Smart card design for computers. Part 1

Are computer boards different from other interconnection media? How do these boards differ from other printed circuit boards commonly used in other electronic products or systems?

According to iNEMI's breakdown , these cards are used in "office and mainframe" product families, e.g. mass storage systems, servers and desktops, workstations and personal computers, or in "portable products", e.g. notebooks, PDAs, notebooks, etc.

The boards used in these products are made up of a large number of standard components and memories assembled around one or more processors, which are responsible for data processing.

Computer cards are characterized by :

• high electrical performance (speed) linked to processor performance ;

• high complexity due to the large number of interconnected components;

• demanding physical characteristics linked to the electrical, thermal and mechanical constraints of processors.

In general, computer cards require :

• large dimensions ;

• a large number of layers for signal routing ;

• high-performance materials to ensure the speed of signals without altering their shape;

• thermomechanical properties to ensure processor cooling and system reliability.

In this folder [ ] and the next [ ], we will successively analyze all the points linked to board design, starting with the evolution of processors and the technological challenges to be expected in the coming years.