-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Sustainability Issue
Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
The Fabricator’s Guide to IPC APEX EXPO
This issue previews many of the important events taking place at this year's show and highlights some changes and opportunities. So, buckle up. We are counting down to IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
Getting to Know Your Designer
In this issue, we examine how fabs work with their design customers, educating them on the critical elements of fabrication needed to be successful, as well as the many tradeoffs involved. How well do you really know your customer? What makes for a closer, more synchronized working relationship?
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Vertical Conductive Structures, Part 2: VeCS and Micro-machining
July 10, 2019 | Joan Tourné, NextGIn Technology BVEstimated reading time: 4 minutes
Editor's Note: Click here to read Part 1.
Micro-machining is used every day in circuit board manufacturing with both drill and routing bits. Micro-machining is a very broad term for techniques used to shape an object. I introduce this term because micro-machining, in combination with the fabrication and processing of objects in 2.5D and 3D is not commonly used in circuit board manufacturing. But vertical conductive structure (VeCS) technology will change that.
Today, the industry has available to it the infrastructure needed to shape circuits in a different way and to create new functions and applications, such as higher density connections between internal and external layers and tuned connections that minimize signal distortion. VeCS is a multi-depth slot element currently achieved with CNC machines (part of today’s infrastructure) using drill and router bits to create the shapes (Figure 1). The objective is to create a new structure that makes the vertical connections using the board real estate differently so that we do not comprise isolation.
CAF/electron migration are the primary constraints in reducing the distance between vertical connections (via hole, microvia, etc.). By using micro-machining, we can create structures that are less–or not at all–sensitive to these isolation defects. VeCS-1, as described in the first article of this series, is a slot going through the circuit from top to bottom. In this article, I will focus on VeCS-2 technology (blind slots) as more micro-machining techniques are required for VeCS-2 than VeCS-1.
Note that the examples in this article all focus on slots with the same depth. In a later article on VeCS, we will see multi-depth slots connecting signals, not only connecting the signal from the outside layers to the internal layer but from, for example, layer 3 to layer 10 creating an internal layer transition. Also, in future articles, we will address transparent layer transitions where more micro-machining techniques will come into play to define the different depths as well as the sequence of processing. It would be preferred to have machine codes defined that determined the depths and sequence of the processing. CAM systems need to accommodate the rules and process sequences to minimise the potential for error in engineering and fabrication.
Figure 1: The basic VeCS element shown from the bottom side using two traces and a power connection at the far end of the slot. Terms for the wide structures are cross route and bottom route.
The VeCS slot shown in Figure 2 is close to a 2.7 mm depth in a 3.0 mm product. The plating is split at the bottom of the deep slot creating two potentials. This particular slot is part of a test coupon, and therefore, has a connection on every layer. This would not be representative of a typical design.
Figure 2: Basic high aspect ratio VeCS-2 element.
If we use the VeCS for an internal layer transition (no connection at the top layer) we micro-machine the vertical trace away in the same process step as we do the cross route. Building on part one of this series where I introduced the VeCS slot, I will introduce some additional features under the topic of micromachining.
Power VeCS
Electronics design applications constantly need more power and current, which opposes the need to make the features smaller, increasing resistance. These opposing constraints still apply to VeCS. With Power-VeCS, the vertical copper trace is shaped so that the cross section is larger, giving it a lower conductivity. Figure 3 shows the use of a half round cylinder extending from the side wall of the slot on the top layers (adding this construct on every layer compromises the routing channel).
We create the lower resistance connection by a combination of the vertical trace shapes with a stackup where Layer 2 (green) and Layer 3 (red) are a power/ground layer. In this manner, we create a lower resistance connection while keeping the connection to all ground and power in the same position. This prevents the shifting of ground and power. And at the same time, we keep the CAF bridge in place.
Data Size
One difference between using micro-machining and the traditional PCB data sets can be the number of lines of machine-code/G-code required. For some designs, the amount of programming code can easily exceed the memory capacity of the current generation CNC machines. To reduce the number of lines of CNC code required, one could always write a specific machine code that defines a slot using a sequence of numbers for slot length and depth. Naturally, this makes the process more complex in that data files need to be cut up with correspondingly increased potential for error.
Micro-machining Experiences
Depth control is one of the challenges in setting up the VeCS-2 slots process. Dielectric tolerances are a critical parameter when setting the depth. Dielectric measurement across the panel needs to be performed to set the correct depth. The layer below the slot needs to have isolation thick enough to accommodate the tolerance of the Z-axis on the CNC machine. This tolerance needs to be in the region of ±0.02 mm. It should be noted also that the type of pressure foot as well as resetting the Z-axis counter through contact with the surface are important in achieving good depth tolerances. Later in this series, I will introduce layer detection. This technique prevents what would otherwise be a complex, time-consuming, and somewhat inaccurate depth-setting process. Similar techniques will also be used for back drilling and depth-control drilling.
To read the full article, which appeared in the June 2019 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Trouble in Your Tank: Supporting IC Substrates and Advanced Packaging, Part 5
03/19/2024 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankDirect metallization systems based on conductive graphite or carbon dispersion are quickly gaining acceptance worldwide. Indeed, the environmental and productivity gains one can achieve with these processes are outstanding. In today’s highly competitive and litigious environment, direct metallization reduces costs associated with compliance, waste treatment, and legal issues related to chemical exposure. What makes these processes leaders in the direct metallization space?
AT&S Shines with Purest Copper on World Recycling Day
03/18/2024 | AT&SThe Styrian microelectronics specialist AT&S is taking World Recycling Day as an opportunity to review the progress that has been made in recent months at its sites around the world in terms of the efficient use of resources:
Matrix to Exhibit at IPC APEX EXPO 2024 in Anaheim, CA
03/05/2024 | MatrixMatrix will be exhibiting at IPC APEX EXPO 2024, to be held on April 9-12, 2024, at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA.
The Chemical Connection: Getting to Know Your Vendor
02/16/2024 | Don Ball -- Column: The Chemical ConnectionAfter working for a capital equipment supplier for almost 50 years, I’ve found that the most important part of getting to know your vendor is good communication among all parties. While contact between fabricators of a constantly changing product line and the designers of those products may occur daily or weekly, conversations between you and your equipment supplier may be years apart. That lengthy gap often means that previous contacts may have been promoted, retired, or moved on to other opportunities. You may have also migrated to a new supplier with whom you have little or no history. In either case, you will be interacting with someone you are unfamiliar with (as they are with you). Therefore, it is essential for both sides to communicate clearly so expectations will align.
EIPC Winter Conference 2024, Day 2: A Closer Look at Global Trends
02/14/2024 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007The opening session of the second day’s conference proceedings focused on global PCB trends and was introduced and moderated by Dr. Michele Stampanoni, vice president of strategic sales and business development at Cicor Group in Switzerland. He opened the session with Dr. Hayao Nakahara’s knowledgeable and enlightening video presentation on the IC substrates industry.