Substrate Noise Suppression via Conductive Layer Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing substrates with power and ground planes fail to effectively suppress noise, particularly simultaneous switching noise (SSN), at high frequencies due to parasitic inductance of capacitors and are costly to manufacture, and also fail to suppress noise at low frequencies with electric band gap (EBG) structures.

Innovation Solution

A substrate design with power and ground planes having conductive layers of different conductivities, where a lower conductivity layer faces signal lines across a dielectric substance, utilizing the skin effect to suppress high-frequency noise and maintain direct current flow without signal power loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a capacitor is added between the power plane and the ground plane to suppress noise, then noise suppression is improved, but parasitic inductance of the capacitor causes failure to suppress noise at high frequencies and may amplify noise at resonant frequencies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise suppressionVSAvoidhigh frequency noise suppression

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The power plane or ground plane is segmented into multiple conductive layers with different conductivities. The lower conductivity layer is strategically positioned to face the signal line, creating a distributed noise suppression structure that avoids the parasitic inductance problem of集中 capacitors while maintaining effectiveness across a broader frequency range.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different conductive layers are assigned different conductivity values to perform different functions. The lower conductivity layer facing the signal line provides noise suppression, while the higher conductivity layer maintains overall power/ground plane functionality. This local differentiation allows targeted noise suppression without compromising overall system performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the power plane and the ground plane are made to have an electric band gap (EBG) structure to suppress noise, then noise suppression is improved, but the structure fails to suppress noise at low frequencies and is expensive to manufacture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise suppressionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the conductivity parameter of the conductive layers by using materials with different conductivity values or varying the thickness of conductive layers. This parameter modification creates noise suppression functionality without requiring complex EBG structures, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining broad frequency range effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a third conductive layer with lower conductivity is added to the power plane or ground plane to suppress noise, then high frequency noise suppression is improved through skin effect, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehigh frequency noise suppressionVSAvoidconductive layer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The noise suppression function is merged into the existing power plane or ground plane structure by adding a conductive layer with different conductivity. This integration approach combines noise suppression with the power/ground distribution function, avoiding the need for separate noise suppression structures and thereby reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The multi-layer conductive structure serves multiple functions: it maintains power/ground distribution while simultaneously providing noise suppression across different frequency ranges. The different conductivity layers work together to provide both low-frequency and high-frequency noise suppression, as well as maintaining electrical connectivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The substrate effectively suppresses noise along the transmission direction, particularly high-frequency SSN, while maintaining low insertion loss and power efficiency, and is cost-effective by using conductive layers with varying resistances.

Implementation Method 1

The alternating current may flow through the third conductive layer due to a high frequency skin effect.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSkin effect: Skin Effect

Data Source

PatentUS8040201B2Substrate having a structure for suppressing noise generated in a power plane and/or a ground plane, and an electronic system including the same

Publication Date: 2011.10.18 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A substrate includes a power plane and a ground plane that are placed apart from and are substantially parallel to each other, and at least one signal line that is placed between the power plane and the ground plane. The ground plane includes a first conductive layer having a first conductivity. The power plane includes a second conductive layer having the first conductivity, and the power plane or the ground plane includes a third conductive layer having a second conductivity lower than the first conductivity. The third conductive layer faces the at least one signal line across a dielectric substance.