Shielded cable interface module and method of fabrication

A cable assembly comprising:

• a) a shielded cable interface module comprising printed circuit board having a cable termination side and a system interface side, the cable interface module comprising:
• 1) a plurality of cable receiving grooves in the cable termination side extending laterally to an edge of the module, each comprising a center conductor groove, an insulator groove, and a shield groove;
• 2) a center conductor via extending through the printed circuit board from the center conductor groove to the system interface side;
• 3) a shield via extending through the printed circuit board from the shield conductor groove to the system interface side;
• 4) a conductor plane on the cable termination side surrounding the plurality of cable receiving grooves and extending adjacent to each of the plurality of shield conductor grooves, the conductor plane comprising a non-conductor region adjacent to each of the conductor center conductor grooves;
• and
• 5) a plurality of ground vias associated with each of the plurality of cable receiving grooves spaced apart from and partially surrounding the center conductor via outside and adjacent to the non-conductor region, the plurality of ground vias extending through the printed circuit board from the cable termination side to the system interface side;
• and
• b) a plurality of shielded cables within the plurality of cable receiving grooves, each of the plurality of shielded cables comprising a center conductor electrically connected to the center conductor via and a shield conductor electrically contacting the conductor lined shield conductor groove.

An automated test equipment system comprising:

• a) a test head comprising an instrument board;
• b) a DIB;
• and
• c) a cable assembly connecting the instrument board and the DIB, the cable assembly comprising a shielded cable interface module comprising a printed circuit board comprising a cable termination side and a system interface side, the cable interface module comprising:
• 1) a plurality of cable receiving grooves in the cable termination side extending laterally to an edge of the printed circuit board, each comprising a center conductor groove, an insulator groove, and a shield groove;
• 2) a center conductor via extending through the printed circuit board from the center conductor groove to the system interface side;
• 3) a shield via extending through the printed circuit board from the shield conductor groove to the system interface side;
• 4) a conductor plane on the cable termination side surrounding the plurality of cable receiving grooves and extending adjacent to each of the plurality of shield conductor grooves, the conductor plane comprising a non-conductor region adjacent to each of the conductor center conductor grooves;
• and
• 5) a plurality of ground vias associated with each of the plurality of cable receiving grooves spaced apart from and partially surrounding the center conductor via outside and adjacent to the non-conductor region, the plurality of ground vias extending through the printed circuit board from the cable termination side to the system interface side;
• and
• b) a plurality of shielded cables within the plurality of cable receiving grooves, each of the plurality of shielded cables comprising a center conductor electrically connected to the center conductor via and a shield conductor electrically contacting the conductor lined shield conductor groove.

A method for constructing a shielded cable interface module, the method comprising:

• a) forming plurality of vias through a board from a conductive plane on a cable termination side of the board to a conductive plane on a system interface side of the board;
• b) forming a non-conductor region at least partially around a center conductor via of the plurality of vias within the conductive plane on the cable termination side;
• c) forming a shielded cable receiving channel on a shield cable termination side of the board comprising coaxial center conductor and shield grooves extending from an edge of the board, the center conductor groove extending over the center conductor via, the shield groove extending over a shield via of the plurality of vias;
• d) forming a conductor material in the center conductor and the shield grooves;
• e) wherein forming the shielded cable receiving channel comprises forming a dielectric groove between center conductor groove and the shield groove after forming the conductor material in the conductor and the shield grooves.

A method for constructing a shielded cable interface module, the method comprising:

• a) forming a conductive plane on a cable termination side of a board;
• b) forming a conductive plane on a system interface side of the board;
• c) forming a center conductor via through the board;
• d) forming a shield via through the board to the conductive plane on the system interface side;
• e) forming a plurality of ground vias spaced apart from and partially surrounding the center conductor via extending from the conductive plane on the cable termination side to the conductive plane on the system interface side;
• f) forming a center conductor groove into the board through the conductive plane on the cable termination side, the center conductor groove extending from an edge of the board and over the center conductor via;
• g) providing a non-conductor region in the conductive plane on the cable termination side at least partially surrounding an end of the center conductor groove;
• h) forming a shield groove into the board axial with the center conductor groove extending from an edge of the board and over the shield via;
• i) forming conductive material in the center conductor groove;
• j) forming conductive material in the shield groove;
• and
• k) forming a dielectric groove by removing a portion of the conductor plane on the cable termination side and a portion of the center conductor groove so as to electrically isolate the conductor material in center conductor groove from the conductor material in the shield groove.

A method for constructing a shielded cable interface module, the method comprising:

• a) constructing a printed circuit board comprising a center insulative material, a plane of conductive material on a cable termination side, and a plane of conductive material on a system interface side;
• and
• b) providing a plurality of shielded cable terminations comprising:
• 1) drilling the printed circuit board to provide a center conductor via hole, a shield via hole, and a plurality of ground via holes spaced apart from and at least partially surrounding the center conductor via;
• 2) filling the center conductor via, the shield via hole and the plurality of ground via holes with a conductive material;
• 3) removing a first portion of the conductive material on the cable termination side of the printed circuit board, a first portion of the insulative material, a portion of the center conductor via, and a first portion of at least one of the shield vias to create a center conductor groove above a remaining portion of the center conductor via;
• 4) removing a second portion of the conductive material of the cable termination side of the printed circuit board, a second portion of the insulative material, and a second portion of at least one of the shield vias to create a shield conductor groove above a remaining portion of the shield conductor via;
• 5) plating the center conductor groove and the shield conductor groove;
• and
• 6) removing a third portion of the cable termination side of the printed circuit board, a third portion of the insulative material, and a portion of the plating of the center conductor groove.