IWR6843AOP: Ground Pad handling in PCB library design

Jack Cha

Part Number: IWR6843AOP

Hi TI

When the customer designed the iwar6843aop circuit, they found a difference in the ground pad between Datasheet and PCB design file, which made them curious.

* IWR6843AOP Drawing in Datasheet

* Solder Paste Example in Datasheet

* TI ' PCB design file.

They said the ground pad is found in the middle of the IC in the reference PCB design file, but can't see the ground part in the Datasheet Solder Paste Example, so please let me know why.

Since they would like to clarify about Ground pad while drawing PCB cad library. Please let us know how they should handle it.

Thanks.

Regards,

Jack

over 1 year ago

0 Pedrhom Nafisi over 1 year ago

TI__Genius 16857 points

Hello Jack,

Please give me some time to look into this.

Best Regards,

Pedrhom

0 Ankit Mohanty over 1 year ago in reply to Pedrhom Nafisi

TI__Expert 7230 points

Hi Jack,

Although it is not absolutely necessary, the thermal pad is beneficial to have for heat dissipation. A thermal interface (thermal pad) is present in the reference design file between the die and the PCB (with the solder mask removed) to aid in heat dissipation.

Regards

Ankit

0 Jack Cha over 1 year ago in reply to Ankit Mohanty

Mastermind 8052 points

Hi Ankit

Is the Thermal Pad seat in the Reference Design, not Ground?

Is heat dissipation through GND? Is Thermal PAD an additional tool?

Thanks.

Regards,

Jack

0 Ankit Mohanty over 1 year ago in reply to Jack Cha

TI__Expert 7230 points

Jack,

The thermal pad seat is not the ground. What you may have mistaken for a ground pad in the reference design but was actually a thermal pad. The thermal pad is an additional tool to aid in efficient heat dissipation and die cooling. The thermal pad on the bottom of the IC can then be soldered directly to the printed circuit board (PCB), using the PCB as a heatsink. In addition, through the use of thermal vias, the thermal pad can be directly connected to a ground plane or special heat sink structure designed into the PCB.

Please refer to the below appnote for better understanding.

Thermal Design Guide for Antenna on Package mmWave Sensor (ti.com)

Regards

Ankit

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IWR6843AOP: Ground Pad handling in PCB library design