This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-175134, filed on Sep. 4, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The embodiments discussed herein are related to optical module connectors and printed board assemblies.
With speed enhancement of high-end servers and supercomputers, there is a trend toward the use of methods of transmitting optical signals through circuit boards in place of methods of transmitting electric signals through circuit boards. An optical module converts an optical signal into an electric signal or converts an electric signal into an optical signal. For example, see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2007-266130 and 2013-232637.
As illustrated in
The mounting position of the optical module 101 is preferably close to the semiconductor chip 301 so as to reduce the effect of transmission loss when a signal passes through the printed board 201. Therefore, as illustrated in
From the standpoint of reliability, it is demanded that the optical module 101 be replaced when a failure occurs in the optical module 101. In order to facilitate the replacement process of the optical module 101, the optical module 101 and the package substrate 302 are connected to each other via an LGA socket or a connector to and from which the optical module 101 is attachable and detachable. When attaching or detaching the optical module 101, a force is applied to the BGA balls 203 that connect the printed board 201 and the package substrate 302 to each other, sometimes leading to detachment of the BGA balls 203.
The present application has been made in view of the problems mentioned above, and an object thereof is to provide a technology for suppressing detachment of solder that connects a printed board and a package substrate to each other.
According to an aspect of the invention, an optical module connector includes a connector configured to be coupled to a package substrate, which is coupled to first solder coupled to a printed board, and to second solder coupled to the printed board, the connector being coupled to the second solder; and an optical-module substrate configured to be detachably coupled to the connector, wherein the connector configured to include a first surface to which the optical-module substrate is coupled, a second surface coupled to the package substrate, and a third surface coupled to the second solder, and wherein the first surface to which the optical-module substrate is coupled includes a fourth surface opposite the second surface and a fifth surface opposite the third surface coupled to the second solder, and wherein a first height from the second surface to the first surface is less than a second height from the third surface to the first surface.
The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the embodiments are merely examples and are not limited thereto.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Making the height from the printed board 201 to the connector 402 equal to the height from the printed board 201 to the stand-off 501 may have an effect on the component tolerance of the connector 402, the component tolerance of the stand-off 501, and the component tolerance of the BGA balls 203. Because the connector 402 and the stand-off 501 are different components, it is difficult to make the height from the printed board 201 to the connector 402 equal to the height from the printed board 201 to the stand-off 501.
A first embodiment will now be described with reference to
The semiconductor package 3 has a package (PKG) substrate 31 and a semiconductor chip 32 coupled to the package substrate 31. The package substrate 31 is composed of, for example, resin, such as epoxy resin, polyimide resin, or phenolic resin. The semiconductor chip 32 is, for example, large scale integration (LSI). In a state (face-down state) where the surface of the semiconductor chip 32 having a circuit thereon (referred to as “circuit surface” hereinafter) faces the package substrate 31, an electrode provided at the circuit surface of the semiconductor chip 32 and an electrode provided at the upper surface of the package substrate 31 are joined to each other via BGA balls. In
The space between the package substrate 31 and the semiconductor chip 32 is filled with underfill resin 33. Pad electrodes 34 are provided on the package substrate 31. The pad electrodes 34 are electrically connected to the semiconductor chip 32 via wires provided within the package substrate 31. The package substrate 31 is coupled to a plurality of BGA balls 21 connected (arranged) to the printed board 2. Furthermore, the package substrate 31 is coupled to the plurality of BGA balls 21.
The BGA balls 21 and 22 are spherical balls (solder balls) composed of a solder material. The size and material of each BGA ball 21 are the same as the size and material of each BGA ball 22. The size of each BGA ball 21 includes the diameter and the volume of the BGA ball 21. The size of each BGA ball 22 includes the diameter and the volume of the BGA ball 22. The material of the BGA balls 21 and 22 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, an alloy, such as Sn—Ag, Sn—Cu, or Sn—Ag—Cu. The BGA balls 21 are an example of first solder. The BGA balls 22 are an example of second solder. As an alternative to the BGA balls 21 and 22, cylindrical or prismatic solder pellets may be used.
