The present description relates to connections used to provide high speed communications between microelectronic devices and, in particular, to interconnects configured to reduce cross-talk between the interconnects.
Electronic equipment, such as computers and communication devices often use a processor that is mounted in a socket. The socket is, in turn, mounted on a motherboard, such as a printed circuit board that connects the processor to other components. Several other devices on the motherboard may also use a socket, depending on the particular design. The socket allows the processor to be installed safely on the motherboard and allows the processor to be replaced with a faster or different model or as a repair. In a typical connection, the processor has a large number of pins or contact pads that electrically connect to a corresponding set of interconnects in the form of pins or contact pads on the socket. Often the interconnects on the socket are spring loaded or designed to have some resilience. The springiness allows all of the interconnects to make a clean connection even if the processor pins are not all perfectly aligned or if the processor's package is not perfectly flat.
The high speed of the data that is routed through many of the interconnects on the socket require interconnects that have very clean electrical properties. With higher speed data, the electrical requirements include impedance matching, low insertion loss and low cross-talk. These and other electrical effects can interfere with the data, making it unusable by the processor or by a device with which the processor is trying to communicate. However, in recent years, signal speed through the socket interconnect has doubled almost every two years. The speed increases place increasingly difficult requirements on the interconnects. With higher frequency data signals, the package and socket vertical interconnect may limit the speed at which data can be communicated.
Two reasons that vertical interconnects degrade the I/O (input/output) performance of a computer system are impedance mismatch between the processor and the socket and cross-talk between the socket pins. The cross-talk can be generated by inductive coupling between pins and capacitive coupling between pins. Inductive coupling is caused by the mutual inductance between two adjacent conductors, in this case the interconnects or pins. Capacitive coupling is due to the mutual capacitance between the two conductors.
While the mutual inductance and mutual capacitance between pins is not frequency dependent, the cross talk caused by the mutual capacitance and mutual inductance can be reduced by reducing the frequency of the signals. However, reducing the data signal frequency slows the data rates that the processor can support. They can also be reduced by moving the connectors farther apart, but many processors already use all of the available space for connectors. They can also be reduced by reducing the height of the socket pins, but this causes mechanical problems that limit the connections.
Embodiments of the present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of various embodiments of the invention. The drawings, however, should not be taken to be limiting, but are for explanation and understanding only.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a socket pin pattern that can eliminate socket pin inductive cross-talk, and also reduce capacitive cross-talk. This allows for new generations of high speed I/O to be easily supported, without any significant impact on the cost or the design of the socket or the microprocessor.
In some embodiments of the invention, pairs of parallel socket connections that carry differential signals are positioned to generate a magnetic field orthogonal to neighboring differential signal pairs. With the magnetic field generated by the pair of pins perpendicular to the magnetic field generated by the next pair, inductive coupling between the two pairs may be eliminated. The area of each pair of pins that faces another pair of pins may also be reduced, reducing the capacitive coupling between the two pairs.
The socket 9 includes an array of vertical interconnects 19 that make an electrical connection with the array of pads 22 on the package. The interconnects come in a wide range of different types and forms. In the example of
The vertical interconnects 19 of the socket 9 are relatively large and numerous. These large interconnects make it much easier to install and remove the processor package. However, the size and poor power and ground referencing do cause some difficulties.
The cross-talk that interferes with signal communications has at least two significant components, inductive coupling and capacitive coupling. The inductive coupling is caused by the mutual inductance between two adjacent conductors, in this case the interconnects. With differential signaling, a signal current will be running in adjacent interconnects in opposite directions.
A magnetic field is generated by the current flowing in opposite directions in the two neighboring pins. The two interconnects behave like a coil and the current generates a magnetic field in a direction as shown by an arrow 39. This magnetic field stores energy from the current and opposes changes in the current. The magnetic field also generates current in neighboring conductors. In other words, the first magnetic field interacts with magnetic fields generated by any nearby interconnect pairs. In
The magnetic fields, flowing in the same direction couple together and interact with each other. Changes in the signal current of one pair, changes its magnetic field. This change in the magnetic field affects the magnetic field of the other pair. The changed magnetic field induces a change in the current flowing through the second pair of interconnects. The same phenomenon occurs to the current of the first pair when the current in the second pair changes. The magnetic fields couple the two pairs of interconnects together, generating cross-talk. A typical socket has hundreds of interconnects all placed close together and generating magnetic fields that interact through their neighbors and, in turn, through their neighbors across the whole socket. The crosstalk caused by the mutual inductance interaction increases with frequency as does the impact that crosstalk can have on signal integrity (the ability of a circuit to accurately receive a signal).
