U.S. patent application number 11/506909 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-14 for decoupling capacitor for an integrated circuit and method of manufacturing thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to Silicon Bandwidth, Inc.. Invention is credited to Vincent Alcaria, Patrick Codd, Stanford W. JR. Crane, Zsolt Horvath, Myoung-soo Jeon, Josh Nickle, Charley Ogata.
Application Number | 20060279904 11/506909 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36098799 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060279904 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Crane; Stanford W. JR. ; et
al. |
December 14, 2006 |
Decoupling capacitor for an integrated circuit and method of
manufacturing thereof
Abstract
A capacitor structure may be incorporated into an interposer or
substrate associated with an IC chip to stabilize the input/output
signals, such as power and ground, between the IC chip and a
printed circuit board. In accordance with one embodiment, the
capacitor structure may include a plurality of individual
capacitors connected together to form a monolithic capacitor blade
having a length, width, and height, wherein each of the length and
height of the blade spans multiple of the individual capacitors.
The blade includes multiple electrical conductive paths extending
the height of the capacitor blade. According to another embodiment,
the capacitor structure includes multiple interleaved power and
ground layers separated by insulating layers. The power layers
connect to power leads and the ground layers connect to ground
leads.
Inventors: |
Crane; Stanford W. JR.; (San
Jose, CA) ; Horvath; Zsolt; (Millbrae, CA) ;
Nickle; Josh; (San Jose, CA) ; Jeon; Myoung-soo;
(Fremont, CA) ; Ogata; Charley; (San Jose, CA)
; Alcaria; Vincent; (Manteca, CA) ; Codd;
Patrick; (Palo Alto, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORGAN LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP
1111 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20004
US
|
Assignee: |
Silicon Bandwidth, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
36098799 |
Appl. No.: |
11/506909 |
Filed: |
August 21, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10948638 |
Sep 24, 2004 |
7123465 |
|
|
11506909 |
Aug 21, 2006 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/306.2 ;
257/E23.079; 29/25.41; 29/831; 29/837 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 2224/0557 20130101;
H05K 7/1092 20130101; H01L 2224/05599 20130101; H01L 2224/0555
20130101; H01L 2224/0556 20130101; H01L 2224/16235 20130101; H01L
2924/15311 20130101; Y10T 29/43 20150115; H01L 2224/16225 20130101;
H01L 2924/00014 20130101; H01L 2224/0554 20130101; H01L 2924/3025
20130101; H01L 23/50 20130101; Y10T 29/49139 20150115; H01L
2924/01079 20130101; H01L 2924/00014 20130101; H01L 2224/05571
20130101; H01L 2224/05573 20130101; H01G 4/232 20130101; H01L
2924/00014 20130101; H01G 4/35 20130101; H01L 2924/00014 20130101;
Y10T 29/49128 20150115; H01L 2924/01078 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/306.2 ;
029/025.41; 029/831; 029/837 |
International
Class: |
H01G 4/228 20060101
H01G004/228; H01G 7/00 20060101 H01G007/00 |
Claims
1-125. (canceled)
126. A method for manufacturing a capacitor module, comprising:
forming an stack of alternating conductive power layers and
conductive ground layers, with insulating layers in between the
power layers and ground layers, each of power, ground, and
insulating layers having holes formed therein; and inserting leads
into the stack, wherein a first set of the leads electrically
connects to the power layers but not the ground layers and a second
set of the leads electrically connects to the ground layers but not
the power layers.
127. A method for manufacturing a substrate, comprising: forming an
insulating body having a landing pads on first and second sides
thereof that are electrically connected with conductive paths, the
insulating body having an aperture therethrough; and inserting an
capacitor module in the aperture, the capacitor module comprising a
plurality of conductive power layers, a plurality of conductive
ground layers, and a plurality of insulative layers, a first set of
leads, and a second set of leads, wherein the power and ground
layers alternate along a dimension of the capacitor module, with at
least one of the insulative layers located between the alternating
power and ground layers, and the first set of leads electrically
connect to the power layers and the second set of leads
electrically connect to the ground layers.
128. A method for manufacturing an interposer, comprising: forming
an insulative main body adapted to support a semiconductor die;
inserting electrically conductive pins into holes in the insulative
main body; and providing at least one capacitor module in the main
body, the capacitor module comprising a plurality of conductive
power layers, a plurality of conductive ground layers, and a
plurality of insulative layers, a first set of leads, and a second
set of leads, wherein the power and ground layers alternate along a
dimension of the capacitor module, with at least one of the
insulative layers located between the alternating power and ground
layers, and the first set of leads electrically connect to the
power layers and the second set of leads electrically connect to
the ground layers.
129. The method of claim 128, wherein the step of providing a
capacitor module comprises inserting the capacitor module in an
aperture in the main body.
130. The method of claim 129, further comprising the step of
providing a semiconductor die on the main body, wherein the
semiconductor die electrically connects to the electrically
conductive pins, to the power leads, and to the ground leads.
131. The method of claim 129, further comprising the step of
providing a substrate on the main body and a semiconductor die on
the substrate, wherein the semiconductor die electrically connects
to the electrically conductive pins, to the power leads, and to the
ground leads through at least the substrate.
132. The method of claim 128, wherein the step of forming the main
body comprises forming a main body having buttresses projecting at
a lower surface thereof.
133. The method of claim 132, wherein the step of inserting
conductive pins comprises inserting the conductive pins so as to
extend at least partially along longitudinal axes of the
buttresses.
134. The method of claim 128, wherein the step of inserting
conductive pins comprises inserting pin modules into the holes of
the main body.
135. The method of claim 134, wherein each pin module comprises one
of the electrically conductive pins and an insulative material
provided axially around the pin.
136. The method of claim 135, wherein each pin module further
comprises a conductive material provided axially around the
insulative material.
137. The method of claim 134, wherein each pin module comprises two
of the electrically conductive pins and an insulative material
provided around the pins.
138. The method of claim 137, wherein each pin module further
comprises a conductive material provided around the insulative
material.
139. The method of claim 134, wherein each pin module comprises
four of the electrically conductive pins and an insulative material
provided around the pins.
140. The method of claim 139, wherein each pin module further
comprises a conductive material provided around the insulative
material.
141. The method of claim 139, wherein each pin module further
comprises a column.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to voltage supply
stabilization and, in particular, to a decoupling capacitor
arrangement, to integrated circuit devices that incorporate the
decoupling capacitor arrangement, and to methods of manufacturing
the foregoing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Integrated circuits or "ICs" are the electronic components
that run computers, cell phones, and other equipment. ICs are
usually mounted on printed circuit boards (PCBs) housed within the
equipment. The PCBs have conductive traces that electrically
connect together the ICs and permit connection to other components,
such as displays, keyboards, speakers, microphones, etc. The ICs
are often the electronic elements that control device
operation.
[0003] ICs are characterized by their operating speed, which is
often indicated using their clock rate. For example, computers may
be advertised as having a 500 MHz Intel Pentium III microprocessor.
The "500 MHz" designation indicates the clock rate of the Pentium
III microprocessor, which is one type of IC. ICs are also
characterized by their density, which represents the number of
devices built into an IC chip of given dimensions, or by a measure
that reflects relative density, such as line width or another
critical dimension. Over time, new generations of ICs have become
faster in operation and denser than previous generations. The trend
is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
[0004] IC packages have pins or leads that conduct address, control
or data signals, power, ground, and possibly other inputs/outputs
to and from the IC. As the number of electronic devices included in
the IC increases, the power needed to operate the devices may also
increase. Moreover, operating voltages have decreased in part due
to an effort to prevent adjacent device structures from shorting.
Operating voltages have decreased, launch voltages and noise
budgets have also decreased. As voltages have decreased, the number
of pins has increased to provide better signal integrity for both
signals and power delivery. Consequently, future ICs are expected
to have more input/output pins and operate at higher speeds.
[0005] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate how the performance of an IC can
be affected by factors external to the IC. For example, a
relationship exists between the voltage supply to an IC and its
clock rate. IC supply voltage (sometimes referred to generally as
"Vcc" herein) is commonly indicated as a constant, e.g., 1.5 V. In
fact, the actual supply voltage fluctuates or varies to some degree
over time and with the downstream load driven by the supply
voltage. For example, load fluctuations may occur as the result of
switching circuitry within the IC. FIGS. 1A and 1B are graphs that
plot maximum clock rate or frequency for a representative IC over
possible voltage supply Vcc values for that IC. It is assumed that
the IC voltage supply reaches a reliability wall at 1.65 V.
[0006] With respect to FIG. 1A, Vcc is assumed to vary over a range
of .+-.100 mV. If the maximum voltage in the range is set at the
reliability wall, then the nominal voltage Vccnom will be 1.55 V
and the voltage supply will fluctuate between 1.45 V and 1.65 V.
Because the minimum voltage is 1.45 V, the maximum clock rate in
this example is 666 MHz.
[0007] FIG. 1B shows that the maximum clock rate can be increased,
yielding a faster device, simply by stabilizing the voltage supply.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the supply voltage varies within a .+-.50 mV
range. In this case, the nominal voltage supply Vccnom can be set
to 1.60 V, with the voltage supply varying from 1.55 V to 1.65 V.
