Ground plane for integrated circuit package
An integrated circuit package includes a first chip and a folded flexible substrate. The flexible substrate has a first surface and an opposing second surface and is disposed to partially surround the first chip. A first routing layer is formed on the first surface of the flexible substrate and a second routing layer is formed on the second surface of the flexible substrate. A metal ground plane is formed on a selected one of the first and the second surfaces.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first chip;
a folded flexible substrate, having a first surface and an opposing second surface, disposed to partially surround the first chip, with the first surface being disposed outwardly relative to the first chip and the second surface being disposed inwardly relative to the first chip;
a first routing layer formed on the first surface and a second routing layer formed on the second surface; and
a metal ground plane disposed on the first surface and forms part of the first routing layer.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first routing layer includes a plurality of attachment pads formed on the first surface; and the ground plane is disposed in a surrounding spaced-apart relationship to the attachment pads.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first routing layer includes a plurality of attachment pads formed on the first surface; and the ground plane extends over substantially most of the first surface not occupied by the plurality of attachment pads and a plurality of insulating areas surrounding the attachment pads.
4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second routing layer includes a plurality of ground pads electrically coupled to the first chip, a plurality of power traces electrically coupled to the first chip, and a plurality of signal traces electrically coupled to the first chip.
5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the flexible substrate includes a first end portion; a second end portion; and a curved portion connecting the first and the second end portions; the first and second surfaces extending through the first end portion, the curved portion and the second end portion; the first surface in the first end portion having deposited thereon a first array of attachment pads; and the second end portion having deposited thereon a second array of attachment pads.
6. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first chip, the flexible substrate, and the first and the second routing layers define a first module; the flexible substrate includes a first end portion; a second end portion; and a curved portion connecting the first and the second end portions; the first and second surfaces extending through the first end portion, the curved portion and the second end portion; the first surface in the first end portion having deposited thereon a first array of attachment pads; the second end portion having deposited thereon a second array of attachment pads, and further comprising:
a second module mounted on the first module; and
the second module having a second chip electrically having a plurality of signal and power paths electrically coupled to the second plurality of attachment pads and a plurality of ground paths electrically coupled to the ground plane.
7. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second routing layer includes a plurality of ground pads electrically coupled to the first chip, a plurality of power traces electrically coupled to the first chip, and a plurality of signal traces electrically coupled to the first chip; the flexible substrate includes a first end portion; a second end portion; and a curved portion connecting the first and the second end portions; the first and second surfaces extending through the first end portion, the curved portion and the second end portion; the first surface in the first end portion having deposited thereon a first array of attachment pads; the first surface in the second end portion having deposited thereon a second array of attachment pads; a first part of the first array of attachment pads being coupled to the plurality of ground pads by a first plurality of vias extending through the first end portion and a second part of the first array of attachment pads being coupled to the plurality of signal and ground traces by a second plurality of vias extending through the first end portion.
8. An apparatus, comprising:
a first module including a first chip; a folded flexible substrate having a first and a second opposed surface and being disposed in a partially surrounding relationship with the first chip, with the first surface being disposed outwardly relative to the first chip and the second surface being disposed inwardly relative to the first chip; a first routing layer formed on the first surface; a second routing layer formed on the second surface; and a metal ground plane disposed on the first surface and forms part of the first routing layer; and
a second module including a second chip and being mounted on the first module; and second chip being electrically coupled to the first routing layer.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first routing layer includes a plurality of attachment pads formed on the first surface; and the ground plane is disposed in a surrounding spaced-apart relationship to the attachment pads.
10. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first routing layer includes a plurality of attachment pads formed on the first surface; and the ground plane extends over substantially most of the first surface not occupied by the plurality of attachment pads and a plurality of insulating areas surrounding the attachment pads.
11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the second routing layer includes a plurality of ground pads electrically coupled to the first chip, a plurality of power traces electrically coupled to the first chip, and a plurality of signal traces electrically coupled to the first chip.
12. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the flexible substrate includes a first end portion; a second end portion; and a curved portion connecting the first and the second end portions; the first and second surfaces extending through the first end portion, the curved portion and the second end portion; the first surface in the first end portion having deposited thereon a first array of attachment pads coupled to the first chip; and the second end portion having deposited thereon a second array of attachment pads with the second array of attachment pads and the ground plane being coupled to the second chip.
13. A system, comprising:
a printed circuit board including a bus and an integrated circuit package coupled to the bus;
the integrated circuit package including a first module and a second module mounted on the first module; the first module including a first chip, a folded flexible substrate having a first and a second opposed surface and being disposed in a partially surrounding relationship with the first chip, a first routing layer formed on the first surface, a second routing layer formed on the second surface, and a selected one of the first and second routing layers including metal ground plane; and the second module including a second chip with the second chip being electrically coupled to the first routing layer; and
the first chip comprising a processor chip and the second chip comprising a graphics controller.
14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the second module includes a third chip in the form of a memory chip.
15. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the first surface is disposed outwardly relative to the first chip; the second surface is disposed inwardly relative to the first chip; and the ground plane is disposed on the first surface and forms part of the first routing layer.
16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the first routing layer includes a plurality of attachment pads formed on the first surface; and the ground plane is disposed in a surrounding spaced-apart relationship to the attachment pads.
17. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the first routing layer includes a plurality of attachment pads formed on the first surface; and the ground plane extends over substantially most of the first surface not occupied by the plurality of attachment pads and a plurality of insulating areas surrounding the attachment pads.
18. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the second routing layer includes a plurality of ground pads electrically coupled to the first chip, a plurality of power traces electrically coupled to the first chip, and a plurality of signal traces electrically coupled to the first chip.
19. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the flexible substrate includes a first end portion; a second end portion; and a curved portion connecting the first and the second end portions; the first and second surfaces extending through the first end portion, the curved portion and the second end portion; the first surface in the first end portion having deposited thereon a first array of attachment pads coupled to the first chip; and the second end portion having deposited thereon a second array of attachment pads with the second array of attachment pads and the ground plane being coupled to the second chip.