Cavity PCBs: Use your space more efficiently
Cavity PCBs from AT&S utilize technology that allows us to remove parts of PCB layers selectively. This not only saves space, but also makes it possible to optimize the performance of antenna modules or heat-producing components. With the same technology, we can also remove parts of the inner layers, which allows us to create semi-flexible PCBs that can bent to install without relying on expensive materials.
Cavity PCBs by AT&S open up new possibilities for our customers for space-saving designs, efficient thermal management, reduction of signal losses and integration of components.
Benefits of Cavity PCBs
- Optimum thermal management
- Space-saving integration of components
- Minimal signal losses
Smaller is better
The devices and electronic circuits that make digitized everyday life possible have to perform increasingly complex tasks at breathtaking speed. One of the most important opportunities for the further development of such systems is miniaturization: increasingly complex circuits are being packed ever more densely onto printed circuit boards, which further reduces the available space.
AT&S makes optimum use of the surface area of printed circuit boards by recessing components into the outer layer to utilize the entire volume of a printed circuit board. This makes PCBs thinner and enables devices such as medical implants or smartphones. The thinner the PCB, the better the electrical and heat-management properties become.
2.5D® – The power lies in depth
When printed circuit boards shrink, the space available on the surface for the conductors and components decreases. This is why AT&S uses so-called cavities in its latest high-tech printed circuit boards, which we form in the outer layers of a PCB using lasers and our 2.5D® technology. We can place components such as resistors, microcontrollers or heat sinks in these cavities in subsequent steps. Thanks to our 2.5D® technology, AT&S is able to make the best possible use of any limited space available.
The cavities can be designed with any geometry and are created with very high accuracy by using a precision laser and. By adjusting the laser beams, we can guarantee optimum surface quality with low stress on the processed material. Furthermore, the components housed in the cavities are protected at all times.
Smartphones and driver assistance systems
Cavities can not only be formed in the outer layers, but also inside a PCB for special applications. By removing parts of an inner layer, for example, the losses in high-frequency signals can be reduced, which is particularly relevant for antenna structures. This makes PCBs with cavities very suitable for wireless communication applications, for example for smartphones and their infrastructure. The thermal management of heat-producing components can also be optimized through the targeted removal of material.
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