The voltage supply minimum of 1.55 V corresponds to a maximum clock
rate of 712 MHz, an increase of 46 MHz over the example of FIG. 1A,
achieved simply by stabilizing the voltage supply. Moreover, even
higher clock rates can be achieved if the voltage supply is better
stabilized.
[0008] The voltage supply can be stabilized using decoupling
capacitors. As shown in FIG. 2, conventional PCBs often include
rows of individual decoupling capacitors 2 surrounding an IC, such
as a microprocessor. The decoupling capacitors 2 connect in the
wiring lines or traces to the IC. The decoupling capacitors are
useful from an electrical standpoint, but are far from ideal. For
example, the individual capacitors take up too much space on the
surface of the PCB, space that could be used by other components or
that could be eliminated to achieve a reduction in size. In
addition, the placement of the capacitors slows manufacture,
leading to reduced manufacturing throughput and higher prices.
Furthermore, the distance between the decoupling capacitors and the
IC is not short enough. Reducing this distance would improve
electrical performance. Moreover, as faster, more dense, lower
voltage, higher pin count ICs are developed, these problems will
become worse. More space will be required for the capacitors,
larger capacitors will be required, and manufacturing will become
more expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention relates to a platform that
incorporates decoupling capacitors between an IC chip on one hand
and a circuit board on the other hand. For example, decoupling
capacitors may be provided in a semiconductor die package, thereby
providing a decoupling capacitance between the an IC chip housed
within the package and a printed circuit board on which the package
is mounted. The decoupling capacitors are provided near the IC
chip, yielding a lower inductive path and/or greater effective
capacitance that helps to stabilize the supply voltage. This
platform can enable, among other things, better supply voltage
stability because the charge stored in the decoupling capacitors
can offset variations. In particular, the present invention
provides novel decoupling capacitor structures. These capacitor
structures may be incorporated into the power and ground structures
associated with an IC. For example, the decoupling capacitors can
be provided in an interposer that mounts between an IC chip and
substrate on one hand and the PCB on the other. In accordance with
another embodiment, decoupling capacitors can be integrated into
the substrate, such that the decoupling capacitors are provided
between the IC chip and the PCB. In accordance with a further
embodiment, the interposer having the novel decoupling capacitor
structure may be adapted to connect to a socket attached to a PCB
or other substrate. The structure of the decoupling capacitor may
also serve as virtual pins, replacing pins that would otherwise be
provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and
constitute part of this specification, illustrate presently
preferred embodiments of the invention, and, together with the
general description given above and the detailed description given
below, serve to explain features of the invention.
[0011] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate the effect of improved supply
voltage stability on the performance characteristics of an IC.
[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional printed circuit board
having individual decoupling capacitors surrounding an IC chip.
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of a first exemplary
embodiment of a device arrangement.
[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates a first embodiment of a decoupling
capacitor block in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0015] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an example of forming a capacitor
blade using a soldering tray.
[0016] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of capacitor
blade having alignment notches in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative arrangement of a capacitor
blade having alignment notches in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an interposer
in accordance with the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 10 illustrates a bottom view of the exemplary
interposer of FIG. 9.
[0020] FIG. 11 illustrates a cross section of an interposer in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The cross
section is taken through one of the capacitor blades.
[0021] FIG. 12 illustrates the small size of an exemplary capacitor
blade.
[0022] FIG. 13 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of a
device arrangement in accordance with the invention.
[0023] FIG. 14 illustrates the capacitor module of FIG. 13 in
greater detail.
[0024] FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary power layer of the
capacitor module in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0025] FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary ground layer of the
capacitor module in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0026] FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary insulator layer of the
capacitor module in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0027] FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary cover layer of the
capacitor module in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0028] FIG. 19 illustrates an exploded view of the exemplary
capacitor module in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0029] FIG. 20 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of the
interposer in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0030] FIG. 21 illustrates a bottom surface of the exemplary
interposer of FIG. 20.
[0031] FIG. 22 illustrates a cross section of the exemplary
interposer in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0032] FIG. 23 illustrates a magnified cross section of the
exemplary interposer showing the pin and layer structure of the
exemplary capacitor module.
[0033] FIGS. 24 and 25 illustrate further exemplary embodiments of
the interposer in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0034] FIG. 26 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of a
device arrangement in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0035] FIG. 27 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of a
device arrangement in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0036] FIG. 28 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 27 as
view from above with the chip removed.
[0037] FIG. 29 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of a
substrate with a chip or die mounted thereto.
[0038] FIG. 30 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the substrate
shown in FIG. 29 with the chip removed.
[0039] FIGS. 31 and 32 illustrate exploded views of the substrate
of FIG. 30 with a chip.
[0040] FIG. 33 illustrates a close-up of an exemplary capacitor
blade tray and capacitor blades.
[0041] FIGS. 34 and 35 illustrate views of the exemplary substrate
from the bottom.
[0042] FIG. 36 illustrates the exemplary substrate from the
top.
[0043] FIGS. 37-39 illustrate cross sections of the substrate with
a chip mounted thereto.
[0044] FIG. 40 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of a
pluggable device arrangement.
[0045] FIGS. 41 and 42 illustrate exploded views of the exemplary
device arrangement of FIG. 40.
[0046] FIG. 43 illustrates a close-up view of the die, substrate,
and interposer of the exemplary device arrangement of FIG. 40.
[0047] FIG. 44 illustrates a view of the interposer and socket of
the exemplary device arrangement of FIG. 40.
[0048] FIG. 45 illustrates a close-up view of the top of the
interposer of the exemplary device arrangement of FIG. 40.
[0049] FIG. 46 illustrates a cross sectional view of the interposer
and socket of the exemplary device arrangement of FIG. 40.
[0050] FIG. 47 illustrates a cross section of the die, substrate,
interposer and socket of the exemplary device arrangement of FIG.
40.
[0051] FIG. 48 illustrates a close-up view of the cross section of
FIG. 47.
[0052] FIG. 49 illustrates a view of the top of the interposer of
the exemplary device arrangement of FIG. 40.
[0053] FIG. 50 illustrates a close-up view of FIG. 49 showing the
capacitor blade arrangement.
[0054] FIGS. 51 and 52 illustrates exploded views of the capacitor
blade arrangement of the exemplary device arrangement of FIG.
40.
[0055] FIG. 53 illustrates a cross section of the interposer of the
exemplary device arrangement of FIG. 40.
[0056] FIG. 54 illustrates a bottom view of the socket of the
exemplary device arrangement of FIG. 40.
[0057] FIG. 55 illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary device
arrangement in accordance with a further embodiment of the
invention.
[0058] FIG. 56 illustrates an close-up exploded view of the
exemplary pin and capacitor blade arrangement in accordance with
FIG. 55.
[0059] FIG. 57 illustrates a further exploded view of the exemplary
device arrangement of FIG. 55.
[0060] FIG. 58 illustrates an exemplary interposer arrangement
consistent with FIG. 55.
[0061] FIG. 59 illustrates the interposer arrangement of FIG. 58
from above.
[0062] FIGS. 60 and 61 illustrate the interposer arrangement of
FIG. 58 from below.
[0063] FIGS. 62, 63, and 64 illustrate cross sectional view of the
interposer arrangement of FIG. 58.
[0064] FIG. 65 illustrates a top view of the main body 500.
[0065] FIG. 66 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the lower
surface of a substrate 200 consistent with FIG. 55.
[0066] FIG. 67 illustrates an exemplary pin module consistent with
the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 55.
[0067] FIG. 68 illustrates an exploded view of the exemplary pin
module of FIG. 67.
[0068] FIG. 69 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of pin
module according to the present invention.
[0069] FIG. 70 illustrates an exploded view of the pin module
according to FIG. 69.
[0070] FIG. 71 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of pin
module according to the present invention.
[0071] FIG. 72 illustrates an exploded view of the pin module
according to FIG. 71.
[0072] FIG. 73 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an interposer
main body consistent with the pin module of FIG. 71.
[0073] FIG. 74 illustrates an exploded cross section of the
interposer main body of FIG. 73 with pin modules of FIG. 71.
[0074] FIG. 75 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of pin
module according to the present invention.
[0075] FIG. 76 illustrates an exploded view of the pin module
according to FIG. 75.
[0076] FIG. 77 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an interposer
main body consistent with the pin module of FIG. 75.
[0077] FIG. 78 illustrates an exploded cross section of the
interposer main body of FIG. 77 with pin modules of FIG. 75.
[0078] FIG. 79 illustrates the bottom pin structure of a further
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0079] FIG. 80 illustrates the top pin structure of the embodiment
of FIG. 79.
[0080] FIGS. 81 and 82 illustrate the top pin structure of the
embodiment of FIG. 80 prior to finishing according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0081] FIG. 83 illustrates an embodiment of a reel segment of
capacitor pins according to an exemplary embodiment of the
invention.
[0082] FIG. 84 illustrates an exemplary capacitor blade with pins
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0083] FIG. 85 illustrates an exemplary capacitor blade laid over a
reel segment of capacitor pins according to an exemplary embodiment
of the present invention.
