# US 2025/0168968 A1 · Printed de-coupling plane for printed circuit boards > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0168968 A1 - Document ID: US20250168968A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/835,151 - Filed: 2022-02-03 - Published: 2025-05-22 - Earliest claimed: 2022-02-03 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Chee Kiong FONG; Ying LIANG; Geoffrey Jason SHEW; Michael Roy VOLKMAN; Suet Fong TIN; Marshall Thomas DEPUE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250168968A1 ## CPC - H05K 1/0216: {Reduction of cross-talk, noise or electromagnetic interference (grounding H05K1/0215)} - H05K 1/0218: {by printed shielding conductors, ground planes or power plane (H05K1/0236 takes precedence)} - H05K 1/092: {Dispersed materials, e.g. conductive pastes or inks} - H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components - H05K 3/4644: {by building the multilayer layer by layer, i.e. build-up multilayer circuits (making via holes in the insulating layers H05K3/0011; special circuit boards as base or core whereon the multilayer is built H05K3/4602)} - H05K 3/1216: {by screen printing or stencil printing} - H05K 2201/0323: Carbon - H05K 2201/0715: provided by an outer layer of PCB - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a fundamental component used in nearly all electronics. PCBs provide electrical connections and mechanical support to electronic components and are generally made of copper layers laminated onto, though, and/or between one or more non-conductive substrate layers. Depending on the circuit complexity and performance requirements, multiple copper layers may be utilized in a singular PCB. Beyond two copper layers, the material cost and environmental impact of adding additional copper layers to a PCB increases dramatically. Multiple internal conductive layers (e.g., copper clad laminates or CCL's) within a PCB are created using an energy intensive process, requiring substantial amounts of water and chemicals. Significant environmental savings and PCB manufacturing cost reductions can be achieved if a PCB design can minimize the number of internal conductive layers, including using one or more printed de-coupling layers in place of laminated copper layers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printed circuit board comprising: a substrate forming a mechanical base for the printed circuit board; a first copper layer laminated to a first side of the substrate forming a first conductive metallic paths for the printed circuit board; a first solder mask applied over the first copper layer and the first side of the substrate to seal the first array of conductive metallic paths from an external environment; and a first de-coupling plane printed on the printed circuit board using conductive ink. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printed circuit board of claim 1, further comprising: a second copper layer laminated to a second side of the substrate forming a second array of conductive metallic paths for the printed circuit board; a second solder mask applied over the second copper layer and the second side of the substrate to seal the second array of conductive metallic paths from the external environment; and a second de-coupling plane printed over the second solder mask using the conductive ink. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The printed circuit board of claim 1, further comprising: a second copper layer laminated over the first de-coupling plane forming a second array of conductive metallic paths for the printed circuit board; a second solder mask applied over the second copper layer and the first printed de-coupling plane to seal the second array of conductive metallic paths from the external environment; and a second de-coupling plane printed over the second solder mask using the conductive ink. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein the first de-coupling plane is printed over the first solder mask. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein the first de-coupling plane is printed over a second side of the substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The printed circuit board of claim 1, further comprising: a second solder mask applied over the first de-coupling plane to seal the first de-coupling plane from the external environment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein the first solder mask is excluded from one or more discrete areas of the first copper layer corresponding to electrical ground, and wherein the first de-coupling plane is connected to electrical ground at the one or more discrete areas. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein the conductive ink includes one or more of carbon, copper, and silver powder suspended within a printable solution. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The printed circuit board of claim 1, further comprising: one or more electronic components soldered to the substrate, wherein the first de-coupling plane serves as one or both of a high-frequency current return path and a common electrical ground for low-frequency current for the one or more electronic components. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein the conductive metallic paths include one or more of vias, traces, and pads on the printed circuit board. ### Claim 11 A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board, the method comprising: providing a substrate forming a mechanical base for the printed circuit board; laminating a first copper layer to a first side of the substrate forming a first array of conductive metallic paths for the printed circuit board; applying a first solder mask over the first copper layer and the first side of the substrate to seal the first array of conductive metallic paths from an external environment; and printing a first de-coupling plane on the printed circuit board using conductive ink. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: laminating a second copper layer to a second side of the substrate forming a second array of conductive metallic paths for the printed circuit board; applying a second solder mask over the second copper layer and the second side of the substrate to seal the second array of conductive metallic paths from an external environment; and printing a second de-coupling plane on the printed circuit board using the conductive ink. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: laminating a second copper layer over the first de-coupling plane forming a second array of conductive metallic paths for the printed circuit board; applying a second solder mask applied over the second copper layer and the first printed de-coupling plane to seal the second array of conductive metallic paths from the external environment; and printing a second de-coupling plane over the second solder mask using the conductive ink. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first de-coupling plane is printed over the first solder mask. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first de-coupling plane is printed over a second side of the substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: applying a second solder mask over the first de-coupling plane to seal the first de-coupling plane from the external environment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first solder mask is excluded from one or more discrete areas of the first copper layer corresponding to electrical ground, and wherein the first de-coupling plane is connected to electrical ground at the one or more discrete areas. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the conductive ink includes one or more of carbon, copper, and silver powder suspended within a printable solution. ### Claim 19 A printed circuit board comprising: a substrate forming a mechanical base for the printed circuit board; a first copper layer laminated to a first side of the substrate forming a first array of conductive metallic paths for the printed circuit board; a first solder mask applied over the first copper layer and the first side of the substrate to seal the first array of conductive metallic paths from an external environment; a first carbon de-coupling plane printed on the printed circuit board using conductive carbon ink; a second copper layer laminated to a second side of the substrate forming a second array of conductive metallic paths for the printed circuit board; a second solder mask applied over the second copper layer and the second side of the substrate to seal the second array of conductive metallic paths from the external environment; and a second carbon de-coupling plane printed over the second solder mask using the conductive carbon ink. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The printed circuit board of claim 19, wherein the conductive carbon ink includes carbon powder suspended within a printable solution.