Low resistance, low-inductance power connectors

A method for controlling a power consumption in a high performance computer system, said method comprising:

• providing at least one electrical connector in the high performance computer system to control power consumption in at least one power domain in the high performance computer system, each said at least one electrical connector comprising:
• an anode assembly for conducting an electrical supply current from a source to a destination in the power domain, the anode assembly comprising an anode formed into a first shape from sheet metal or other sheet-like conducting material;
• a cathode assembly for conducting an electrical return current from the destination to the source in the power domain, the cathode assembly comprising a cathode formed into a second shape from sheet metal or other sheet-like conducting material;
• and
• an insulator that prevents electrical conduction between the anode and the cathode,
• wherein the first and second shapes are such as to provide a conformity of one to the other, with the insulator therebetween having a predetermined relatively thin thickness,
• wherein the first and second shapes comprise a sigma-shaped or sigmoid-shaped curve when viewed cross-sectionally,
• whereby a predetermined low-resistance path for the supply current is provided by the anode, a predetermined low-resistance path for the return current is provided by the cathode, and a proximity of the anode to the cathode along these paths provides a predetermined low self-inductance of the connector, said proximity being afforded by the conformity of the first and second shapes.

A method of fabricating an electrical connector, the method comprising:

• forming an anode from a first plate-like portion of conductive material into a first predetermined shape the anode to conduct an electrical supply current from a source to a destination in a power domain;
• forming a cathode from a second portion of the plate-like conductive into a shape that conforms to the first predetermined shape, the cathode to conduct an electrical return current from the destination to the source in the power domain;
• and
• providing an insulation material between the anode and cathode, to prevent electrical conduction therebetween, the insulation material having a predetermined relatively thin thickness, whereby a predetermined low-resistance path for the supply current is provided by the anode, a predetermined low-resistance path for the return current is provided by the cathode, and a proximity of the anode to the cathode along these paths provides a predetermined low self-inductance of the connector, said proximity being afforded by a conformity of the first and second shapes,
• wherein the first and second shapes comprise a sigma-shaped or sigmoid-shaped curve when viewed cross-sectionally.