Cantilevered power planes to provide a return current path for high-speed signals

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing cantilevered power planes to provide a return current path for high-speed signals. In various embodiments, a semiconductor package includes a substrate core, a plurality of layers, and an AC coupler(s). The plurality of layers includes power, ground, and signal layers each layer disposed on or above the substrate core, each signal layer being disposed between a power layer and a ground layer, the power layer and the ground layer each providing a return path for high frequency (e.g., 1 kHz or greater) signals carried by each signal layer. Each dielectric layer is disposed between and in contact with a pair of power, ground, or signal layer. The AC coupler(s) is coupled to each of a power layer(s) and a ground layer(s), without any portion of any power layer that is near an edge of the substrate core being anchored to the substrate core.