed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board, comprising:
 positioning a flexible board and a non-flexible substrate adjacent to each other; 
 forming a metal layer over the flexible board such that the metal layer is configured to stop laser irradiation from reaching into the flexible board; 
 forming an insulating layer such that the insulating layer covers the metal layer, the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate; 
 irradiating laser upon the insulating layer such that the metal layer and a portion of the insulating layer covering the metal layer are cut; and 
 removing the metal layer and the portion of the insulating layer covering the metal layer from the flexible board such that at least a portion of the flexible board is exposed, 
 wherein the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate are separate structures in the positioning, and the flexible board has a flexible substrate and a conductor pattern formed over the flexible substrate. 
 
     
     
       2. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming a separator layer over the flexible board, wherein the separator layer is formed between the flexible board and the metal layer. 
     
     
       3. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming a conductor layer over the insulating layer; and 
 forming an opening through the conductor layer. 
 
     
     
       4. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming a conductor layer over the insulating layer; and 
 forming an opening through the conductor layer prior to the irradiating of laser. 
 
     
     
       5. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer, wherein the forming of the resin layer includes forming the resin layer including an inorganic material. 
     
     
       6. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer; 
 forming a via hole opening which passes through the resin layer; and 
 plating the via hole opening such that a via conductor passing through the resin layer is formed. 
 
     
     
       7. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer; 
 forming a via hole opening which passes through the resin layer; and 
 plating the via hole opening such that a via conductor passing through the resin layer is formed, 
 wherein the forming of the via hole opening comprises forming the via hole opening reaching the conductor pattern of the flexible board, and the plating of the via hole opening comprises forming the via conductor connecting to the conductor pattern of the flexible board. 
 
     
     
       8. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer, wherein the forming of the resin layer comprises forming the resin layer including an inorganic material, and filling a space formed between the non-flexible substrate and the flexible board with a portion of the resin derived from the resin layer. 
     
     
       9. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer, wherein the forming of the resin layer includes filling a space formed between the non-flexible substrate and the flexible board with a portion of the resin derived from the resin layer. 
     
     
       10. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer, wherein the forming of the resin layer comprises forming the resin layer including an inorganic material, filling a space formed between the non-flexible substrate and the flexible board with a portion of the resin derived from the resin layer, and integrally curing the portion of the resin filling the space with the resin layer. 
     
     
       11. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer; 
 forming a via hole opening which passes through the resin layer; and 
 plating the via hole opening such that a via conductor passing through the resin layer is formed, 
 wherein the plating of the via hole opening includes plating a plating metal such that the plating metal fills and closes the via hole opening. 
 
     
     
       12. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer; and 
 forming a second resin layer over the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate such that the second resin layer covers the boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate from an opposite side of the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate with respect to the resin layer. 
 
     
     
       13. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the metal layer comprises disposing a metal foil forming the metal layer on the flexible substrate. 
     
     
       14. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , wherein the removing of the portion of the insulating layer comprises removing the portion of the insulating layer together with a portion of the metal layer underneath the portion of the insulating layer. 
     
     
       15. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board, according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer, wherein the forming of the metal layer comprises forming the metal layer over the resin layer and the flexible board. 
     
     
       16. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming a separator layer over the flexible board, wherein the separator layer is formed between the flexible board and the metal layer,-and the removing of the portion of the insulating layer comprises removing the portion of the insulating layer together with the separator layer and a portion of the metal layer underneath the portion of the insulating layer. 
     
     
       17. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer; 
 forming a via hole opening which passes through the resin layer; and 
 plating the via hole opening such that a via conductor passing through the resin layer is formed, 
 wherein the forming of the insulating layer comprises forming the insulating layer comprising a resin over the resin layer such that the via hole opening is filled with a portion of the resin derived from the insulating layer. 
 
     
     
       18. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 forming a resin layer including an inorganic material and covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer; 
 forming a via hole opening which passes through the resin layer; and 
 plating the via hole opening such that a via conductor passing through the resin layer is formed, 
 wherein the forming of the insulating layer comprises forming the insulating layer comprising a resin and an inorganic material over the resin layer and the flexible board. 
 
     
     
       19. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming a second insulating layer over the insulating layer, wherein the forming of the insulating layer comprises forming the insulating layer comprising a resin, and the forming of the second insulating layer comprises forming the second insulating layer comprising a resin. 
     
     
       20. The method for manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 forming a resin layer covering a boundary between the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate prior to the forming of the metal layer; 
 forming a via hole opening which passes through the resin layer; and 
 plating the via hole opening such that a via conductor passing through the resin layer is formed.