Conformal reference planes in substrates

摘要

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for circuit boards are provided herein. An electrically insulating material is formed over one or more traces on a circuit board. One or more further electrically conductive features are present on the circuit board. A layer of an electrically conductive material is formed over the one or more traces that is electrically isolated from the one or more traces by the electrically insulating material, and is in electrical contact with the one or more further electrically conductive features. The electrically conductive material confines magnetic and electric fields produced when the one or more traces conduct an alternating current. By confining the magnetic and electric field distributions in this manner, problems of interference and/or crosstalk with adjacent signal traces are reduced or eliminated.

主权项

1. A circuit board, comprising:
a dielectric material layer having opposing first and second surfaces; a first electrically conductive feature on the first surface of the dielectric material layer, the first electrically conductive feature being planar; a second electrically conductive feature on the first surface of the dielectric material layer, the second electrically conductive feature being coplanar with the first electrically conductive feature; a first electrically conductive trace on the first surface of the dielectric material layer between the first and second electrically conductive features; a second electrically conductive trace on the first surface of the dielectric material layer between the first and second electrically conductive features; an electrically insulating material on the first surface of the dielectric material layer that covers at least a portion of the first electrically conductive trace and the second electrically conductive trace, the electrically insulating material having a maximum thickness that is less than a thickness of the dielectric material layer; a plurality of openings formed in the electrically insulating material to provide access to the first and second electrically conductive features, each of the openings having a width that is greater than a width of at least one of the first or second electrically conductive features, the first electrically conductive feature being a third electrically conductive trace and the second electrically conductive feature being a fourth electrically conductive trace; and an electrically conductive material formed on the electrically insulating material and in electrical contact with the first and second electrically conductive features through the openings.