[0084] FIGS. 86-88 illustrate an exemplary method of manufacturing
a capacitor blade with capacitor pins using a soldering tray
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0085] FIG. 89 illustrates an exemplary capacitor blade with
capacitor pins according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention manufactured in accordance with FIGS. 86-88.
[0086] FIG. 90 illustrates an exemplary capacitor blade with
capacitor pins in accordance with FIG. 89 with the reel
removed.
[0087] FIG. 91 illustrates a cross section of an exemplary
interposer in accordance with the present invention.
[0088] FIG. 92 illustrates a close-up view of the cross section of
FIG. 91.
[0089] FIG. 93 illustrates a cross section of an exemplary
interposer in accordance with the present invention.
[0090] FIG. 94 illustrates an exemplary method of providing an
interposer with a capacitor blade and reel segment of capacitor
pins according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0091] FIG. 95 illustrates an exemplary capacitor blade and reel
segment of capacitor pins according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention.
[0092] FIG. 96 illustrates a further embodiment of a reel segment
of capacitor pins according to an exemplary embodiment of the
invention.
[0093] FIG. 97 illustrates a view of a further exemplary embodiment
of a capacitor blade in accordance with the present invention.
[0094] FIG. 98 illustrates a top view of the exemplary capacitor
blade of FIG. 97.
[0095] FIG. 99 illustrates a side view of the exemplary capacitor
blade of FIG. 97.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0096] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
exemplary embodiment(s) of the invention illustrated in the
accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference
numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same
or like parts.
[0097] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of a first exemplary
embodiment of a device arrangement 10. The arrangement includes an
IC chip or die 100, substrate 200, decoupling capacitor block 300,
electrically-conductive pins 400, and main body 500. Chip 100 may
include semiconductor devices and circuitry embodying, for example,
a microprocessor, microcomputer, application specific integrated
circuit, digital signal processor, or other IC. Chip 100 mounts to
substrate 200 and makes electrical connection thereto using, for
example, bumps, a bumpless interface, tape automated bonding,
jumpers, or wire bonds. While FIG. 3 illustrates a single chip 100,
it should be appreciated that main body 500 may house multiple
chips 100.
[0098] The substrate 200 includes traces or wiring paths that
couple a first set of landing pads on the first side of the
substrate to a second set of landing pads on the second side of the
substrate. The landing pads on the first side electrically connect
to the chip 100, e.g., directly or indirectly using solder, wire
bonds, a conductive adhesive, etc. The landing pads on the second
side electrically connect to the pins 400 and to the capacitor
block 300. Again, this connection may be direct or through a
conductive medium, such as solder, a conductive adhesive, or other
medium. The density of the first set of landing pads may be greater
that the density of the second set.
[0099] FIG. 4 illustrates a first embodiment of a decoupling
capacitor block 300. In this example, block 300 is made up of 16
capacitor blades 310, each blade having 58 individual capacitors
320. This example of block 300 provides 928 capacitors in a 15
mm.times.15 mm area. Of course, these values are intended as
examples and other blocks can vary by the number of blades, the
spacing of the blades, the number of capacitors per blade, and the
size of the capacitors and blades to achieve a variety of capacitor
values and sizes.
[0100] Some discrete capacitors are specified according to their
length and width dimensions in hundredths of an inch. For example,
a capacitor 0.04 inches long and 0.02 inches wide is commonly
referred to as an 0402 capacitor. The example illustrated in FIG. 4
uses 0402 capacitors. However, other capacitors, or combinations of
capacitors, may be used.
[0101] Assuming each of the 0402 capacitors has a capacitance value
of 0.22 .mu.F, the total capacitance of the exemplary capacitor
block is over 200 .mu.F. The alternating 1 mm grid pattern results
in approximately 14 pH of inductance. Of course, these values are
intended to be exemplary and other values may be obtained using
other arrangements and/or materials.
[0102] As shown in FIG. 4, each blade 310 may include multiple
capacitors 320 stacked vertically and end-to-end. The capacitors
320 may be coupled together, for example, by soldering together the
endcaps, as shown in FIG. 4. Of course, other mechanisms may be
used to couple the capacitors together, such as a conductive
adhesive, conductive springs, compression bonding, and welding, for
example. When coupled together as shown in FIG. 4, the coupled
endcaps of capacitors 320 may form multiple conductive paths 312,
each extending from the top to the bottom of the blade 310. The
conductive paths 312 form pin columns that can connect between the
substrate 200 and the PCB on which the IC is mounted. More
specifically, the upper portion of the conductive path 312 may
connect to the landing pads on the bottom of substrate 200. The
connection may be direct, or it may be indirect, for example, using
solder, a conductive paste or tape or film, a combination of solder
and a trace, or another conductive medium, In addition, the lower
portion of the conductive path 312 may connect, either directly or
indirectly as above, to landing pads on the PCB to which the IC is
mounted.
[0103] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an example of forming a capacitor
blade 310 using a soldering tray 600. The soldering tray can be
provided with a shape or form corresponding to the desired shape of
the capacitor blade. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the
soldering tray 600 includes an indentation 610 shaped like the
capacitor blade to be formed. Individual capacitors 320, or smaller
groups of capacitors, may be set in the indentation and soldered
together. The individual capacitors 320 may be of the same size,
but this is not required and it is possible to form the capacitor
blade 310 of individual capacitors having more that one size. The
tray 600 may be formed of a non-stick material for easy removal of
the completed blade. Alternatively, portions of the tray, for
example, portions of the indentations contacting the capacitors,
may be formed of or coated with a non-stick material. Using the
soldering tray 600 for placement, the capacitors 320 may be
soldered together to form a capacitor blade 310. For example, the
soldering tray may position the capacitors for application of
solder and hold the capacitors in place during reflow of the
solder. The particular solder paste may have a higher melting point
than the solder used to couple components in succeeding steps,
e.g., soldering leads or pins to the PCB. The solder may be applied
to the capacitors by brushing or with a dispenser, such as a
jet-type dispenser. Following reflow, the blade may then be removed
from the tray. While FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an example of a
soldering tray, it should be understood that the capacitor blades
may be formed using other arrangements and/or other mechanisms,
including other shaping forms or holders.
[0104] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of capacitor
blade 310 having alignment notches 314. As shown, the alignment
notches 314 may be provided by omitting or removing one or more
capacitors 320 from the blade 310 at one or more predetermined
location. In the example of FIG. 7, the blade is made up of
15.times.4 array of capacitors 320, with two capacitors omitted,
thus totaling 58 capacitors. It is also possible to remove only a
portion of one or more capacitors 320 to form the alignment notches
314. For example, a portion of dielectric material between the
endcaps of a capacitor 320 may be removed.
[0105] FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative arrangement of a capacitor
blade 310 having alignment notches 314. In this example, the
alignment notches 314 are formed by using capacitors 320 of
different dimensions. More specifically, the blade 310 is made up
of a 15.times.1 array of capacitors 320, with two capacitors 320-1,
320-2 having a different dimension (in this case length) than the
other capacitors in the blade. Of course, the different dimension
may be width or thickness, or a combination of width, thickness,
and length.
[0106] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an interposer
50 including an insulating main body 500, signal pins 400, and
multiple capacitor blades 310. The term "signal pins" is used to
encompass data input/output and control pins as well as power
voltage and ground pins. The insulating main body 500 may be molded
from a polymer material, for example, a liquid crystal polymer or
polytetrafluoroethylene. Portions of the main body 500 may be
metallized or plated, for example, to provide electromagnetic
interference (EMI) shielding and/or to provide a ground return path
for the signal pins and/or act as a ground plane. Main body 500 may
include a plurality of trenches 510 for receiving the capacitor
blades 310 and a plurality of holes 520 for receiving the signal
pins 400. The trenches 510 are linear with a length sufficient to
accommodate and position the capacitor blade 310. The holes 520
maybe shaped to retain signals pins 400 therein, for example, by
friction and/or other mechanical expedients. In the example of FIG.
9, the signal pins 400 surround the capacitor blades 310. However,
other arrangements are possible as well. For example, one or more
of the capacitor blades may be adjacent to the signal pins, or the
pins may be interspersed between one or more blades, or the blades
may surround the pins.
[0107] In the example of FIG. 9, the pitch or spacing of the
capacitors' conductive paths 312 matches that of the signal pins
400. Alternatively, some or all of the paths 312 may have a larger
(or smaller) pitch than the signal pins.
[0108] The insulating main body 500 may further include corner
walls 530 to aid in positioning and retaining the IC chip(s) 100
and substrate 200. The edges of the corner walls may be chamfered
to ease insertion of the substrate 200 and chip(s) 100. Moreover,
the corner of one of the corner walls 530 may be truncated for
alignment of the interposer 50 on a printed circuit board (PCB). In
addition, the insulating body may include mounting pegs 535 to
stabilize the interposer 50 on a PCB or other substrate and/or to
provide polarization features to ensure that the interposer 50
mounts only in a predetermined orientation on the PCB, thereby
correctly matching signals between device arrangement 10 and the
PCB to which it mounts.
