Asymmetric Hybrid PCB Design for Cost-Effective and Performance-Driven Solution in Data Center Platforms

Hybrid PCB (Printed Circuit Board), which are constructed by mixing different PCB materials, has become increasingly popular in various industries in recent years, such as telecommunications. However, the adoption in the Data Center (Server) environment has been limited due to a lack of experience in design considerations and implementation, as well as concerns about long-term reliability. To address this, a collaboration project was initiated by Lenovo and Intel to implement an ‘Asymmetric Hybrid PCB’ in the cutting-edge Xeon® platform, providing larger design flexibility. This paper discusses and provides insights into the design considerations, simulations, and validation processes involved.