Hi all,
I recall someone that thought making PWBs today wasn't so much of a
challenge today, with all known routines, advanced CAD and other tools.
I'm not an expert myself here, but have some insight through frequent
contacts with collegues that design PWBs here. I have analyzed some
boards up and then, and can see a still increasing demand for more
advanced boards. One such I've studied is last version of a module for
handsfree sets. The PWB is just some 10x12 millimeters wide and is a
multilayer structure which was far from a peace of a cake to make. PPE
and BCB are used, and the ordinary copper technology is combined with
metal sputtering to make 10um conductors. Vias are 15 um .Furthermore
buried TaN resistors and TaO capacitors are integrated in the multilayer
structure. And these will be produced in number of millions and must be
cheap. Isn't that a challenge? I'll not risk to be trespassing TN's
commercial rules, so I add no links. On the other hand, anyone can find
it in PWB newspapers.
Another challenge is PWBs for antennas. Raytheon has patented a very
advanced radar module, for so called AESA, in which tiny PWBs are the
heart of the design. Hundreds or even thousands of these small, but
complicated lumps, are used to make small or big flat antennas. Again,
anyone can find it on the web.
Another challenge is using extremly wide PWBs for feeding RF, digital
signals, power and cooling to large radar antennas. I have hold in my
hands boards nearly 1 meter wide, with a very complicated structure.
They have to be carefully impedance measured of course. To my great
surprise, a US company makes such automatic impedance testers that can
take up to 1,000 millimeter boards, as well as 10 millimeters.
Couldn't resist open my Nikon camera (F90X) and have a look. Those
flexes are a wonder of precision and miniatyrisation. At my job, we use
to by handicams and all sorts of equipments and open them to see
wonders that we can't make ourselves.
And we speak about making boards of paper, with built-in fiber
optics....boards that are wrapped along the wing shape of fighters...and
so on and so on.....
So, as I see it, there is still a lot to develop in the PWB area.
By the way, found a nice help for newbees, see below.
http://www.pcbdesignandfab.com/guidelines.htm
Just some thoughts from an old dog
Ingemar Hernefjord
Ericsson Microwave Systems
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