[0109] FIG. 10 illustrates a bottom view of the exemplary
interposer 50 of FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 10, the signal pins 400
and the capacitor blades 310 extend from a bottom surface 505 of
the insulating body 500. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the
capacitor blades 310 include alignment notches 314 as discussed
above in connection with FIG. 7. The notches 314 engage alignment
ribs 514 extending across trenches 510. The alignment ribs 514 aid
in aligning and retaining the capacitor blades 310. While FIG. 10
shows alignment ribs 514 extending across the capacitor section of
the interposer 50, other arrangements are possible as well. For
example, while two alignment ribs 514 are shown, a single alignment
rib may be provided, or three or more ribs. In addition, the
alignment ribs 514 may be provided at the ends of the capacitor
blades 310. Further, the alignment ribs 514 may be separated by
different widths that key to different capacitor blade 310
configurations. Accordingly, the alignment ribs 514 may not appear
as parallel, linear stripes, as shown in FIG. 10. It is also
possible for the conductive paths 312 of the capacitor blades 310
to couple to a lead arrangement above and/or below the blades 310
to facilitate electrical connection.
[0110] FIG. 11 illustrates a cross section of an interposer 50. The
cross section is taken through one of the capacitor blades 310. The
chip or die may mount to a substrate and the substrate may then
mount to the interposer 50. Of course, in some embodiments, the
chip may mount directly to the interposer 50. In general, the
substrate 200 may be made of an insulative material, such as a
ceramic or polymer, and may include landing pads on first and
second sides thereof and electrically conductive traces between the
landing pads, as described above. The landing pads and traces may
be used to couple electrical signals (including power and ground
voltages as well as information signals) between the chip and the
interposer. Landing pads coupled to the chip may be more densely
spaced than the landing pads coupled to the signal pins and
capacitors. In this case, the traces may spread out from the first
side of the substrate to the second side.
[0111] In the context of FIG. 11, the landing pads on the substrate
may connect to ends of the conductive paths 312 of the capacitor
blades 310 and to ends of the pins or conductive elements 400.
While not shown, these connections may be made using solder, a
conductive paste or another conductive adhesive (such as an
anisotropic conductive film), or another conductive medium. The
capacitor blade 310 is aligned and retained by alignment ribs 514.
The pins 400 are held within the holes 520 in the main body 500.
The opposite ends of the conductive paths 312 and pins 400 may
connect to landing pads on the PCB, as described above.
[0112] FIG. 12 illustrates the small size of exemplary capacitor
blades 310. The exemplary capacitor blade shown in FIG. 12 has a
length of 0.6 in. (15 mm), a height of 0.08 in. (2 mm), and a width
of 0.024 in. (0.6 mm). It should be understood that these
dimensions are exemplary.
[0113] FIG. 13 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of the
invention. In accordance with FIG. 13, a chip or die 100 mounts to
a substrate 200. The substrate 200 couples to an interposer 50 that
can be mounted to a PCB. The interposer 50 includes a unified
capacitor module 300, a plurality of signal pins 400, and an
insulative main body 500. The signal pins 400 extend through
individual holes 520 formed in the main body 500. The main body 500
also includes a hole or window 540 for receiving the capacitor
module 300. In this case, the signal pins 400 surround the
capacitor module 300.
[0114] FIG. 14 illustrates the capacitor module 300 of FIG. 13 in
greater detail. As shown, the module 300 includes a stack of power
layers, ground layers insulative layers, and cover layers, which
will be described below. Power pins 340 and ground pins 345 running
through the stack from a first side 331 to a second side 332. The
pins 340, 345 may connect power and ground layers within the module
300 in a checkerboard or other pattern. For example, adjacent pins
may alternate between power and ground pins. Capacitance is
increased, without a corresponding increase in size, because the
need for separate housings for each capacitor is eliminated.
[0115] FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate an exemplary power layer 350 and
an exemplary ground layer 354 of the capacitor module 300. The
layers 350, 354 have large holes 334 and small holes 336 that
alternate in a checkerboard pattern. The large holes 334 provide
clearance to the conductive surface, while small holes 336 provide
contact. As above, patterns other than a checkerboard may be used.
The pattern of large and small holes in FIG. 15 is opposite of that
in FIG. 16. The holes may be sized such that pins 340, 345
extending through the holes contact the small holes 336 but do not
touch the large holes 334. For example, the pins may press fit
against the small holes. Alternatively, a conductive medium may be
provided between a layer and a pin to provide an electrical
connection. The large holes may have a diameter close to that of
the pins without touching the pins and without experiencing
dielectric breakdown given the voltages applied to the capacitive
structure. The power and ground layers 350, 354 are made of a
conductive material, such as a metal plate or film. Highly
conductive metals or metal alloys are best, such as copper or gold.
The power and ground layers may be made of entirely of metal or
metal alloy, or may comprise one or more metal layers, such as a
metal- or metal alloy-coated substrate. The material(s) selected
for a particular application may depend on cost, workability,
conductivity, durability, and ability to form an electrical
connection, among other factors. It should be appreciated that,
instead of or in addition to varying the size of the holes 334,
336, the diameter of the pins 340, 345 may be varied to provided
the desired contact and clearance pattern.
[0116] FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate an exemplary insulator layer 358
and an exemplary cover layer 362 of the capacitor module 300. The
insulator layer 358 is made of an insulative material, preferably
have high dielectric constant, such as a thin film ceramic, an
oxide, or a nitride, and in some applications even air may suffice.
The insulative layer 358 may include a grid pattern of large holes
334. However, this is not essential. The holes made in the
insulator 358 need only be large enough to receive the pins 340,
345. The cover layer 362 may also be made of an insulative
material, such as a plastic, and may include a grid pattern of
small holes 332. The cover layers 362 are provided on the outside
of the stack and are intended to protect the interior layers of the
module 300 from dirt, oxidation, and other factors that could
impair the operation of the capacitor module 300. It should be
noted that the cover layer may extend over the sides of the
capacitor module 300. For example, it may be a coating over the
entire module, except for the end portions of the pins.
[0117] While the exemplary capacitor module 300 has been described
and shown with a checkerboard pattern of holes, other hole patterns
are possible as well. For example, an offset pattern of holes may
be used wherein the holes of adjacent rows are offset by specified
distance. In such a case, the offset may be half the distance
between holes. The offset pattern may be provided both in row and
column directions. Of course, other offset values and other
patterns are possible. In addition, instead of planar layers, the
capacitor module 300 may be formed of layers having other shapes,
such as cylindrical layers, e.g., with alternating power,
insulating, and ground layers. The cylindrical layers may have a
circular cross section, an elliptical cross section, or another
shape. As a further alternative, the layers may spiral outward. The
pins may extend from or along the power and ground layers. Of
course, the above are merely intended as examples.
[0118] FIG. 19 illustrates an exploded view of the exemplary
capacitor module 300 using planar layers. In this example, module
300 includes a first cover layer 362-1, a first ground layer 354-1,
and first insulative layer 358-1, a first power layer 350-1, and
second insulative layer 358-2, a second ground layer 354-2, a third
insulative layer 358-3, a second power layer 350-2, a fourth
insulative layer 358-4, third ground layer 354-3, a fifth
insulative layer 359-5, a third power layer 350-3, and a cover
layer 362-2. Pins 340, 345 extend through the aligned holes,
contacting either the ground layers 350 or the power layers 354.
The example illustrated in FIG. 19 includes three ground layers 354
and three power layers 350. However, it should be understood that
another number of ground and/or power layers may be provided, for
example, to increase or decrease capacitance value. Increasing the
number of layers, forming the insulating layers of material with
increased dielectric constant, and reducing the thickness of the
insulating layers will each increase the capacitance of the
capacitor module 300.
[0119] FIG. 20 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the
interposer 50. As noted above, the interposer includes an
insulative main body 500 with holes 520 to receive the signal pins
400 and a window 540 for receiving the capacitor module 300. The
window 540 may be through the approximate center of the main body
500 as shown in FIG. 20, or located elsewhere. Hold down pegs 535
for engaging a PCB may extend from the bottom surface of the main
body 500 near the corners. The pegs 535 may function both for
polarization as well as for stabilizing the interposer relative to
the PCB. The edges of the corner walls 530 may be chamfered to ease
insertion of the chip 100 and substrate 200.
[0120] FIG. 21 illustrates a bottom surface of the exemplary
interposer of FIG. 20. As shown in FIG. 21, three mounting pegs 535
may be provided at the corners of the bottom surface for alignment,
polarization and mounting stabilization to the PCB. FIG. 21 also
shows the signal pins 400 and the capacitor module pins 340, 345
extending from the bottom surface of the main body 500. As shown in
FIG. 21, the pitch of the capacitor module pins 340, 345 may be the
same as the pitch of the signal pins 400. However, in alternative
arrangements, the module pins may have a larger pitch than the
signal pins, or a smaller pitch. The ends of the signal pins 400
and the capacitor module pins 340, 345 can connect to landing pads
on a surface of the PCB, for example, to form a surface-mount
connection. If a multi-layer circuit board is provided, the length
of the pins 340, 345, 400 may be vary depending on the required
depth for connection to the appropriate layer of the circuit board.
For example, in some multi-layer circuit embodiments, some or all
of the signal and/or capacitor module pins can extend into vias or
unplated holes formed in the circuit board.
[0121] FIGS. 22 illustrates a cross section of the interposer 50
with capacitor module 300. The cross section is taken through one
of the rows of pins 340, 345 of the capacitor module 300. As shown
in FIG. 22, the capacitor module 300 is positioned in window 540.