The connector 5 has the optical module 6 coupled therein. The optical module 6 has a substrate 61 and an optical transceiver 62. A plurality of BGA balls 63 are arranged between the substrate 61 and the optical transceiver 62. Electrodes provided at the upper surface of the substrate 61 and electrodes provided at the lower surface of the optical transceiver 62 are coupled to each other via the BGA balls 63. In
The internal lead wires 53A and 53B of the connector 5 and the electrodes provided at the substrate 61 of the optical module 6 are in contact with each other so that the connector 5 and the optical module 6 are electrically connected to each other. The connector 5 is electrically connected to the semiconductor chip 32. Therefore, the semiconductor chip 32 and the optical module 6 are electrically connected to each other via the connector 5. Exchanging of electric signals is performed between the semiconductor chip 32 and the optical module 6 via the external lead wires 52 and the internal lead wires 53A and 53B of the connector 5. Furthermore, electric power may be supplied from the semiconductor package 3 to the optical module 6 via the external lead wires 52 and the internal lead wires 53A and 53B of the connector 5.
When the optical module 6 is to be attached to the connector 5, the substrate 61 of the optical module 6 is inserted horizontally into the insertion opening 51 of the connector 5. When the optical module 6 is to be detached from the connector 5, the substrate 61 of the optical module 6 is removed horizontally from the insertion opening 51 of the connector 5. Therefore, the insertion and removal of the optical module 6 into and from the connector 5 is performed in the horizontal direction. By performing the insertion and removal of the optical module 6 into and from the connector 5 in the horizontal direction, a vertical force applied to the BGA balls 21 and 22 may be suppressed. Therefore, even when the optical module 6 is coupled to the connector 5 or the optical module 6 is disconnected from the connector 5, an excessive vertical force is not applied to the BGA balls 21 and 22. As a result, detachment of or damages to the BGA balls 21 and 22 may be suppressed.
The substrate 61 of the optical module 6 is inserted into the insertion opening 51 of the connector 5 in a state where the substrate 61 of the optical module 6 is in contact with the mounting surface of the connector 5. Furthermore, the substrate 61 of the optical module 6 is removed from the insertion opening 51 of the connector 5 in a state where the substrate 61 of the optical module 6 is in contact with the mounting surface of the connector 5. The mounting surface of the connector 5 is one of the surfaces of the connector 5 to which the optical module 6 is coupled. The connector 5 has a stand-off section (protrusion) 5A that protrudes outward relative to the contour of the package substrate 31 in plan view. The connector 5 and the stand-off section 5A are formed as a single unit. When inserting or removing the optical module 6 into or from the connector 5, the optical module 6 is in contact with the stand-off section 5A. Therefore, vibration or impact occurring when inserting or removing the optical module 6 into or from the connector 5 may be suppressed. Accordingly, a vertical force applied to the BGA balls 21 and 22 may be suppressed.
The internal lead wires 53A and 53B are bent, and the bent sections of the internal lead wires 53A and 53B protrude from the insertion opening 51 of the connector 5. When the substrate 61 of the optical module 6 is inserted into the insertion opening 51 of the connector 5, the internal lead wire 53A is set within the connector 5. For example, the mounting surface of the connector 5 may be provided with a recess. When the substrate 61 of the optical module 6 is inserted into the insertion opening 51 of the connector 5, the internal lead wire 53A becomes accommodated within the recess, and the internal lead wire 53A accommodated within the recess comes into contact with the electrode provided at the substrate 61.
The mounting surface of the connector 5 is divided into a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is one of the surfaces of the connector 5 opposite the surface thereof in contact with the package substrate 31. The second surface is one of the surfaces of the connector 5 opposite the surface thereof coupled to the BGA balls 22. As illustrated in
Because the height (H1) from the printed board 2 to the mounting surface of the connector 5 is equal to the height (H2) from the printed board 2 to the mounting surface of the connector 5, the optical module 6 does not tilt when the optical module 6 is inserted into or removed from the connector 5. Since the optical module 6 can be inserted into or removed from the connector 5 without causing the optical module 6 to tilt, a vertical force applied to the BGA balls 21 and 22 may be suppressed. Therefore, even when the optical module 6 is coupled to the connector 5 or the optical module 6 is disconnected from the connector 5, an excessive vertical force is not applied to the BGA balls 21 and 22. As a result, detachment of or damages to the BGA balls 21 and 22 may be suppressed.
