Designing a printed circuit board (pcb) to detect slivers of conductive material included within vias of the pcb

Abstract

A method may include obtaining a printed circuit board (PCB) that includes a set of vias that include a set of stub regions. The PCB may include a set of layers perpendicular to the set of vias. The set of layers may include a signal layer and a ground layer. The ground layer may be located between the set of stub regions and the signal layer. The method may include drilling to remove at least a portion of a stub region of a via of the set of vias. The method may include performing an electrical test to determine whether a sliver of conductive material is included within the via after drilling to remove the at least a portion of the stub region of the via.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 drilling, by a first device, to remove at least a portion of a stub region of a via associated with a second device,
 wherein drilling to remove the at least the portion of the stub region creates a ring of conductive material around a portion of a ground layer that connects to the via and around a portion of a hole associated with the drilling; 
   performing an electrical test to determine whether conductive material is included within the via after drilling to remove at least the portion of the stub region of the via; and   performing, based on a result of performing the electrical test, at least one of:
 additional drilling to remove at least the portion of the stub region when the conductive material is determined to be included within the via, or 
 performing an additional electrical test to determine whether the conductive material is included within the via. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ground layer connects to the via without an antipad between the ground layer and the via. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling removes all conductive material associated with the stub region, and
 wherein performing the electrical test detects that a sliver of conductive material is not present within the via.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing the electrical test comprises:
 providing an electrical current to the via after the drilling, 
 wherein the electrical current flows from an electrical probe to the via. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling leaves a sliver of conductive material within the via, and
 wherein performing the electrical test detects the sliver of conductive material.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second device is a printed circuit board (PCB), and 
 wherein the electrical test is integrated into circuitry of the PCB.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining a printed circuit board (PCB) that comprises:
 the via including the stub region; and 
 the ground layer. 
   
     
     
         8 . A first device, comprising:
 one or more memories; and   one or more processors to:
 drill to remove at least a portion of a stub region of a via associated with a second device,
 wherein drilling to remove the at least the portion of the stub region creates a ring of conductive material around a portion of a ground layer that connects to the via and around a portion of a hole associated with the drilling; 
 
 perform an electrical test to determine whether conductive material is included 
   within the via after drilling to remove at least the portion of the stub region of the via; and 
 perform, based on a result of performing the electrical test, at least one of:
 additional drilling to remove at least the portion of the stub region when the conductive material is determined to be included within the via, or 
 performing an additional electrical test to determine whether the conductive material is included within the via. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The first device of  claim 8 , wherein the ground layer is arranged between the stub regions and a signal layer of the second device. 
     
     
         10 . The first device of  claim 8 , wherein the ground layer connects to the via without an antipad between the ground layer and the via. 
     
     
         11 . The first device of  claim 8 , wherein the drilling removes all conductive material associated with the stub region, and
 wherein performing the electrical test detects that a sliver of conductive material is not present within the via.   
     
     
         12 . The first device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors, to perform the electrical test, are to:
 provide an electrical current to the via after the drilling,
 wherein the electrical current flows from an electrical probe to the via. 
   
     
     
         13 . The first device of  claim 8 , wherein the drilling leaves a sliver of conductive material within the via, and
 wherein performing the electrical test detects the sliver of conductive material.   
     
     
         14 . The first device of  claim 8 , wherein the second device is a printed circuit board (PCB), and
 wherein the electrical test is integrated into circuitry of the PCB.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first device, cause the first device to:
 drill to remove at least a portion of a stub region of a via associated with a second device,
 wherein drilling to remove the at least the portion of the stub region creates a ring of conductive material around a portion of a ground layer that connects to the via and around a portion of a hole associated with the drilling; 
 
 perform an electrical test to determine whether conductive material is included 
   within the via after drilling to remove at least the portion of the stub region of the via; and 
 perform, based on a result of performing the electrical test, at least one of:
 additional drilling to remove at least the portion of the stub region when the conductive material is determined to be included within the via, or 
 performing an additional electrical test to determine whether the conductive material is included within the via. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the ground layer connects to the via without an antipad between the ground layer and the via. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the drilling removes all conductive material associated with the stub region, and
 wherein performing the electrical test detects that a sliver of conductive material is not present within the via.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the device to perform the electrical test, cause the device to:
 provide an electrical current to the via after the drilling,
 wherein the electrical current flows from an electrical probe to the via. 
   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the drilling leaves a sliver of conductive material within the via, and 
 wherein performing the electrical test detects the sliver of conductive material.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the second device is a printed circuit board (PCB), and
 wherein the electrical test is integrated into circuitry of the PCB.