Implementing backdrilling elimination utilizing via plug during electroplating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9872398-B1
Application number	US-201615231515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 8, 2016
Priority date	Aug 8, 2016
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

A method and structure are provided for implementing enhanced via creation without creating a via barrel stub. The need to backdrill during printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing is eliminated. After the vias have been drilled, but before plating, a via plug with a specialized geometry and including a capillary is inserted into each via to allow electroplating on only preferred wall surfaces of the vias. Then a board plating process of the PCB manufacturing is performed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for implementing enhanced via creation without creating a via barrel stub during printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing comprising:
providing a printed circuit board (PCB); said printed circuit board (PCB) having an internal conductive trace;
forming a via extending through the printed circuit board (PCB) including the internal conductive trace;
inserting a via plug into the via, said via plug having a capillary extending through said via plug; and
performing PCB plating.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 includes said via plug remaining in the PCB via after PCB plating.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 includes providing enhanced signal integrity with said via plug.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 includes providing enhanced noise reduction with said via plug.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 includes forming with said via plug with a selected electrically insulating material.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein inserting a via plug into the via includes slidingly inserting said via plug into the via.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 includes forming with said via plug with a specialized geometry and capillary conforming to the via.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein providing a printed circuit board (PCB); said printed circuit board (PCB) having an internal conductive trace includes a standard PCB manufacturing process.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein inserting said via plug into the via includes providing an arrayed tool used to insert multiple ones of said via plugs at once.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 includes performing a standard PCB plating process responsive to inserting the via plug.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 includes performing conventional PCB finishing processes with aid via plug remaining in the PCB via after PCB plating.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein eliminating via back-drilling enables improved yield and reliability of the PCB.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Doyle Matthew S
• Kuczynski Joseph
• Mann Phillip V
• O'Connell Kevin M

Classifications

• H05K1/11

  Printed elements for providing electric connections to or between printed circuits · CPC title

• H05K3/0047

  Drilling of holes · CPC title

• H05K3/42 Primary

  Plated through-holes {or plated via connections} · CPC title

• H05K2201/09218

  Conductive traces · CPC title

• H05K2201/09545

  Plated through-holes or blind vias without lands · CPC title