The capacitor module 300 may be secured to the main body 500 using
an adhesive and/or one or more ledges or seats formed at the
periphery of window 540. Alternatively, the capacitor module 300
may be molded into or insert-molded into the main body 500. FIG. 22
further shows that holes 520 through main body 50 can include
funnels or chamfers 522 at top and/or bottom portions. The funnels
or chamfers 522 can be used to guide pins 400 through the holes
520, in the event that the pins 400 are inserted. In addition, the
funnels or chamfers 522 may provide a reservoir for solder or other
conductive material used in connecting the pins 400 to the body 500
or to a PCB or other substrate, if appropriate for the arrangement
employed. It should be noted that the main body 500 may be molded
around pins 400.
[0122] FIGS. 23 illustrates a magnified cross section of the
interposer 50 with capacitor module 300, showing the pin and layer
structure of the exemplary capacitor module 300. For example, pin
345-1 is coupled to the first and second cover layers 362-1,362-2
and electrically and connected to the first, second and third
ground layers 354-1, 354-2, 354-3, but spaced from the insulator
layers 358-1 through 358-5 and the power layers 350-1 through
350-3. Pin 340-2, on the other hand, is coupled to the first and
second cover layers 362-1, 362-2 and electrically and connected to
the first, second, and third power layers 350-1, 350-2, 350-3 and
is spaced from the insulator layers 358-1 through 358-5 and the
ground layers 354-1 through 354-3. Thus, pin 345-1 is a ground pin
and pin 340-2 is a power pin. As noted above, the first and second
cover layers 362 are preferably insulating, such as ceramic, a
polymer, or other insulating material.
[0123] FIGS. 24 and 25 illustrate further exemplary embodiments of
the interposer 50. In accordance with FIGS. 24 and 25, two mounting
pegs 535 may be provided. One or both of the pegs 535 may be molded
into different unique positions and/or have different diameters
and/or shapes to provide multiple polarization and keying options.
For example, a peg 535 may be located in "left" position as shown
in FIG. 24 or a "right" position as shown in FIG. 25. The position
of the pegs 535 may code to the particular chip(s) 100 mounted to
the interposer 50. For example, one chip 100 may code to the left
position of the mounting peg 535 and another, different chip may
code to the right position of peg 535. Further, the pegs 535 may
include retention features, such as hooks, shoulders, nubs, etc.,
to assist retention to a PCB or other substrate.
[0124] FIG. 26 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of an
interposer 50. In accordance with FIG. 26, a set of pins 400 are
located between two sets of capacitor blades 310. Bumps 121 (such
as solder bumps) may be used to connect between the pins 400 and
conductive paths 312 of the capacitor blades on the one hand and
the landing pads 235-2 of the substrate 200 on the other hand. In
addition, bumps 221 may be used to connect between the pins 400 and
conductive paths 312 of the capacitor blades on the one hand and
the landing pads of the PCB 700 on the other hand. Of course,
another conductive medium or a direct connection may be used
instead of bumps 121, 221. In this example, each set of blades 310
may extend across the entire length of the pin field 400 (i.e., in
a direction into the drawing page). However, this is not necessary.
One or more of the blades 310 may extend only partially across the
length of the pin field 400, for example, a length similar to that
shown in FIGS. 3, so that the pins 400 surround such blades 310.
Alternatively, ends of one or more the blades 310 may be provided
at or just inside of the periphery of the interposer, so that the
pins 400 are between capacitor blades 310. Such an arrangement
permits the power and/or ground voltage supplies to connect through
the capacitor blades near the periphery of the interposer.
[0125] While this exemplary embodiment is illustrated with
capacitor blades 310, it should be understood that the capacitor
blades 310 may be replaced by two capacitor modules 300. The
exemplary embodiments of the capacitor block or module 300
described above may be integrated or incorporated into the
interposer 50.
[0126] FIG. 27 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment in which
the capacitor block or module 300 is provided in the substrate 200
rather than the interposer 50. While the embodiment will be
described using the capacitor blades 310 as an example, it should
be appreciated that the capacitor module 300 may be used in
addition or instead of the capacitor blades 310. As shown in FIG.
27, conductive bumps 121, for example solder bumps, may connect
features 110 on the chip 100 both to features 235-1 on the
substrate and to the conductive paths 312 of the capacitor blades
310. In addition, bumps 221 may connect features 235-2 on the
substrate 200 and on the conductive paths 312 of the capacitor
blades 310 to features on the PCB 700. The features 110, 235-1,
235-2 may be landing pads or other features. Moreover, another
conductive medium (e.g., conductive adhesive, anisotropic
conductive film, a bumpless technology), or a direct connection,
may be used instead of the bumps 121, 221. According to this
embodiment, the interposer may be omitted if desired.
Alternatively, the substrate 200 and the capacitor blades 310 may
be connected to an interposer.
[0127] FIG. 28 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of the
substrate 200 shown in FIG. 27 from below. As shown, multiple
capacitor blades 310 are aligned in the substrate 200. The blades
310 may be secured to the substrate 200 using one or more of
several techniques, such as alignment ribs, clips, a tray, tabs,
ultrasonic welding, and/or adhesives.
[0128] FIG. 29 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of a
substrate 200 with a chip or die 100 mounted thereto. FIG. 30
illustrates the substrate 200 shown in FIG. 29 with the chip 100
removed. FIGS. 31 and 32 illustrate exploded views of the substrate
200 and chip 100. FIG. 33 illustrates a close-up of a capacitor
blade tray 240 and capacitor blades 310 in accordance with the
exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 30. FIGS. 34 and 35 illustrate
views of the exemplary substrate 200 from the bottom. FIG. 36
illustrates the exemplary substrate 200 from the top. FIGS. 37-39
illustrate cross sections of the substrate 200 with a chip 100
mounted thereto.
[0129] As shown in FIG. 30, an insulating body 230, landings or
pads 235-1, a capacitor blade tray 240, and capacitors blades 310
are provided. The insulating body 230 may be made from one or more
layers 231 of dielectric or insulative material, however it is also
possible to make the body from one piece of insulative material. As
noted above, conductive paths or traces may run through the
insulating body 230. Landings 235-1 are provided on a first side
232 of the insulating body. The landings 235-1 are arranged and
adapted to connect to corresponding landings or pads 110 on the die
100, either directly or indirectly via an electrically-conductive
medium, such as solder balls. As described in greater detail below,
the capacitor blade tray 240 holds one or more capacitor blades
310, such as those described above. The blades 310 include
conductive paths 312 that form virtual pins sized and spaced for
connection to the chip 100, either directly or indirectly, as
described above. In the example shown in FIG. 30, the conductive
paths 312 have a pitch that is about twice the pitch of the
landings 235-1. It should be appreciated that the pitch of the
conductive paths 312 may be selected based on several factors and
could be the same as the pitch of the landings 235-1 or a different
pitch.
[0130] FIGS. 31 and 32 provide exploded views of the substrate 200
and chip 100 from different perspectives. The tray 240 fits within
a hole 234 provided through the insulative body 230. The tray 240
may include extensions 242 that interface with the sides of the
insulating body 230 at or in the hole 234 to position and/or retain
the tray 240. Of course, other or additional mechanisms may be
provided to position or retain the tray 240. For example,
mechanical techniques, such as clips, hooks, snaps, stakes,
interference fits, etc., may be used, and/or adhesives, and/or
welding or brazing. The tray 240 includes slots 244 for receiving
capacitor blades 310. In addition, the tray 240 may include
alignment ribs 246 similar to the ribs 514 described above. The
tray 240 may be fixed to the insulative body 230 or may be
removable therefrom, for example, to permit repair,
reconfiguration, or for substitution of the tray 240 and/or the
insulative body 230.
[0131] As shown in FIG. 32, chip 100 includes landings or pads 110.
As described above, landings 235-1 of body 230 are adapted to
connect (directly or indirectly) to pads 110 of the chip 100. The
insulating body includes a second side 233 having landings or pads
235-2. Conductive paths within insulating body 230 connect landings
235-1 on the first side 232 of insulating body to landings 235-2 on
the second side 233. Landings 235-2 are adapted to connect
(directly or indirectly) to landings or pads on a circuit board
(not shown). Accordingly, signals may be coupled between the chip
100 and the circuit board via the substrate 200.
[0132] In addition, the chip 100 includes landings or pads 120 that
couple (directly or indirectly using conductive bumps or balls,
etc.) to conductive paths 312 of the capacitor blades. An opposite
end of conductive paths 312 couple (directly or indirectly) to
landings or pads on the circuit board. Accordingly, signals
(including power and/or ground) may be coupled to and/or from the
circuit board and the chip 100.
