-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueLevel Up Your Design Skills
This month, our contributors discuss the PCB design classes available at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. As they explain, these courses cover everything from the basics of design through avoiding over-constraining high-speed boards, and so much more!
Opportunities and Challenges
In this issue, our expert contributors discuss the many opportunities and challenges in the PCB design community, and what can be done to grow the numbers of PCB designers—and design instructors.
Embedded Design Techniques
Our expert contributors provide the knowledge this month that designers need to be aware of to make intelligent, educated decisions about embedded design. Many design and manufacturing hurdles can trip up designers who are new to this technology.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
The Impact of HDI on PCB Power Distribution
December 27, 2017 | Craig Armenti, MentorEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
High-density interconnect (HDI) technology is often used to meet the requirements of today’s complex designs. Smaller component pitches, larger ASICs and FPGAs with more I/O, and higher frequencies with shrinking rise-times all require smaller PCB features, driving the need for HDI. Beyond some of the more obvious electrical effects of the microvias used on HDI designs, there is also an impact to the power integrity the PCB. This includes different effects of mounted inductances of decoupling capacitors, changes in plane performance due to reduction in perforation from chip pinouts, and the inherent plane-capacitance changes from using dielectrics of various thicknesses.
HDI Primer
HDI can be a confusing topic, especially for new engineers and designers, or those not well versed in the subject matter. Although this article is not intended to be an in-depth tutorial on HDI technology, a quick review of the key aspects is appropriate.
HDI is a technology that, through a combination of high density attributes, allows for a higher wiring density per unit area as compared to traditional PCB technology. In general, HDI PCBs contain one or more of the following: reduced trace width and spacing, microvias including blind and buried, and sequential lamination.
Current generation HDI designs are typically found in mobile phones, digital cameras, laptops and wearables to name just a few. Basically, whenever a product needs to be compact and/or lightweight, then HDI technology will most likely be applied. The benefits of HDI technology include:
- Reduced space requirement using smaller vias, reduced trace width and reduced trace spacing, all of which allow components to be placed in closer proximity
- Reduced layer count as a result of increased routing channels on internal layers
- Improved signal integrity due to shorter distance connections and lower power requirements
- Improved power integrity due to ground planes closer to the surface parts and improved distribution of capacitance
- Potential to lower fabrication and assembly costs by consolidating multiple PCB’s into a single PCB
When utilizing HDI technology, two basic HDI structures exist:
- Build-up or sequential build-up (SBU) structures
- Any-layer structures
A key aspect of HDI technology is the use of microvias. For reference, the IPC HDI Design Committee has identified microvias as any hole equal to or less than 150 microns. Multiple types of HDI stack-ups associated with blind and buried microvias can be used to meet the density and cost requirements for today’s products. Design teams should develop stack-ups in conjunction with the board fabricator to minimize cost and meet signal integrity requirements. There may also be additional requirements related to plating and specific materials. As a rule, the vendor will adjust all the stack-up variables as needed during their process to meet the end-product requirements.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the November 2017 issue of The PCB Design Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Warm Windows and Streamlined Skin Patches – IDTechEx Explores Flexible and Printed Electronics
04/26/2024 | IDTechExFlexible and printed electronics can be integrated into cars and homes to create modern aesthetics that are beneficial and easy to use. From luminous car controls to food labels that communicate the quality of food, the uses of this technology are endless and can upgrade many areas of everyday life.
iNEMI Packaging Tech Topic Series: Role of EDA in Advanced Semiconductor Packaging
04/26/2024 | iNEMIAdvanced semiconductor packaging with heterogenous integration has made on-package integration of multiple chips a crucial part of finding alternatives to transistor scaling. Historically, EDA tools for front-end and back-end design have evolved separately; however, design complexity and the increased number of die-to-die or die-to-substrate interconnections has led to the need for EDA tools that can support integration of overall design planning, implementation, and system analysis in a single cockpit.
Koh Young Showcases Award-winning Inspection Solutions at SMTconnect with SmartRep in Hall 4A.225
04/25/2024 | Koh Young TechnologyKoh Young Technology, the industry leader in True 3D measurement-based inspection solutions, will showcase an array of award-winning inspection and measurement solutions at SMTconnect alongside its sales partner, SmartRep, in booth 4A.225 at NürnbergMesse from June 11-13, 2023. The following offers a glimpse into what Koh Young will present at the tradeshow:
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Plasmatreat: Innovative Surface Preparation Solutions
04/25/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOIn this interview, Editor Nolan Johnson speaks with Hardev Grewal, CEO and president of Plasmatreat, a developer of atmospheric plasma solutions. Plasmatreat uses clean compressed air and electricity to create plasma, offering environmentally friendly methods for surface preparation. Their technology measures plasma density for process optimization and can remove organic micro-contamination. Nolan and Hardev also discuss REDOX-Tool, a new technology for removing metal oxides.
Nanotechnology Market to Surpass $53.51 Billion by 2031
04/25/2024 | PRNewswireSkyQuest projects that the nanotechnology market will attain a value of USD 53.51 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 36.4% over the forecast period (2024-2031).