10-layer PCB stacking: Multi-layer board design guide
With the continuous introduction of new technologies, the requirements for complex PCB layout are also getting higher and higher. Nowadays, everyone wants a user-friendly, smaller size, and versatile electronic product. In order to meet this demand, more and more multi-layer PCB designs are being designed.
If a balanced multi-layer PCB stacking design is adopted, the performance of the multi-layer PCB will be efficient and reliable. When designing multi-layer PCBs, if signal integrity, power integrity, EMC, and thermal management are to be considered, the best choice for most PCB designers is a 10-layer PCB stack for high-tech applications.
The 10-layer PCB stack provides advanced functions to meet the requirements of high-performance PCBs, and it is the best choice for PCB designers.
What is a 10-layer PCB stack?
The 10-layer PCB stack is composed of ten independent conductive and insulating material layers. According to the design requirements, the 10 layers can be divided into a signal layer and a power/GND plane. Compared with the lower-level stacking configuration, the 10-layer stacking provides a better choice for component placement, wiring, correct implementation of design rules, reliable grounding, and power supply layout in a complex design. Asymmetrically balanced 10-layer stacking can improve PCB performance and functionality, reduce noise and solve EMI/EMC problems. The 10-layer PCB is tightly coupled on the return plane, and the signal layer in the center of the stack is tightly coupled with multiple GND planes, thereby improving PCB performance.
10-layer PCB stacking structure
An example of a standard 10-layer PCB stack with six signal layers and four planes is shown below.
1. The first step is to choose a suitable multilayer PCB stack
PCB designers first understand the application and complexity of the design, and verify the different parts of the schematic diagram, the total number of networks required for wiring analog signals, digital signals, mixed signals, and high-speed signals, impedance control, signal integrity, and the power supply part of the board, BOM, the component packaging used in the layout, and the electrical, mechanical, and thermal requirements of the circuit board to select a suitable multi-layer PCB stack.
The choice of multi-layer PCB stacking depends on design requirements such as signal integrity, power and noise distribution, and cost constraints.
2.The second step is to use PCB stacking rationally
10-layer PCB stacking is a popular choice for PCB designers because it can effectively handle complex design challenges, such as maintaining signal integrity, power integrity, dancing component placement, wiring, avoiding EMI/EMC problems, and providing reliable GND and power plane management.
By selecting a 10-layer PCB stack, designers can use a dedicated signal layer for wiring, match the length of the high-speed signal, and provide a stable GND and power layer in a separate layer. In order to expand the complex BGA package and route it on a high springboard, blind holes, buried holes, and micropores can also be used by selecting a 10-layer stack.
Designers need to review design constraints and seek expert advice to choose the right multi-layer PCB stacking solution for a specific application. There are many types of 10-layer PCB stacking configurations.
Basic knowledge about 10-layer sorting and stacking
Before designing a 10-layer PCB stack, design requirements such as circuit board size, PCB material thickness, copper weight required for circuit board manufacturing, drilling selection, signal transmission type, frequency involved, and total number of layers should be considered.
If your design requires more signal layers and planes, you should determine a 10-layer PCB stack for your design. The sequence of the last 10 PCB layers needs to be carefully planned to achieve the expected performance in terms of signal integrity, power integrity, electromagnetic comparability, thermal management, and manufacturability.
The signal, power supply, and GND plane are the three layers available on the 10-layer PCB stack. The signal layer is used to route the electrical connections between different components, high-speed signals, and differential pairs. The number of signal layers on the board may vary depending on the application of the circuit board. High-speed or high-power applications, small pitch, high pin count, and complex BGA require more signal layers.If the 10-layer PCB stacking design takes into account signal integrity and maintains a 2w or 3w gap between the traces to avoid crosstalk and the separation between the analog and digital parts, then in this case, the number of signal layers will increase.
In a 10-layer PCB stack, the GND and power plane are used to provide a consistent reference plane for the signal layer. The GND plane is used to provide a low impedance return path for the signal, and the power supply layer is used to provide power to the components. The fan-out of the circuit assembly and the GND pin is done through a through hole, and can be easily connected through the GND and the power plane.
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For multi-layer PCB stacking, the sturdy GND plane can be used as an effective shield for the signal layer, reducing signal reflection, preventing external noise from affecting the signal on the PCB, minimizing crosstalk, reducing EMI/EMC problems and improving signal integrity. The GND plane placed next to the power plane will produce decoupling capacitors, which can filter out high-frequency noise and stabilize the power supply. In a common 10-layer PCB stack, the GND and power plane improve the thermal performance of the PCB board by distributing and dissipating the heat generated by the components and providing mechanical stability to the PCB during manufacturing and assembly.
The power supply layer can improve the current carrying capacity of the power signal, provide a noise-free and stable power supply, and improve the performance of the PCB. When we design a 10-layer PCB stack, the signal layer with digital circuits and high impedance traces needs to be close to the GND layer to reduce noise and maintain signal integrity. For PCBs that transmit analog and digital signals at the same time, it is necessary to separate the different signals and avoid interference between them.
Before starting the PCB layout, we will first consult the PCB manufacturer's capabilities, ask them to provide a 10-layer stack according to your design requirements, and set the stacking and design rules in the PCB design tool based on the stack received from the manufacturer. When building a 10-layer PCB stack, it is also important to choose the PCB according to the overall thickness, the thickness of each signal layer, the prepreg, the core board, and the appropriate material, because the overall thickness of the PCB provides the mechanical strength of the PCB. The choice of PCB material is based on its electrical, mechanical and thermal properties.
The quality of the PCB material will affect the operation of the circuit at high speed for two reasons: the tangent of the loss angle and the dielectric constant. It is necessary to fully understand the dielectric constant and loss angle tangent of the PCB material in order to design a circuit with the best characteristics.
Application of 10-layer PCB stacking
Modern electronic technology continues to present challenges, because the requirements for advanced functions of electronic products are becoming more and more new and complex, so the demand for multi-layer printed circuit boards is rapidly increasing. This is why a multi-layer PCB laminated design is required.
According to the design requirements, the balanced stacking needs to be carefully planned. Well-designed multi-layer PCB stacking can eliminate PCB problems such as impedance mismatch, crosstalk, and EMI/EMC, provide appropriate power distribution, and improve system performance. This is why it can be used in so many industries and systems. The 10-layer PCB stack has been used in many fields as one of the multi-layer PCB stacks.
Advantages of using 10-layer PCB stacking
Disadvantages of using 10-layer PCB stacking
conclusion
Stacking is the foundation of successful PCB design. The design of a 10-layer multilayer PCB faces challenges related to long delivery times, manufacturing defects, high manufacturing costs, complex design, impedance control, and signal integrity. By carefully planning the 10-layer PCB stack according to the design application requirements and implementing appropriate design techniques, PCB designers can achieve the required electrical performance, improve signal integrity, enhance power distribution, enhance design flexibility, better thermal management and electromagnetic compatibility in PCB design, and can design and manufacture long-term reliable and high-performance multilayer PCBs.