Electronic – PCB Connector for Sensitive ADC Component

pcbpcb-design

I am evaluating this expensive BGA ADC component, which has 16 analog inputs, by placing it on a custom dev board.

The analog input signals to this chip dev board will be 20 MHz current-based signals in the 100pA to 1uA RMS range. These signals originate from an arrayed APD detector which is being kept separate during development.

What type of board-to-board connector should be used to apply these currents to the ADC while maintaining signal integrity. Presumably I need a very short connector with extremely low parasitic capacitance, and probably EMI shielding.

The ADC's integrating capacitor is around 3pF, so I think the parasitic capacitance must be significantly less.

Best Answer

There are a huge amount of choices for this I would think. Maybe a Qstrip similar to a mictor connector enter image description here

It has a nice ground/reference plane in the middle and you can space the signals out from one another by using a connector with more pins than you need. Maybe isolate around them with some GNDs and you should be okay.

Or I just used something like this, it's a high isolation RF connector enter image description here