1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microelectronic device power socket. More particularly, the present invention relates to a high-power socket for a microelectronic device such as a processor. In particular, the present invention relates to a low resistance path and optionally a low inductance path for power delivery through the socket.
2. Description of Related Art
Chip packaging requires high-power sockets for devices such as processors and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). A processor requires a high current to enable the multiple-gigahertz clock cycles that are being achieved and to enable the variety of logic and memory operations that are simultaneously being executed. High currents through sockets require low resistances in order to minimize power dissipation that is otherwise caused by resistance heating. Larger power dissipations in the socket result in higher socket temperatures, that in turn slow and ultimately defeat the device. Additionally a high inductance is often generated in the power socket. Overall, the impedance, the ratio of voltage to current also affects the performance of the microelectronic device. An unacceptably high impedance will degrade both the signal and increase the resistance heating. When such a heating problem occurs, processor speed is slowed, or worse, the device fails with the result of lost data and lost productivity.
One way to deal with the challenges created by high current draw is to use more input/output (I/O) pins for the current draw. This allows a larger cumulative cross-sectional area to carry the power current, but the result is added cost, and even more scarce I/O real estate on the footprint of the power socket. Further, where the number of pins added to the power dissipation load do not provide a significantly lowered resistance than the resistance of the pins in the more active regions of the processor, the effectiveness of the additional pins may not be sufficient to reduce the current flowing through a given region of the socket. Additionally, the added pins must provide an effective direct current (DC) shunt capability.
In order that the manner in which embodiments of the present invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention that are not necessarily drawn to scale and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention relates to a power socket for a microelectronic device such as a processor. In one embodiment, a low resistance and low inductance path is provided for power delivery through the power socket to the processor or microelectronic device that is being serviced by the power socket.
The following description includes terms, such as upper, lower, first, second, etc. that are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting. The embodiments of a device or article of the present invention described herein can be manufactured, used, or shipped in a number of positions and orientations. The terms “die” and “processor” generally refer to the physical object that is the basic workpiece that is transformed by various process operations into the desired integrated circuit. A die is typically made of semiconductive material that has been singulated from a wafer after integrated processing. Wafers may be made of semiconducting, non-semiconducting, or combinations of semiconducting and non-semiconducting materials.
Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like structures will be provided with like reference designations. In order to show the structures of the present invention most clearly, the drawings included herein are diagrammatic representations of inventive articles. Thus, the actual appearance of the fabricated structures, for example in a photomicrograph, may appear different while still incorporating the essential structures of the present invention. Moreover, the drawings show only the structures necessary to understand the present invention. Additional structures known in the art have not been included to maintain the clarity of the drawings.
In one embodiment, besides the first power terminal 14 and the first ground terminal 16, the power socket 10 includes a second power terminal 30 and a second ground terminal 32. Additionally in this embodiment as can be seen, a plurality of I/O pin sockets are provided that are substantially similar to the I/O pin socket 24. In addition to the structure of power socket 10, a center space 34 is provided in one embodiment for a power capacitor for delivering short-range power to the electronic device. In this embodiment, center space 34 is provided for a land-side capacitor (LSC).
Where the bulk of the power current supplied to the electronic device passes first through the power terminals 14 and 30, and passes to ground through the ground terminals 16 and 32, significant inductance may result for some applications. According to this embodiment, current is also allowed to pass through a capacitor structure as illustrated generically by item 136. The capacitor structure 136 is oriented such that its capacitative surfaces (e.g. capacitor plates) are arranged orthogonal to the X-Y plane. In other words, the capacitor plates are vertically oriented to the major planar surface. In one embodiment, the capacitor structure 136 includes an inter-digital capacitor (illustrated in various embodiments in
A second capacitor plate 330 is assigned a ground plate designation. Second ground capacitor plate 330 is connected to a first ground connector 332, a second ground connector 334 at the top side thereof, and electrical connection is made by a first ground tab 336 and a second ground tab 338. At the bottom side thereof, second ground capacitor plate 330 is connected to a third ground connector 340, and a fourth ground connector 342 at the bottom side thereof, and electrical connection is made by a third ground tab 344 and a fourth ground tab 346. Accordingly the inventive IDC includes a series of alternating power and ground connectors on the top side and on the bottom side. The power and ground connectors are configured to make a connection with other structures such as an interposer on one side and a board on the other side.
It is noted that a plurality of alternating power and ground plates are depicted. According to an embodiment, the number of power and ground plates is in a range from about 4 to about 10,000 or more, depending upon the thickness of the plates and the totality of space in the X-dimension. In one embodiment, the number of power and ground plates is in a range from about 100 to about 2,000. In one embodiment, the number of power and ground plates is in a range from about 400 to about 800. In one embodiment, spacing between a given power capacitor plate and a given ground capacitor plate is in a range from about 0.1 mil to about 0.5 mils. In another embodiment, the spacing is about 0.3 mils.
A dielectric material (not pictured) is placed between first power capacitor plate 312 and second ground capacitor plate 330. In one embodiment, the dielectric material is silica. In one embodiment, the dielectric material is a low-K (meaning having a dielectric constant lower than that of silica) such as SiLK® made by Dow Chemical of Midland, Mich., or FLARE® made by AlliedSignal Inc. of Morristown, N.J.
A second capacitor plate 430 is assigned a ground plate designation. Second ground capacitor plate 430 is connected to a first ground connector 432, a second ground connector 434 at the top side thereof, and electrical connection is made by a first ground tab 436 and a second ground tab 438. At the bottom side thereof, second ground capacitor plate 430 is connected to a third ground connector 440, and a fourth ground connector 442 at the bottom side thereof, and electrical connection is made by a third ground tab 444 and a fourth ground tab 446.
It is noted that a plurality of alternating power and ground plates are depicted. According to an embodiment, the number of power and ground plates is in a range from about 2 to about 10,000 or more, depending upon the thickness of the plates and the totality of space in the X-dimension. Other ground and power capacitor plate number ranges are set forth herein. In one embodiment, spacing between a given power capacitor plate and a given ground capacitor plate is in a range from about 0.1 mil to about 0.5 mils. In another embodiment, the spacing is about 0.3 mils.
As set forth herein, a dielectric material (not pictured) is placed between first power capacitor plate 412 and second ground capacitor plate 430.
By this embodiment, current is also allowed to pass through a capacitor structure as illustrated generically by item 536. The capacitor structure 536 is disposed between the first power terminal 514 and the second power terminal 530. The capacitor structure 536 is oriented such that its capacitative surfaces (e.g. capacitor plates) are arranged orthogonal to the X-Y plane. In other words, the capacitor plates are vertically oriented to the major planar surface. In one embodiment, the capacitor structure 536 includes an inter-digital capacitor (illustrated in various embodiments in
By recitation of these embodiments, it should be noted that the placement of both the power and ground terminals as well as the capacitor with vertically oriented capacitor plates, may be substantially anywhere on the socket platform 512 as well as for the embodiment of the socket platform 12 (
According to a method embodiment, a method of operating a device is depicted in
The following is a method example. Reference may be made to the structure depicted in
It will be readily understood to those skilled in the art that various other changes in the details, material, and arrangements of the parts and method stages which have been described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this invention may be made without departing from the principles and scope of the invention as expressed in the subjoined claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20030119341 A1 | Jun 2003 | US |