Abstract: An illustrative embodiment of a packaged integrated circuit includes: an integrated circuit chip having a SerDes signal pad; and a package substrate having a core via and an arrangement of micro-vias connecting the SerDes signal pad to an external contact for solder ball connection to a PCB trace. The core via has a first parasitic capacitance, the solder ball connection is associated with a second parasitic capacitance, and the arrangement of micro-vias provides a pi-network inductance that improves connection impedance matching. An illustrative method embodiment includes: obtaining an expected impedance of the PCB trace; determining parasitic capacitances of a core via and a solder ball connection to the PCB trace; minimizing the core via capacitance; calculating a pi-network inductance that improves impedance matching with the PCB trace; and adjusting a micro-via arrangement between the core via and the solder ball connection to provide the pi-network inductance.

Abstract: An illustrative embodiment of a packaged integrated circuit includes: an integrated circuit chip having a SerDes signal pad; and a package substrate having a core via and an arrangement of micro-vias connecting the SerDes signal pad to an external contact for solder ball connection to a PCB trace. The core via has a first parasitic capacitance, the solder ball connection is associated with a second parasitic capacitance, and the arrangement of micro-vias provides a pi-network inductance that improves connection impedance matching. An illustrative method embodiment includes: obtaining an expected impedance of the PCB trace; determining parasitic capacitances of a core via and a solder ball connection to the PCB trace; minimizing the core via capacitance; calculating a pi-network inductance that improves impedance matching with the PCB trace; and adjusting a micro-via arrangement between the core via and the solder ball connection to provide the pi-network inductance.

Abstract: A package trace design technique provides at least partial cancelation of reflections. In one illustrative method of providing a high-bandwidth chip-to-chip link with a first die coupled to a second die via a first substrate trace, an intermediate trace, and a second substrate trace, the method includes: (a) determining a first propagation delay for an electrical signal to traverse the first substrate trace, the electrical signal having a predetermined symbol interval; (b) determining a second propagation delay for the electrical signal to traverse the second substrate trace; and (c) setting a length for at least one of the first and second substrate traces, the length yielding a difference between the first and second propagation delays, the difference having a magnitude equal to half the predetermined symbol interval.

Abstract: A package trace design technique provides at least partial cancelation of reflections. In one illustrative method of providing a high-bandwidth chip-to-chip link with a first die coupled to a second die via a first substrate trace, an intermediate trace, and a second substrate trace, the method includes: (a) determining a first propagation delay for an electrical signal to traverse the first substrate trace, the electrical signal having a predetermined symbol interval; (b) determining a second propagation delay for the electrical signal to traverse the second substrate trace; and (c) setting a length for at least one of the first and second substrate traces, the length yielding a difference between the first and second propagation delays, the difference having a magnitude equal to half the predetermined symbol interval.

Abstract: A wafer-level manufacturing method for embedding a passive element in a glass substrate is disclosed.

Abstract: A wafer-level manufacturing method for embedding a passive element in a glass substrate is disclosed.