[0133] FIG. 33 provides an exploded view of tray 240 and capacitor
blades 310. As shown, the tray 240 may include a series of slots
244 for receiving the capacitor blades 310. FIGS. 34 and 35
illustrates the second side 233 of the insulating body 230. The
landings 235-2 are shown as well as the capacitor blades 310 and
alignment ribs 246. As shown, the pitch of the landings 235-2 may
be the same as the pitch of the conductive paths 312 provided by
the capacitor blades 310. As above, it is possible for the pitch of
the conductive paths 312 to differ from the pitch of the landings
235-2. FIG. 36 illustrates the substrate 200 from above, showing
the capacitor blades 310, landings 235-1, tray 240, and insulative
body 230. The number of landings 235-1 on the top surface of the
substrate 200 may equal the number of landings 235-2 on the bottom
surface of the substrate. However, this is not required for some
applications and the numbers of landings 235-1 and 235-2 may
differ. For example, as shown in FIGS. 35 and 36, the substrate may
have fewer landings 235-1 at the upper surface than landings 235-2
at the bottom surface. In this regard, some landings 235-1 may be
routed to multiple landings 235-2.
[0134] FIGS. 37-39 illustrate cross sections of the substrate 200
and die 100. These views illustrate the connection between the
landings 110 and 235-1 and between landings 120 and conductive
paths 312. As shown in these FIGS., the insulating body 230 may
include an edge 238 that receives the extensions 242 of the tray
240, thereby seating the tray 242 in the insulating body 230.
[0135] FIG. 40 illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of a
device arrangement in accordance with an aspect of the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 40-42, the device arrangement includes
an IC chip or die 100, a substrate 200, capacitor block 300, pins
400, interposer main body 500, and socket 800. Features of the IC
chip 100, substrate 200, capacitor block 300, and main body 500 may
be similar to those described above in connection with other
embodiments and therefore may not be described in detail again
below.
[0136] Die 100 mounts to substrate 200, with substrate 200 in turn
mounting to interposer main body 500. As above, landings or pads on
the bottom surface of die 100 electrically connect to landing or
pads on the top surface of substrate 200. The pads on the top
surface of substrate 200 connect to pads on the bottom surface
thereof. The pads on the bottom surface of substrate 200 connect to
the tops of the virtual pins of the capacitor block 300 and to the
pins 400 of interposer main body 500. The interposer main body 500
mounts to socket 800. As will be discussed in greater detail below,
the pins 400 connect to corresponding pins 820 of the socket 800 to
form an electrical connection therebetween. The socket pins 820 may
connect to a PCB or other substrate. Accordingly, electrical
connection may be made from the die to/from the PCB or other
substrate via the substrate 200, capacitor block 300, pins 400, and
socket 800.
[0137] As shown in FIGS. 41 and 42, the bottom surface of main body
500 may include an array of buttresses 550. The buttresses 550 may
be made of the same material as the main body, such as an
insulative polymer (e.g., liquid crystal polymer) and may extend
from the bottom surface of the main body 500. The buttresses 550
may be integrally molded as part of the main body 500, or may be
formed separately and connected after the main body 500 is formed.
It should be appreciated that the buttresses 550 are not required
and may be omitted in some embodiments.
[0138] Each of the pins 400 extend through the interposer main body
500 and along the length of a buttress 550. Clusters or groups of
pins 400, for example, four pins 400 in the illustrated example,
are spaced around the circumferences of buttresses 550. More
particularly, the circumferences of the buttresses 550 may include
cut-outs or indentations which receive the pins 400, yet expose at
least a side surface of the pins 400 to permit electrical
connection. In the embodiment illustrated, the buttresses 550 have
rounded outer surfaces that, together with pins 400, provide a
shape generally like a circular cylinder with flat surfaces
corresponding to the exposed sides of the pins 400. The tips of the
buttresses 550 may be tapered, for example rounded, conic, or
pyramidal, to facilitate connection to the socket 800, as described
below. Other shapes of the buttress and its tip are possible as
well. Similarly, the tip of the pins 400 extending along the
buttress 500 may be tapered. Moreover, as noted above, the
buttresses 550 are not required, in which case the pins 400 would
extend from the bottom surface of the main body 500.
[0139] As shown in FIG. 41 for example, pins 400 maybe exposed at
the top surface of main body 500 for connecting (directly or
indirectly, as discussed above) to the landing pads on the bottom
surface of substrate 200. In addition, pins 400 provided beneath
the capacitor block 300 may connect, directly or indirectly, to the
conductive paths 312 of the capacitor blades 310, thereby forming
an electrical connection from the top of the main body 500 (i.e.,
the top of the conductive paths 312) to the lower surface of the
main body (i.e., the pins 400 beneath the capacitor block 300).
While capacitor blades 310 are shown, it should be appreciated that
the capacitor block 300 could be embodied as a capacitor module,
for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 13-23.
[0140] Socket 800 includes a body 810, pins 820, and a cover plate
830 having holes 835. The main body 810 may be formed of an
insulative material, such as a polymer, for example, a liquid
crystal polymer. Pins 820 are held in the main body 810, as
discussed further below. Cover plate 830 may be provided to cover
the pins 820. The cover plate 830 includes holes 835 to receive the
pins 400 and buttresses 550, if provided, of the interposer main
body 500.
[0141] FIG. 43 illustrates the upper surfaces of the main body 500
with pins 400 and capacitor block 300 that couple to the substrate
200 and IC die 100. As shown, the ends of pins 400 may extend from
the upper surface of the main body 500. The pitch of the pins 400
may be the same as the pitch of the conductive paths 312 of the
capacitor blades 310. However, as above, this may be useful in some
applications, but is not required. Similar to the pins 400, the
capacitor blades 310 may also extend from the upper surface of body
500.
[0142] FIG. 44 illustrates the interposer main body 500 coupled to
the socket 800. As described above, the pins 400 and buttresses 550
of the main body 500 may extend through the holes 835 in the cover
plate 830 of socket 800. While not shown in FIG. 44, the pins 400
engage corresponding pins 820 of the socket to form an electrical
connection.
[0143] FIG. 45 provides a close-up view of the upper surface of
main body 500, showing the array of pins 400 and the capacitor
block 300. The capacitor block 300 includes multiple capacitor
blades 310 made up of multiple individual capacitors 320 as
described above. The capacitor blades 310 may be disposed in a
capacitor blade tray 240 seated in the main body 500.
[0144] FIG. 46 illustrates a cross section of the interposer main
body 500 and the socket 800 during connection. FIGS. 47 and 48 also
provide cross sectional views during connection. As shown in these
FIGS., pins 400 and the conductive paths 312 of capacitor block 300
may be exposed at the top surface of main body 500 for coupling
(directly or indirectly, as discussed above) to the landing pads on
the bottom surface of substrate 200. In addition, pins 400 provided
beneath the capacitor block 300 may connect, directly or
indirectly, to the bottom of conductive paths 312 of the capacitor
blades 310, thereby forming an electrical connection.
[0145] The opposite ends of pins 400 extend from the bottom surface
of the interposer main body 500 along the sides of buttresses 550.
As shown, the pins 400 may include a stabilization portion 404 and
a contact portion 406. The stabilization portion 404 may held
within holes of the main body 500, for example, using a frictional
fit and/or adhesives. The stabilization portion 404 may be thicker
than the contact portion 406 to provide, among other things, stable
engagement with the main body 500. The contact portion 406 may be
narrower that the stabilization portion 404. The contact portion
406 includes a flat surface 407 for contact to the pins 820 of the
socket and a tapered lead-in portion 408. The tapered lead-in
portion 408 is designed to initially engage a pin 820 and to flex
the pin 820 as it slides along the tapered portion 408.
[0146] Similarly, the pins 820 of the socket 800 include a
stabilization portion 824 and a contact portion 826. As above, the
stabilization portion 824 may be held within holes in the main body
820 using a frictional fit and/or adhesive. As shown, the
stabilization portion 824 may be thicker than the contact portion
826. The contact portion 826 may be angled relative to the
stabilization portion 824 when not flexed. The contact portion 826
may include a flexible beam portion 827 and a lead-in portion 828
that may be wedge-shaped. The flexible beam portion 827 is designed
to flex upon engagement with the pins 400, making the lead 800
straighter. The flexure produces a normal force between the pin 820
and the pin 400 to provide a good electrical connection. In
addition, the flexure enables the pin 820 to wipe the surface of
pin 400, again facilitating good electrical connection. Lead-in
portion 828 engages lead-in portion 408 to facilitate sliding
contact of the portions 826 and 406 and to initiate flexing the pin
820.
[0147] FIGS. 46-48 additionally show the cross section of the cover
plate 830. As shown, the edges of the holes 835 may be angled
inward to facilitate alignment of the buttresses 550 and leads 400
during insertion. In addition, the undersurface of the cover plate
830 may include extensions 832 that may serve to separate adjacent
clusters of pins 820. The extensions 832 may form a grid-like or
honeycomb-like pattern on the bottom surface of the cover plate
830. Of course, the pattern formed by the extensions 832 may be
circular, hexagonal, rectangular, or other shape.
[0148] When the interposer 500 mates with socket 800, pins 400 and
buttresses 550 extend through holes 835 through the cover plate 830
of the socket 800. In the illustrated embodiment, each buttress 550
and cluster of pins 400 extends through one of the holes 835.
However, it is possible for multiple buttresses 550 and clusters of
pins 400 to pass through a hole 835. The pins 400 engage pins 820
of the socket 800 establishing electrical connection.
