Microsoft Corporation
Printed circuit board mesh routing to reduce solder ball joint failure during reflow

Abstract:

Voids are introduced in a copper shape to reduce warpage experienced by a printed circuit board during a reflow process. Copper shapes on an outer layer of a printed circuit board may be used to connect large packages that include ball grid arrays to the printed circuit board. The copper shapes may induce warpage in the printed circuit board during the reflow process. Routing a mesh pattern of voids in the copper shapes may reduce solder ball joint cracking and pad cratering during reflow and make solder joints more reliable. The voids may make the copper shapes less ridged and change the copper heat dissipation profile to remove sharp warpage forces that cause solder joints to experience pad cratering. The voids may be 8 mil.times.8 mil cuts or indentations in the copper shape.