An Improved Methodology for High Frequency Socket Performance Characterization

In this paper, we present an improved methodology to achieve good correlation between measured and modeled high frequency data for sockets. The resulting technique was applied to a land grid array (LGA) socket, designed to provide a detachable solution between a microelectronic package and a printed circuit board (PCB), while simultaneously satisfying the stringent electrical requirements for high speed signaling. Test vehicles were assembled with surface mount LGA sockets on test boards and a removable test package. 4-port and 12-port S-parameter measurements were performed on the test vehicle assembly. The socket only insertion loss and return loss performance was extracted using a de-embedding process. A good correlation was achieved between de-embedded measured and modeled differential-ended (DE) insertion loss (IL) data from DC to 16 GHz. For the first time such good correlation for de-embedded high frequency socket data has been reported as per the authors' best knowledge.