[0149] FIG. 49 shows the upper surface of the interposer main body
500 with capacitor block 300 and pins 400. FIG. 50 shows a close-up
view of the capacitor block 300. As shown, the capacitor blades 310
are arranged parallel to each other in a blade tray 240. The blade
tray 240 is seated in the main body 500. FIGS. 51 and 52 provide
exploded views of the capacitor blades 310 and the blade tray 240.
The tray 240 may be made from an insulative material. As shown, the
blade tray 240 includes rows of slots 244 for receiving individual
blades 310. As best shown in FIG. 52, the bottom of the tray 240
may include alignment ribs 246 for engaging the alignment notches
314 of the blades 310.
[0150] FIG. 53 shows a cross section view taken through the
interposer main body 500 at the bottom of the capacitor block 300.
In accordance with FIG. 53, the conductive paths 312 of the
capacitor blades 310 are exposed and available for connection to
leads 400 (not shown) extending through the main body 500 beneath
the capacitor block 300.
[0151] FIG. 54 illustrates the bottom of the socket 800. The leads
820 may extend from the bottom surface of the main body 810 in an
array pattern. The leads 820 may connect to a substrate, such as a
PCB, for example. The bottom of main body 810 may be provided with
pegs, as described above, for example, to aid in mounting,
alignment, and/or positioning.
[0152] As noted above, the capacitor blades 310 may be replaced by
a capacitor module, such as shown in FIGS. 13-23. In such case, the
pins 340, 345 of the capacitor module may interface (directly or
indirectly) with the pins 400 to permit electrical connection
between the substrate or chip and the socket 800.
[0153] FIG. 55 illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary device
arrangement in accordance with a further embodiment of the
invention. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the device
arrangement includes a chip 100, a substrate 200, a capacitor block
300, pins 400, and an interposer main body 500. Pins 400 are
provided in pin modules 440, as described in greater detail below.
The chip 100, substrate 200, capacitor block 300, and interposer
main body 500 are similar to those described above. It should be
noted that, while capacitor block 300 is shown to have multiple
capacitor blades 310, a capacitor module, such as that shown in
FIG. 13, may be provided instead.
[0154] FIG. 56 illustrates an close-up view of the exemplary pin
and capacitor blade arrangement in accordance with FIG. 55. FIG. 57
illustrates a further exploded view of the exemplary device
arrangement of FIG. 55. FIG. 58 illustrates an exemplary interposer
arrangement consistent with FIG. 55. FIG. 59 illustrates the
interposer arrangement of FIG. 58 from above. FIGS. 60 and 61
illustrate the interposer arrangement of FIG. 58 from below. FIGS.
62, 63, and 64 illustrate cross sectional view of the interposer
arrangement of FIG. 58. FIG. 65 illustrates a top view of the main
body 500. FIG. 66 illustrates the lower surface of the substrate
200, which includes landing pads 235-2, 235-3 for connection to
pins 400 and to the conductive paths 312 of the capacitor blades
310. While FIG. 66 shows that the landing pads 235-2, 235-3 may be
differently sized, these pads may be the same size.
[0155] As shown, the pins 400 are provided as part of pin modules
440. FIG. 67 illustrates a pin module 440 and FIG. 68 illustrates
an exploded view of the pin module 440 of FIG. 67. Each of the pin
modules 440 may include a plurality of pins 400. In the example,
four pins 400 are provided for each module 440. But it should be
appreciated that another number of pins 400 may be provided per
module 440, such as 2, 3, or 5 or more pins.
[0156] The pins 400 are held in an insulative material 444, such as
a polymer material. For example, the insulative material 444 may be
polytetrafluoroethelyne or a liquid crystal polymer. The outer side
surfaces of the insulative material 444 may be plated with an
electrically- conductive material 446, such as copper or gold, for
example. As shown in FIG. 67, the plating 446 may extend entirely
around the side surfaces of the insulative material 444. The pins
400 may extend vertically (i.e., from the perspective shown in
FIGS. 55 or 67) beyond the conductive plating 446. Alternatively,
the plating 446 may extend the same distance as the pins 400, or
even longer, to enable the plating 446 to form one or more
electrical connections to an electrical potential, e.g., to ground
potential. As an alternative, or in addition, to plating 446, a
conductive material may be provided at hole 520 of the main body.
For example, the surface that defines hole 520 may be plated with a
conductive material, thereby surrounding the pin module 440
inserted into hole 520. As above, the plating may extend the same
length as pins 400, or longer or shorter than pins 400, depending
on the desired arrangement.
[0157] A column 448 may be provided among the pins 400, for
example, separating each from another or all others. The insulative
material 444 may separate the pins 400 from the column 448. The
column 448 may, for example, may have a cross-shaped cross section,
as shown in FIG. 56. However, the column 448 may have other
cross-sectional shapes. The column 448 may be made of an insulative
material, such as a polymer, or a conductive material, such as
copper, nickel, aluminum, or steel. If made of an insulative
material, the column 448 may be plated with a conductive material
449, such as copper. The column 448 can function as a support or
structural element and/or as a shield or additional contact.
[0158] As shown in FIG. 58, for example, the pin modules 440 may be
inserted into and held within holes 520 formed in the main body
500. The modules 440 may be held within the holes 520 using a
mechanical mechanism, such as friction, a snap, stake, ledge,
protrusion, clip and/or notch, for example, and/or using an
adhesive or weld. One of the advantages of modules 440 is that they
may be used with packages having different numbers of
inputs/outputs.
[0159] FIGS. 69-70 illustrate a further exemplary embodiment of pin
module 440 according to the present invention. The module 440 shown
in FIG. 69-70 may be used with a device arrangement similar to that
of FIGS. 55-68. In the example of FIGS. 69-70, the pin module 440
includes four pins 400, insulative material 444, and plating 446-2
similar to that of the embodiment in FIGS. 67-68. In contrast, the
column 448 in FIGS. 69-70 has a rectangular cross-section. The
column 448 separates two pins 400 of a module 440 from the other
two pins 400 of the module. As above, the column 448 may be made
from an insulative material, a conductive material, or a plated
insulative material. Using a conductive material or a plated
insulative material, the column 448 may shield one pair of pins 400
from the other pair of pins of the module 440. According to this
arrangement, the adjacent pairs of pins 400 may be operated to
carry differential signal pairs.
[0160] FIGS. 71-74 illustrate a further embodiment similar to those
of FIGS. 55-70. FIG. 71 illustrates an alternative design for a pin
module 440. FIG. 72 illustrates an exploded view of the pin module
440 illustrated in FIG. 71. As shown in FIGS. 71 and 72, the pin
module 440 includes two pins 400. The pins 400 are separated from
each other by insulative material 444. The insulative material 444
may be, for example, a solid material, such as a polymer (e.g., a
liquid crystal polymer or polytetraflouroethylene). The outer side
surfaces of the insulative material 444 may be plated with a
conductive material 446-3, for example, copper, as noted above.
While FIG. 71 shows that the pins 400 extend vertically beyond the
plating 446-3, it is possible for the plating 446-3 to extend the
same distance or greater than the pins 440, as noted above. FIG. 73
illustrates an interposer main body 500-2 having holes 520-2 for
receiving pin modules 440 and a capacitor tray 240 for receiving
multiple capacitor blades 310. As above, in addition or instead of
plating 446-3, a conductive material may be provided at holes
520-2, in the manner described above. FIG. 74 illustrates an
exploded cross section of the interposer main body 500-2 with pins
400 of pin modules 440 of FIG. 71.
[0161] FIGS. 75-77 illustrate a further embodiment similar to those
of FIGS. 71-74. FIG. 75 illustrates an alternative design for a pin
module 440. FIG. 76 illustrates an exploded view of the pin module
440 illustrated in FIG. 75. As shown in FIGS. 75 and 76, the pin
module 440 includes a single pin 400 with an insulative material
444, such as a polymer, axially disposed around the pin 400. As
above, the outer side surfaces of the insulative material 444 may
be plated with a conductive material 446-4, for example, copper.
Pin 400 may extend vertically beyond plating 446-4, as shown in
FIG. 75, or alternatively may extend the same or less than plating
446-4. The plating 446-4 may be grounded or supplied with another
potential. In effect, the pin module 440 may be similar to a
co-axial arrangement. FIG. 77 illustrates an interposer main body
500-3 having holes 520-3 for receiving pin modules 440 and a
capacitor tray 240 for receiving multiple capacitor blades 310. As
above, in addition or instead of plating 446-4, a conductive
material may be provided at holes 520-3, in the manner described
above. FIG. 78 illustrates an exploded cross section of the
interposer main body 500 with pins module 440 of FIG. 75.
[0162] FIG. 79 illustrates the bottom pin structure of a further
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 79 shows a
close-up view of the bottom surface of main body 500, according to
an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The main body 500
includes holes 520 through which pins 400 protrude. The main body
further includes holes 524 through which ends 372 of capacitor pins
370 protrude. The ends 372 of capacitor pins 370 may be bent, as
shown in FIG. 79, to aid in retention and/or provide a larger area
for connection. Of course, the ends 372 need not be bent in other
embodiments. Moreover, the pins 370 may be retained in main body
500 by other means, such as friction, an interference fits,
shoulders, snaps, bumps, and/or adhesives.