The same configuration of four socket pins is shown in a top view in the diagram of
According to one embodiment of the invention, the inductive coupling described with respect to
Orthogonal pin orientations are shown in
The top view diagram of
While the two magnetic fields are shown as having very specific direction and orientation with respect to the interconnects, in any implementation, the relationship of the magnetic fields to the interconnects may depend on the particular physical design of the interconnect. In some implementations, it may not be possible to ensure that the magnetic fields are perfectly orthogonal. However, even if the magnetic fields are spread over a range of directions, rotating the magnetic fields to be closer to orthogonal may reduce the amount of cross-talk. Similarly, it is not necessary to rotate the second pair a full 90 degrees, a partial rotation will reduce the cross-talk. The amount of rotation may be selected depending on the physical and electrical characteristic of the socket connections. The current, voltage and frequency of the signals changes the amount of cross-talk as does the shape, size and proximity of the interconnects.
There are a wide range of socket interconnects in use in different sockets for different processors as well as for other types of microelectronic chips. Socket pins are redesigned for new applications to meet different performance requirements for mechanical strength, resilience, and size as well as for reliability and electrical conductivity. In the examples of
Cross-talk may also be created between the two pairs of socket pins by capacitive coupling. Capacitive coupling is caused by a mutual capacitance between any two conductors. There are at least three different ways to reduce a mutual capacitance. These include reducing the effective surface area between the two conductors, increasing the distance between the two conductors, and reducing the dielectric constant of the material between the two conductors. The distance between the conductors is limited by the size of the socket and the number of pins, among other factors. The material between the pins is typically air which already has a very low dielectric constant. Rotating the pin pairs, as shown in
Comparing
In
The three vertical pairs 61, 63, 64 of data signal pins are all arranged with positive upper pins and negative lower pins. They are placed on either side of the two horizontal pairs except that a pair of power pins 68 is placed on the left side of the bottom horizontal pair 65. This provides a spacer between the bottom horizontal pair and the next vertical pair as the pattern is repeated. Note that as the pattern is repeated, the upper vertical pairs will be placed next to other vertical pairs but because of the spacing and different orientation of the remaining pairs, crosstalk will be significantly reduced as compared to conventional configurations.
The third horizontal pair 73 is positioned directly above the first vertical pair 74 so that its left side positive pole is directly above the negative pole of the vertical pair. Similarly, the left side positive pole is near the midpoint of another vertical pair 75 to its left. This second vertical pair has its positive pole above its negative pole. The left-side negative pole of the third horizontal pair 73 is directly below a third vertical pair 76. The third vertical pair has its positive pole above its negative pole so that the negative pole is directly above the negative pole of the horizontal pair.
Power pins may again be used as spacers between the data signal pins. In
The particular orientations and positions of the various pairs of pins in
The MCH also has an interface, such as a PCI (peripheral component interconnect) Express, or AGP (accelerated graphics port) interface to couple with a graphics controller 541 which, in turn, provides graphics and possible audio to a display 537. The PCI Express interface may also be used to couple to other high speed devices. In the example of
The ICH 565 offers possible connectivity to a wide range of different devices. Well-established conventions and protocols may be used for these connections. The connections may include a LAN (Local Area Network) port 569, a USB hub 571, and a local BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) flash memory 573. A SIO (Super Input/Output) port 575 may provide connectivity for a front panel 577 with buttons and a display, a keyboard 579, a mouse 581, and infrared devices 585, such as IR blasters or remote control sensors. The I/O port may also support floppy disk, parallel port, and serial port connections 583. Alternatively, any one or more of these devices may be supported from a USB, PCI or any other type of bus or interconnect.
The ICH may also provide an Infiniband, Fiber Channel, iSCSI, IDE (Integrated Device Electronics) bus or SATA (serial advanced technology attachment) bus for connections to disk drives 587, 589 or other large memory devices. The mass storage may include hard disk drives and optical drives. So, for example, software programs, parameters or user data, may be stored on a hard disk drive or other drive. A PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus 591 is coupled to the ICH and allows a wide range of devices and ports to be coupled to the ICH. The examples in
The particular nature of any attached devices may be adapted to the intended use of the device. Any one or more of the devices, buses, or interconnects may be eliminated from this system and others may be added. For example, video may be provided on the PCI bus, on an AGP bus, through the PCI Express bus or through an integrated graphics portion of the host controller.
The electrical interconnects described above may be provided for any of the interfaces devices and components of
The shape, design, and configuration of the electrical interconnects described above, may be modified or changed to adapt to different implementations. The shape, configuration, proximity and orientation of the interconnects will vary from implementation to implementation depending upon numerous factors, such as price constraints, performance requirements, technological improvements, or other circumstances. Embodiments of the invention may also be applied to other types of systems that use different types of chips and sockets than those shown in the Figures. While embodiments of the invention have been described in the context of a processor package coupled to a socket, embodiments of the invention may also be applied to a wide range of other devices.
In the description above, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form.
Many of the structures and configurations are described in their most basic form, but changes may be made to any of the components and configurations and elements may be added or subtracted from any of the described apparatus without departing from the basic scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many further modifications and adaptations may be made. The particular embodiments are not provided to limit the invention but to illustrate it. The scope of the present invention is not to be determined by the specific examples provided above but only by the claims below.