Re: gEDA-user: an unplated via - a capacitor inside a board

[ldoolitt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Karel -

On Sat, Mar 11, 2006 at 10:34:18PM +0100, Karel Kulhavy wrote:
> Let's say I have a ground plane on the solder side and power plane on
> the component side. I want to place a blocking capacitor between those
> two with the minimum parasitic inductance.
> 
> The solution with minimum parasitic inductance is to make a via, but not
> plate it through, just leave the rings around the hole. Make the hole
> big enough for a 1206 capacitor to fit, insert a capacitor and solder on
> both sides.
> 
> Is this possible with PCB?

I don't think PCB knows how to solder.  :-p

Cool idea.  Except I'd try it with an 0805 cap on an
0.0625 thick board.  Hard to inspect, and I don't
think any automated assembly shops would take the job.

I'll have to remember this idea.  It could pull otherwise
troublesome boards back off a cliff.

As someone else pointed out, PCB can provide the artwork for
such a cap.  It's mostly just a non-plated-through hole,
which some fab houses can make, and some can't.

        - Larry