Information handling system interposer enabling specialty processor integrated circuit in standard sockets
View Patent ↗An information handling system (IHS) has a circuit board assembly with a dual-sided interposer substrate that is inserted between a baseboard and a processor integrated circuit having a second pattern of electrical contacts. The dual interposer substrate formed of a stack of printed circuit boards (PCBs) provides communication channels between a first coupling pad on the baseboard that has a first pattern of electrical contacts and a second coupling pad on top of the dual interposer substrate that provides the second pattern of electrical contacts. The second pattern receives another type of processor integrated circuit than a type supported by the first pattern. Stacked vias formed through the stack of PCBs electrically connect respective electrical contacts of the first and second coupling pads to form a corresponding communication channel. One or more grounded vias mitigate signal integrity (SI) anomalies on the communication channels.
1. A circuit board assembly comprising: a baseboard having a mounting surface to which a first coupling pad is attached, the first coupling pad providing a first pattern of electrical contacts that correspond to at least a first type of integrated circuit; and a dual-sided interposer substrate comprising: a stack of two or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) having a top surface with a top ground plane and a bottom surface with a bottom ground plane; a second coupling pad attached to the top surface of the dual-sided interposer substrate, the second coupling pad providing a second pattern of electrical contacts that correspond to at least a second type of integrated circuit; one or more stacked vias formed through the stack of PCBs, each stacked via electrically connecting between respective electrical contacts of the first and second coupling pads to form a corresponding communication channel; and at least one grounded via extending between the top and bottom ground planes, adjacent to a corresponding stacked via, the at least one grounded via mitigating signal integrity (SI) anomalies, an interface attached to the stack of two or more PCBs, the interface laterally displaced from the second coupling pad and electrically connected to a subset of the second pattern of electrical contacts of the second coupling pad.
2. The circuit board assembly of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of grounded vias to a stacked via for a corresponding communication channel is greater than one to one.
3. The circuit board assembly of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of grounded vias to a stacked via for a corresponding communication channel is at least three to one.
4. The circuit board assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vias are micro vias that mitigate SI anomalies at clocked speeds of a central processing unit (CPU).
5. The circuit board assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second coupling pads comprise a selected one of pin grid array and a ball grid array.
6. An information handling system (IHS) comprising:
a circuit board assembly comprising:
a baseboard having a mounting surface to which a first coupling pad is attached, the first coupling pad providing the first pattern of electrical contacts that correspond to a first type of processor integrated circuit;
a dual-sided interposer substrate comprising:
a stack of two or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) having a top surface with a top ground plane and a bottom surface with a bottom ground plane;
a second coupling pad attached to the top surface of the dual-sided interposer substrate, the second coupling pad providing a second pattern of electrical contacts that correspond to at least a second type of integrated circuit;
one or more stacked vias formed through the stack of PCBs, each stacked via electrically connecting between respective electrical contacts of the first and second coupling pads to form a corresponding communication channel; and
at least one grounded via between the top and bottom ground planes adjacent to a corresponding stacked via, the at least one grounded via mitigating signal integrity (SI) anomalies within a corresponding communication channel; and
a processor integrated circuit having the second pattern of electrical contacts that is received in the second coupling pad.
7. The IHS of claim 6 , wherein a ratio of grounded vias to a stacked via for a corresponding communication channel is greater than one to one.
8. The IHS of claim 6 , wherein a ratio of grounded vias to a stacked via for a corresponding communication channel is at least three to one.
9. The IHS of claim 6 , wherein the vias are micro vias to mitigate SI anomalies at clocked speeds of a central processing unit (CPU).
10. The IHS of claim 6 , further comprising an interface attached to the stack of two or more PCBs, the interface laterally displaced from the second coupling pad and electrically connected to a subset of the second pattern of electrical contacts of the second coupling pad.
11. The IHS of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first and second coupling pads comprise a selected one of pin grid array and a ball grid array.
12. A method comprising:
attaching a first coupling pad to a mounting surface of a baseboard, the first coupling pad providing a first pattern of electrical contacts to correspond to at least a first type of integrated circuit;
making a dual-sided interposer substrate comprising:
creating via holes through two or more printed circuit boards (PCB);
stacking the two more PCBs in a stack having a top surface and a bottom surface;
attaching a respective top and bottom ground plane to the top and bottom surfaces;
forming one or more stacked vias formed through the stack of PCBs, each stacked via electrically connecting between respective electrical contacts of the first and second coupling pads to form a corresponding communication channel;
forming at least one grounded via between the top and bottom ground planes adjacent to a corresponding stacked via, the at least one grounded via mitigating signal integrity (SI) anomalies within a corresponding communication channel; and
attaching a second coupling pad attached to the top surface of the dual-sided interposer substrate, the second coupling pad providing a second pattern of electrical contacts that correspond to at least a second type of integrated circuit.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein a ratio of grounded vias to a stacked via for a corresponding communication channel is greater than one to one.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein a ratio of grounded vias to a stacked via for a corresponding communication channel is at least three to one.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the vias are micro vias to mitigate SI anomalies at clocked speeds of a central processing unit (CPU).
16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising attaching an interface to the stack of two or more PCBs, the interface laterally displaced from the second coupling pad and electrically connected to a subset of the second pattern of electrical contacts of the second coupling pad.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first and second coupling pads comprise a selected one of pin grid array and a pin grid array.
18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising attaching a processor integrated circuit having the second pattern of electrical contacts to the second coupling pad.