Power Distribution Network (PDN) and Chip Packaging

Sources and Resources:

[1] short description: Power Delivery Network (PDN) - Semiconductor Engineering

[2] PDN on PCB:

Power Distribution Network in PCB Design: Ensuring Stable Power Delivery

[3] lecture slides on "Packaging, Power, & Clock": https://pages.hmc.edu/harris/cmosvlsi/4e/lect/lect21.pdf

[4] (RLC) modelling of control system: 学子专区——二阶系统电子控制理论：为工程师提供的实用分析 | 亚德诺半导体

Power Distribution Network (PDN)[1]

Getting power around a semiconductor device is complicated and expensive. It generally starts at a power supply and [is] transferred by wires to a printed circuit board. Attached to that board are one or more ICs.

Traces on the PCB connect from the pads where the power supply wires are connected to the pad where power will be transferred to the chip. Those PCB traces may also involve vias that go through the PCB. To go from the chip pad into the chip will involve some kind [of] pin or bump and that has to be connected to the semiconductor surface – often involving a wire or other metal conductor and solder. Then a series of metal layer traces and vias, and potentially traces within the silicon, connect the transistors to the supply. Along that path, a set of resistances, capacitance and inductances are inherited that mean that what appears at the transistor is not a perfect replication of what came out of the power supply.

(Gemini) Q: read above and explain what are "trace", "pad", "pin", "bump" here, compare their roles and show some examples in actual pcb

A:

Trace: Imagine tiny copper wires etched onto the surface of the PCB. These are called traces.exclamation They act like miniature highways, carrying electrical signals (including power) between different components on the board.expand_more You can see them as thin, brown lines on a PCB .

source: PCB Trace: The Backbone of Modern Circuit Design

Pad: Pads are landing zones (exposed metal) for components like the IC They are typically round or oval-shaped metal areas on the PCB where traces connect. The pads provide a strong electrical connection point for soldering components onto the board.

source: What is a Pad in PCB Design and Development | Sierra Circuits

Pin: Pins are small metal legs that protrude from the body of an IC. These pins connect the internal circuitry of the chip to the external world through the PCB. During assembly, the pins are soldered onto the corresponding pads on the PCB.

(not quite on piont, but an image to showcase pin and socket)

Bump: Bumps are microscopic solder connections used in some advanced packaging technologies for ICs. Unlike pins, bumps are tiny solder balls directly on the chip's surface. They create a physical and electrical connection when the chip is placed on the PCB and heated to melt the solder.

image source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/SEM-images-of-coined-solder-bumps-on-PCB-substrates-a-Top-view-b-cross-section-c_fig2_4025222

Component	Role	Example
Trace	Conducts electrical signals	Thin brown lines on the PCB
Pad	Provides connection point for components	Round or oval metal areas
Pin	Connects chip to PCB	Small metal legs on the IC
Bump	Microscopic solder connection for advanced packaging	Tiny solder balls on the chip's surface

Q: more on via

Via: Imagine a multi-story building. Regular traces act like hallways on each floor, but to move between floors, you need stairs or an elevator. Vias function similarly on a PCB. They are plated holes drilled through the PCB that connect traces on different layers. This allows for a more compact and efficient design by enabling signals and power to travel vertically through the board.

There are several types of vias, each suited for different situations:

• Through-hole via: The most common type. It goes through the entire thickness of the board, connecting all layers.

  ​​www.linkedin.com

  

• Blind via: Connects only some of the inner layers, not reaching the top or bottom surface of the PCB.

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• Buried via: Completely buried within the inner layers of the PCB, not exposed on either surface.

  ​www.autodesk.com

  

Why use vias?

• Compactness: By connecting layers vertically, vias allow for denser circuitry on a smaller PCB footprint.
• Signal Integrity: Vias can help maintain signal integrity by providing shorter paths compared to routing traces on a single layer.
• Flexibility: They offer more routing options for complex designs.

Things to Consider with Vias:

• Via size: Smaller vias are generally preferred, but they can be limited by manufacturing capabilities and the desired electrical performance.
• Via placement: Careful placement is crucial to avoid signal integrity issues like crosstalk and impedance mismatch.
• Cost: More vias can increase fabrication cost.

Voltage regulators or converters may also be inserted anywhere along that path to provide the necessary voltages for various pieces of the circuit. In low power designs, switches may exist within the power supply to enable power to be removed from some parts of the circuit to reduce the leakage power. Because of peak current demands, capacitors may be added the retain enough charge to meet the instantaneous demand and are then recharged when less current is required.

Historically, the power delivery network (PDN) was overdesigned by adding significant