[0163] FIG. 80 illustrates the top pin structure of the embodiment
of FIG. 79. As shown, the opposite ends of pins 400 protrude from
holes 520 in the main body 500. The main body 500 may includes an
insulative cover 526 having holes 528. The opposite ends 374 of
capacitor pins 370 protrude from the holes 528. As above, the ends
374 may be bent over adjacent to or on the surface of cover
526.
[0164] FIGS. 81 and 82 illustrate the top pin structure of the
embodiment of FIG. 80 prior to finishing, according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 81
illustrates the main body 500 with the cover plate 526 removed and
prior to bending the ends 374 of capacitor pins 370. As shown in
FIG. 81, the capacitor pins 370 couple between individual
capacitors or individual capacitor modules of capacitor blades 310.
For example, the capacitor pins 370 may connect to the conductive
paths 312 between capacitors. Accordingly, the capacitor pins 370
serve as the electrical connection region for the capacitor blades
310. Each of the capacitor pins 370 in a column of pins 370 (e.g.,
between different capacitor blades 310) may be connected together
in some embodiments. However, this is not required. One or more of
the capacitor pins 370 in a column may be electrically insulated
from the other pins 370 in the column.
[0165] As shown in FIG. 81, the ends 374 of capacitor pins 370
extend vertically. FIG. 82 shows the arrangement once cover plate
526 is provided. The cover plate 526 may be attached to the main
body 500 using one or more of several expedients, such as clips,
welding, staking, and adhesives. After placement of the cover plate
528, the ends 374 of the pins may be bent down toward the cover
plate 528. Alternatively, the ends 374 may be kept straight. The
length of the ends 374 above the surface of the main body 500 may
be the same as pins 400, or a different length, for example, if the
pins 370 and 400 are intended for connection at different
levels.
[0166] FIG. 83 illustrates an embodiment of a reel segment 910 of a
take-up reel of capacitor pins 370 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the invention. The reel segment 910 may be part of a
reel of pins 370 used for automated fabrication of the capacitor
blades 310. The reel segment 910 may be made from a conductive
material, such as copper, and may be plated, in whole or in part,
with a conductive material, such as gold. The reel may be formed by
punching or stamping out portions of a metal strip. The strip may
be plated either before or after this punching or stamping
operation, preferably after, to increase the area of plating. The
reel segment 910 includes holes 912 that may interface with a
feeder mechanism to feed the reel and/or measure the length of fed
material. The portion of the reel segment 910 that connects to the
ends of the capacitor pins 370 may be narrowed or scored to
facilitate removal of the pins 370 from the reel, e.g., by
punching.
[0167] FIG. 84 illustrates an exemplary capacitor blade 310 with
attached pins 370 according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention. As shown in FIG. 84, the pins 370 may be
attached to the capacitor blade 310 along the conductive paths 312
of the blade. The attachment may be made, for example, using solder
or a conductive paste. As shown, the ends 372, 374 (which are shown
bent in this embodiment) may be narrower than the remainder of the
pins 370. In this arrangement, the pins 370 provide electrical
connection between the capacitor blade segments.
[0168] FIG. 85 illustrates an exemplary capacitor blade 310
attached to the capacitor pins 370 that are still attached to a
reel segment 910 of capacitor pins according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. As above, the blade 310 may be
connected to the leads 370 using solder or a conductive paste.
[0169] FIGS. 86-88 illustrate an exemplary method of manufacturing
a capacitor blade with capacitor pins using a soldering tray 650
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The
soldering tray 650 includes features 660 for positioning the reel
segment 910 and capacitor blade 310 in a stable manner for
soldering. As shown in FIG. 86, the reel segment 910 is positioned
on the soldering tray 650. A solder or conductive paste may be
applied to portions of the reel segment 910. The capacitor blade
310 may then be positioned relative to the reel segment 910. The
soldering tray 650 may then be heated in an oven or otherwise
subjected to heat treatment, for example, to cause reflow of the
solder or conductive paste, thereby electrically and physically
connecting the pins 370 to the blade 310. The reel 910 may then be
removed from the soldering tray 650. The exemplary capacitor blade
310 with capacitor pins 370 and mounted to the reel segment 910 is
shown in FIG. 89.
[0170] FIG. 90 illustrates an exemplary capacitor blade 310 with
capacitor pins 370 in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. For example, the arrangement of FIG. 90 may be obtained
by removing the reel 910 from the embodiment shown in FIG. 89,
e.g., with a punch or cutting tool.
[0171] FIG. 91 illustrates a cross section of an exemplary
interposer in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 92
illustrates a close-up view of the cross section of FIG. 91. The
cross sections shown in FIGS. 91 and 92 are take through the main
body 500 through multiple rows of capacitor blades 310. As shown in
these FIGS., the capacitor pin 370 extends from the top to the
bottom of the main body 500, similar to that of the pins 400. The
pins 370 electrically connect to the corresponding capacitor blade
310, but not in this arrangement to adjacent capacitor blades
310.
[0172] FIG. 93 illustrates a cross section similar to that in FIGS.
91 and 92, however, with the capacitor pins 370 omitted to show the
arrangement of the capacitor blades 310. The capacitor blades 310
are seated in trenches or slots 510 in the main body 500. Walls
between the trenches 510 insulate one capacitor blade 310 from an
adjacent blade 310. The trenches 510 have sufficient width to
accommodate the capacitor pins 370. Hole 524 opens into the trench
510, as shown. Of course, the trenches may be formed by a capacitor
tray that is connected to the main body 500 and forms a portion
thereof.
[0173] Cover 526 having holes 528 fits over the trench area of the
main body 500 to retain the capacitor blades 310. The cover 526 may
have a smooth upper surface and a lower surface with segments 527
that may engage the trench walls.
[0174] FIG. 94 illustrates an exemplary method of providing an
interposer 50 with a capacitor blade 310 and reel segment 910 of
capacitor pins 370 according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention. The capacitor blade 310 may be inserted into the
trench 510 of the main body 500 with the capacitor pins 370 still
attached to the reel segment 910. Following insertion, pins 370
(and the capacitor blade 310) may be removed from the remainder of
the reel segment 910. Of course, the blade 310 and pins 370 may be
inserted into the trench 510 after removing the pins 370 from the
segment 910.
[0175] When inserting the blade 310 into the trench 510, the ends
372 of the pins 370 may be inserted through the holes 524 in the
bottom of the main body 500 and protrude therefrom. Moreover, the
ends 374 of the pins 370 will extend upward from the main body 500.
The cover 526 may then be provided over the blades 310 so that the
ends 374 penetrate through the holes 528 in the cover 526. If
desired, the ends 372 and/or 374 may be bent down.
[0176] FIG. 95 illustrates an exemplary capacitor blade 310 and
reel segment 910 of capacitor pins 370 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. The arrangement is similar to
that shown in FIG. 85, for example, except that the reel segment
910 includes only a top portion 912. In this case, the capacitor
blade 310 may be attached to a reel segment 910 having only a top
portion 912. Otherwise, the bottom portion of the reel segment 910
may be removed after the capacitor blade is attached.
[0177] FIG. 96 illustrates a further embodiment of a reel segment
910 of capacitor pins 370 according to an exemplary embodiment of
the invention. As shown in FIG. 96, the reel segment 910 only
includes a top portion 912. In addition, in the embodiment of FIG.
96, the capacitor pins 370 include tapered bottom portions 372 and
top portions 374 and protrusions 375. The protrusions 375 may be
used to retain the pins 370, either alone or together with an
adhesive or other expedient, in the main body 500. In this case,
the end 372, 374 may remain straight as they project through the
holes 524, 528 in the main body 500 following assembly. Moreover,
the pins 370 may have, if desired, the same length extension from
the main body surface as the pins 400.
[0178] FIG. 97 illustrates a view of a further exemplary embodiment
of a capacitor blade 310 in accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 98 and 99 illustrate top and side views, respectively, of the
exemplary capacitor blade of FIG. 97. The capacitor blade 310 is
made up of multiple capacitors 320, with two of the capacitors
320-1 and 320-2 having different dimension, in this case, a
different height. Of course, the different dimension may be height,
width, and/or length. The different sizes of the capacitors 320-1,
320-2 define the alignment notches 314, of which two notches 314
are provided in the capacitor blade 310 by way of example. As
above, another number and/or arrangement of notches may be
provided.
[0179] In the embodiment of FIGS. 97-99, the individual capacitors
320 are joined together by, for example, joining alternating layers
of dielectric or insulator material 316 and conductive material
318. The dielectric or insulator material 316 may be, for example,
a ceramic material, an oxide, a nitride or other suitable material,
or combination of the foregoing. The conductive material 318 may
be, for example, a metal, such as aluminum, copper, gold, silver,
steel, or other suitable metal or metal alloy. The capacitors 320
may be joined using a lamination process, for example, with a layer
of dielectric or insulative material being formed or applied,
followed by a layer of conductive material, etc. The capacitor
blade 310 can be used in a substrate or a interposer, for example,
as described above.
[0180] While the present invention has been disclosed with
reference to certain preferred embodiments, numerous modifications,
alterations, and changes to the described embodiments are possible
without departing from the sphere and scope of the present
invention, as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, it is
intended that the present invention not be limited to the described
embodiments, but have the full scope defined by the language of the
following claims, and equivalents thereof.
* * * * *