Hermetically-Sealed Guiding Through Holes for Flex Cable Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate package interconnections using flex cables suffer from signal degradation and lack of complete separability, which hinders flexibility in manufacturing and assembly due to permanent attachments and susceptibility to signal losses.
Innovation Solution
A substrate package design featuring hermetically-sealed guiding through holes and high-speed I/O contact pads for alignment and connection with flex cables, allowing for separable inter-package connections and improved signal transmission through the use of detachable flex connectors and guiding plates for alignment and electrical contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If permanent attachment (soldering) is used to connect flex cables to substrate packages, then connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing flexibility and assembly flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into separable components: substrate package with connector, flex cable with connector, and socket. This segmentation allows individual components to be manufactured independently and assembled flexibly while maintaining reliable connections through the socket interface that provides mechanical support and electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The socket acts as an intermediary component between the substrate package and flex cable connector. It provides a standardized interface that enables reliable electrical connection while allowing for easy insertion and removal, thus resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and manufacturing flexibility.
2Reliability
If permanent attachment (soldering) is used to connect flex cables to substrate packages, then connection stability is improved, but assembly flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system transitions from a static permanent soldered joint to a dynamic separable connection. The socket and connector design allows for repeated insertion and removal operations while maintaining stable electrical connection during use, enabling both connection stability and assembly flexibility.
3Ease of operation
If signals route through socket and motherboard, then inter-package connection is achieved, but signal degradation occurs due to parasitics and cross talks
Solution Approach 1:
The signal transmission path is extracted from the conventional route through socket and motherboard. The flex cable with connector enables direct point-to-point connection between substrate packages, removing the signal from the degraded path and eliminating exposure to on-die parasitics, return loss, and cross talks associated with the conventional routing.
4Ease of operation
If plated through-holes are used in substrate body for flex cable connection, then electrical connection is achieved, but signal degradation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The signal transmission function is extracted from the substrate body's plated through-holes. The connector and flex cable provide a dedicated signal path that bypasses the substrate's internal through-holes, eliminating the signal degradation issues associated with plated through-hole connections while maintaining electrical connectivity.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly of substrate packages interconnected with flex cables and a method of fabrication of the substrate package. The assembly allows input/output (I/O) signals to be speedily transmitted between substrate packages via flex cable and without being routed through the motherboard. Embodiments relate to a substrate package providing separable inter-package flex cable connection. Hermetically-sealed guiding through holes are provided on the substrate package as a mechanical alignment feature to guide connection between flex cables and high speed I/O contact pads on the substrate package. Embodiments of the method of fabrication relate to simultaneously forming hermetically-sealed guiding through holes and I/O contact pads.