OKI Circuit Technology in Japan has developed a mass-production technology for multi-layer copper-coin printed circuit boards that supports high speeds and high frequencies.
The technology is a T-Coin (Technology of copper coin insert) structure that has the shape and thickness of copper coins; it improves heat dissipation, prevents damage, and increases reliability and thermal conductivity. The technology is available in a wide range of copper coin diameters from 3.0 mm to 6.0 mm and printed circuit board thicknesses from 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm.
“Materials designed for use at high speeds and high frequencies tend to have lower structural strength than conventional printed circuit boards. Inserting copper coins, which subjects through-holes to loads, was previously considered difficult for multi-layer boards. The conventional mainstream method for ensuring heat dissipation has been “through-hole construction,” whereby many through-holes are drilled in the printed circuit board and their surfaces are copper-plated to dissipate heat. However, with electronic components packed at ever-greater densities to handle ever-higher data volumes, the amount of heat to be dissipated has increased, while the space available for providing through-holes to dissipate heat has shrunk. This trend has made measures for achieving adequate heat dissipation an increasingly urgent issue,” according to Business Wire.
“The T-Coin increases the area available for heat conduction for a limited number of through-holes by inserting cylindrical copper (copper coins) into through-holes without leaving gaps using a specially-developed method that minimizes pressure loading. This technology improves heat dissipation performance 20-fold while ensuring high reliability and long service life. Heat-generating components are in direct contact with large areas of copper with high thermal conductivity, ensuring high heat dissipation performance.