The height (H4) of the stand-off section 5A is larger than the height (H3) of the connector 5. The height (H3) of the connector 5 is the height measured from one of the surfaces of the connector 5 that is in contact with the package substrate 31 to the mounting surface of the connector 5. The height (H4) of the stand-off section 5A is the height measured from one of the surfaces of the connector 5 that is coupled to the BGA balls 22 to the mounting surface of the connector 5. The height (H3) of the connector 5 and the height (H4) of the stand-off section 5A are set in accordance with the thickness (height) of the package substrate 31. Specifically, a total value of the thickness of the package substrate 31 and the height (H3) of the connector 5 is equal to the height (H4) of the stand-off section 5A.
A second embodiment will now be described with reference to
The supports 35 are located between the printed board 2 and the package substrate 31, and the supports 54 are located between the printed board 2 and the stand-off section 5A of the connector 5. The supports 35 and the supports 54 are in contact with the printed board 2. By disposing the supports 35 between the printed board 2 and the package substrate 31, the collapsing amount of the BGA balls 21 can be controlled. By disposing the supports 54 between the printed board 2 and the stand-off section 5A of the connector 5, the collapsing amount of the BGA balls 22 can be controlled. In
In the example illustrated in
In the examples illustrated in
As illustrated in
Because the height (H1) from the printed board 2 to the mounting surface of the connector 5 is equal to the height (H2) from the printed board 2 to the mounting surface of the connector 5, the optical module 6 does not tilt when the optical module 6 is inserted into or removed from the connector 5. Since the optical module 6 can be inserted into or removed from the connector 5 without causing the optical module 6 to tilt, a vertical force applied to the BGA balls 21 and 22 may be suppressed. Therefore, even when the optical module 6 is coupled to the connector 5 or the optical module 6 is disconnected from the connector 5, an excessive vertical force is not applied to the BGA balls 21 and 22. As a result, detachment of or damages to the BGA balls 21 and 22 may be suppressed.
A third embodiment will now be described with reference to
Pad electrodes 65 provided at the lower surface of the substrate 61 of the optical module 6 are coupled to the BGA balls 63 of the optical module 6 via wires provided within the substrate 61 of the optical module 6. As illustrated in
According to the third embodiment, electric power can be supplied directly from the printed board 2 to the optical module 6 via the BGA balls 22 and the connection terminals 55. Therefore, in the third embodiment, exchanging of high-speed signals is performed via the external lead wires 52 and the internal lead wires 53A and 53B of the connector 5, and power supply is performed via the connection terminals 55 of the connector 5 and the BGA balls 22.
In the example illustrated in
The following are subjoinders related to the above embodiments
Note 1. An optical module connector includes: a connector configured to be mounted on a package substrate, which is mounted on first solder connected on a printed board, and on second solder connected on the printed board, the connector being connected to the second solder; and an optical-module substrate configured to be detachably mounted in the connector, wherein the connector configured to include a first surface on which the optical-module substrate is mounted, a second surface in contact with the package substrate, and a third surface connected to the second solder, and wherein the first surface on which the optical-module substrate is mounted includes a fourth surface opposite the second surface and a fifth surface opposite the third surface connected to the second solder, and wherein a first height from the second surface to the first surface is less than a second height from the third surface to the first surface.
Note 2. The optical module connector according to note 1, wherein the connector includes an area where a height from the printed board to the fourth surface and a height from the printed board to the fifth surface are equal to each other.
Note 3. The optical module connector according to note 1, wherein the package substrate has a first support located between the printed board and the package substrate, and wherein the connector has a second support located between the printed board and the connector.
Note 4. The optical module connector according to note 1, wherein the connector has a connection terminal connected to the second solder, and wherein when the optical-module substrate is mounted in the connector, the optical-module substrate and the connection terminal are connected to each other.
Note 5. The optical module connector according to note 1, wherein the first solder and the second solder are composed of identical materials and have identical sizes.
Note 6. A printed board assembly includes: a printed board; a package substrate configured to be mounted on first solder, which is connected on the printed board, and connected to the first solder; a connector configured to be mounted on the package substrate and on second solder connected on the printed board, the connector being connected to the second solder; and an optical-module substrate configured to be detachably mounted in the connector, wherein the connector is configured to include a first surface on which the optical-module substrate is mounted, a second surface in contact with the package substrate, and a third surface connected to the second solder, and wherein the first surface on which the optical module is mounted is divided into a fourth surface opposite the second surface and a fifth surface opposite the third surface connected to the second solder, and wherein a first height from the second surface to the first surface is less than a second height from the third surface to the first surface.
All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2015-175134 | Sep 2015 | JP | national |