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Back-drilling of high-speed printed circuit boards: a review

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Abstract

Back-drilling is a crucial technology for improving the signal integrity (SI) of high-speed printed circuit boards (PCBs) and plays a significant role in the growth of signal transmission to high frequencies and speeds. However, the performance of high-speed PCBs is greatly affected by hole plugging, the hole registration accuracy, and the via stub in back-drilling. Therefore, the key problems and technologies of back-drilling are investigated and summarized in this paper. First, the classification, the system components, and the features of back-drilling are presented. A summary of back-drilling effects on SI allows better understanding of the advantages of back-drilling in reducing the signal time delay, reflection, and resonance. The studies done by scholars to avoid plugged holes, to improve the hole registration accuracy, and to decrease the length of the via stub are also reviewed from the aspects of technological processes, machining parameters, back-drilling methods, and drilling machine accuracy. Finally, this paper provides some points of research that will help in the further study of the hole quality, hole registration accuracy, and stub control to enhance the performance of back-drilling.

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The data and the materials of this study are available within the article. Raw data are also available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52075344), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2020YFB1708500), and the Science and Technology Innovation Commission Shenzhen (Nos. JSGG2019152602381 and JSGG20200914113603008).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Manufacturing Technology for Mold & Die, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People’s Republic of China

    Hongyan Shi, Tao Zhu & Zhuangpei Chen

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  1. Hongyan Shi
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  2. Tao Zhu
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  3. Zhuangpei Chen
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Contributions

Hongyan Shi: writing the original draft, writing guidance, and acquiring funding. Tao Zhu: writing the original draft and editing. Zhuangpei Chen: writing guidance, reviewing and editing.

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Correspondence to Tao Zhu.

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Shi, H., Zhu, T. & Chen, Z. Back-drilling of high-speed printed circuit boards: a review. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 121, 1483–1499 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-022-09476-7

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