BGA socket for DDR4 ICs minimizes performance loss, footprint

For 253-pin, 0.5-mm-pitch BGA DDR4 ICs, the CG-BGA-5019 socket from Ironwood Electronics is designed to operate with less than 1 dB insertion loss for 8 x 13.5-mm packaged devices operating at bandwidths up to 10 GHz. It is said to have the smallest footprint in the industry and all socket pins can handle 10-GHz signals with typical contact resistance of 20 mΩ per pin.

The socket has an easy-open, double-latch lid with integrated compression mechanism and high performance/low-inductance elastomer contactor, and can be mounted on a PCB with no soldering. The small footprint allows inductors, resistors, and decoupling capacitors to be placed very close to the device for impedance tuning. Priced at $851 in single quantities, the socket has a −35°C to 100°C range, 0.11-nH pin self-inductance, 0.028-nH mutual inductance, 0.028 pF capacitance to ground, and 2-A-per-pin current capacity.