Getting the Most Out of HDI PCB
Using via-in-pad and blind-via technology, hdi pcb allows for smaller device packaging and shorter signal paths. This results in increased performance and reliability.
Once your hdi pcb design passes a DFM review, the unified design environment in Altium Designer generates Gerbers/ODB++/IPC-2581 fabrication files, drill tables, bill of materials and assembly drawings. The specialized equipment used for manufacturing HDI boards requires more time and processing steps than standard PCBs.
High-Density Interconnects
High-density interconnects allow you to fit more traces within a smaller unit area. The technology uses a combination of small line widths and spacing, as well as buried or blind vias to reduce the amount of copper needed. This allows higher pin counts and lower pitch devices to be used, resulting in faster signals and increased component density.
HDI PCBs also feature microvias that have a smaller aspect ratio than standard through-hole vias, which improves reliability and allows for shorter connections to internal layers. These smaller vias can also be plated with different types of fill to achieve the desired performance for your circuit board. In addition, Multek offers uVia-based HDI processing with semi-additive or subtractive copper plating to produce a more robust product that resists the effects of thermal stress.
Successful fabrication of a high-density PCB requires special equipment and processes, including laser drilling (for low aspect ratio vias), imaging, and sequential lamination cycles. The process also includes the use of semiconductor Class 100 clean rooms. Finer lines, tighter spacing and annular rings, and thinner specialty materials make rework difficult, so careful design is essential to avoid these issues.
High-density PCBs are found in a variety of electronic products, from smartphones and computers to digital cameras and 4/5G network communications. They are particularly useful for aerospace applications, where space is at a premium.
High-Density Routing
Getting the most out of your hdi pcb requires careful PCB layout and routing. With smaller pads, vias, and copper traces, it’s essential to maintain proper signal integrity. Fortunately, HDI techniques enable hdi pcb you to route faster and with better reliability than traditional rigid PCBs.
This is largely due to the fact that HDI boards are fabricated using advanced processes and materials. This results in shorter assembly times, increased component density, and lower overall board size. Additionally, the smaller via and tracing sizes reduce inductance and improve signal transmission.
The choice of stackup height, layer count, and via type can all impact your hdi pcb’s cost. For example, a 2-n-2 high-density PCB is more expensive than a 1-n-1 PCB due to the extra layers. Likewise, the type of vias you use—through-hole or microvias—will have a direct impact on your design’s fabrication costs.
Once you’ve completed your HDI PCB layout and passed a DFM review, it’s time to prepare the board for production. The unified design environment in Altium Designer takes all your layout data and generates Gerbers/ODB++/IPC-2581 fabrication files, drill tables, a bill of materials, and assembly drawings. These deliverables can then be sent to your contract manufacturer to facilitate the HDI PCB manufacturing process. This streamlined design workflow is an important part of meeting your fabrication goals and maximizing the efficiency of your design.
High-Density Vias
Managing high-density vias in PCB design can be challenging. The size, type and number of vias used in a board’s construction HDI PCB Supplier are crucial. Managing these vias ensures proper manufacturability and improved board performance. In a traditional PCB, vias are drilled mechanically, but for HDI PCBs, this process is impossible. Instead, microvias are drilled with lasers.
The use of microvias increases the routing channels in a PCB, which can be beneficial in a variety of applications. They also reduce the space requirements of a board, which can help it achieve a higher component density. Microvias are available in several shapes and sizes, including stacked, blind or buried, and staggered.
Sierra Circuits uses a stack-up tool that allows designers to figure out how many layers of high-density interconnects are needed in their designs. This helps them make decisions about the type and amount of vias, which can influence a design’s cost.
Depending on the type of design and how it’s produced, HDI boards can be either sequential or every layer interconnect (ELIC). The Sequential Build-Up structure involves drilling holes in each layer to create the required interconnections. The ELIC structure, on the other hand, eliminates this step. It utilizes copper-filled, stacked and/or staggered microvias to connect the components to each other. The microvias can be drilled with mechanical drills, or a laser-based system that creates the via hole and then deposits a fill material.
High-Density Materials
The choice of materials for a hdi pcb is crucial to its success. It has to provide the right balance of mechanical, electrical, and thermal performance and comply with the applicable regulatory requirements. It also has to be compatible with other materials in the system and the environmental exposures that it will face.
HDI PCBs require a complex stack-up that can be fabricated through a series of sequential lamination cycles. This process is necessary to ensure a high level of circuit density, as well as the ability to manage small capture vias and pads and fine lines and spaces.
This technology is essential for high-performance electronics, including mobile devices with touch-screens, digital cameras, and 4/5G network communications. It’s also being used in military applications, such as satellites and avionics.
To achieve a higher routing density, manufacturers increase the number of layers in the stack-up, and they use microvias to interconnect them. These are etched through the copper layers and then filled with a material called prepreg. The prepregs are then pressed and heated to liquify them before being laminated to the rest of the stack-up. The resulting board can then be manufactured using laser drilling or mechanical drilling techniques.
Creating a high-quality HDI PCB requires special equipment and a skilled team. Choose a PCB manufacturer that has the equipment and expertise to deliver a top-quality product with a short turnaround time. This will reduce the overall cost of production.