1. How do various electroplating finishes compare in terms of PCB rapid prototyping, PCB conductor loss, and insertion loss? By fabricating circuits with different types of transmission lines on standard PCB laminates and employing various plating finishes, the impact of these finishes on insertion loss can be evaluated through both measurement and computer simulation.
2. For instance, on Ro4003C laminates used for PCB rapid prototyping, the GCPW transmission line shows that the microstrip loss of the bare copper trace is significantly lower compared to EnIG plating. However, it is noted that GCPW exhibits greater loss variations when compared to GNCW and EnIG, in contrast to bare copper.
3. On a 4-layer immersion gold PCB, circuits of different thicknesses (6.6, 10, and 30 mils) fabricated on RO4350B laminates for rapid PCB prototyping indicate that thicker materials tend to have lower total insertion loss. Thinner circuits are notably influenced by conductor loss more than other forms of loss, and each plating finish introduces additional losses in PCB conductors.
1. In the plating tests and simulations of another circuit material, a 5ML-thick Rt/DuoIL6002 circuit laminate using rolled copper was found to have a higher microstrip circuit conductor loss compared to MI-plated copper conductors. These tests were conducted on bare copper conductors at a frequency of 40 GHz. When evaluating the solder mask of PCB materials used for expedited proofing, the microstrip circuit with bare copper conductors exhibited significantly lower loss compared to copper conductors covered with solder masks.
2. Do you understand the differences between multi-layer PCBs and double-sided PCBs?
As the functional requirements of electronic products continue to increase, PCB circuit board structures have become increasingly complex, evolving from single-layer to double-layer, and ultimately to multi-layer configurations.
3. A multi-layer board is a printed circuit board made by layering alternating conductive pattern layers and insulating materials. It consists of more than three conductive pattern layers, with the layers electrically interconnected through metallized holes. In the case of a four-layer PCB, the design may include a double-sided board as the inner layer, with two single-sided boards as the outer layers, or two double-sided boards as the inner layers, with two single-sided boards laminated on the outside and interconnected with conductive patterns. This is also known as a multi-layer circuit board.
4. The manufacturing process starts with blackening the inner layer pattern, followed by the addition of a semi-cured layer, which is laminated according to the predetermined design. Then, copper foil is applied to both the upper and lower surfaces. The board is sent to a press where heat and pressure are applied to form the finished product. The “double-sided copper-clad laminate” becomes the inner layer, which is then CNC drilled according to the pre-designed positioning system. After drilling, the hole walls are etched, treated for de-drilling contamination, and then processed following the double-sided PCB plating procedure.
5. Compared to the production process of double-sided PCBs, the main difference in multi-layer boards lies in several additional unique steps: inner layer imaging and blackening, lamination, as well as depression and de-drilling contamination treatment. The machining processes also vary in terms of parameters, equipment precision, and complexity. For instance, the quality requirements for the hole walls in multi-layer boards are more stringent compared to those of double-sided boards. Additionally, the number of layers drilled at a time, the speed and feed rates during drilling, and the inspection processes for multi-layer boards differ from those of double-sided boards. The inspection of both finished and semi-finished products is also more detailed and complicated than the inspection for double-sided boards.
2. For instance, on Ro4003C laminates used for PCB rapid prototyping, the GCPW transmission line shows that the microstrip loss of the bare copper trace is significantly lower compared to EnIG plating. However, it is noted that GCPW exhibits greater loss variations when compared to GNCW and EnIG, in contrast to bare copper.
3. On a 4-layer immersion gold PCB, circuits of different thicknesses (6.6, 10, and 30 mils) fabricated on RO4350B laminates for rapid PCB prototyping indicate that thicker materials tend to have lower total insertion loss. Thinner circuits are notably influenced by conductor loss more than other forms of loss, and each plating finish introduces additional losses in PCB conductors.
1. In the plating tests and simulations of another circuit material, a 5ML-thick Rt/DuoIL6002 circuit laminate using rolled copper was found to have a higher microstrip circuit conductor loss compared to MI-plated copper conductors. These tests were conducted on bare copper conductors at a frequency of 40 GHz. When evaluating the solder mask of PCB materials used for expedited proofing, the microstrip circuit with bare copper conductors exhibited significantly lower loss compared to copper conductors covered with solder masks.
2. Do you understand the differences between multi-layer PCBs and double-sided PCBs?
As the functional requirements of electronic products continue to increase, PCB circuit board structures have become increasingly complex, evolving from single-layer to double-layer, and ultimately to multi-layer configurations.
3. A multi-layer board is a printed circuit board made by layering alternating conductive pattern layers and insulating materials. It consists of more than three conductive pattern layers, with the layers electrically interconnected through metallized holes. In the case of a four-layer PCB, the design may include a double-sided board as the inner layer, with two single-sided boards as the outer layers, or two double-sided boards as the inner layers, with two single-sided boards laminated on the outside and interconnected with conductive patterns. This is also known as a multi-layer circuit board.
4. The manufacturing process starts with blackening the inner layer pattern, followed by the addition of a semi-cured layer, which is laminated according to the predetermined design. Then, copper foil is applied to both the upper and lower surfaces. The board is sent to a press where heat and pressure are applied to form the finished product. The “double-sided copper-clad laminate” becomes the inner layer, which is then CNC drilled according to the pre-designed positioning system. After drilling, the hole walls are etched, treated for de-drilling contamination, and then processed following the double-sided PCB plating procedure.
5. Compared to the production process of double-sided PCBs, the main difference in multi-layer boards lies in several additional unique steps: inner layer imaging and blackening, lamination, as well as depression and de-drilling contamination treatment. The machining processes also vary in terms of parameters, equipment precision, and complexity. For instance, the quality requirements for the hole walls in multi-layer boards are more stringent compared to those of double-sided boards. Additionally, the number of layers drilled at a time, the speed and feed rates during drilling, and the inspection processes for multi-layer boards differ from those of double-sided boards. The inspection of both finished and semi-finished products is also more detailed and complicated than the inspection for double-sided boards.
