Treated connection pins for high speed expansion sockets

Abstract

A connection pin for an expansion socket can be treated to improve signal (e.g., reduce noise) for high speed applications. A connection pin can be treated to have a conductive plating covering a proximal region of the connection pin. Electrical signals between an expansion card in contact with the connection pin and the circuit board to which the connection pin is coupled can pass directly through the conductive plating of the proximal region. However, the distal region of the connection pin can be treated to be devoid of the conductive plating, such as by being covered with a high dielectric loss and/or high-resistance material or through removal of the conductive plating in that region. Thus, electrical signals passing through the connection pin will tend to pass through the conductive plating rather than along the distal region of the pin. Thus, signal reflections and other artifacts and noise can be avoided.