Backplane connector 150 shown in FIG. 1 and described above may include an electrical contact for a connector ground, such as a conductive gasket, a conductive finger, or other conductive element. The connector ground may be in electrical contact with the conductive surface film 540 after the connector is installed on the printed circuit board, thereby establishing electrical continuity between the ground of the connector and the ground of the printed circuit board. The conductive gasket, conductive finger or other conductive element may be in physical and electrical contact with conductive surface film 540 but is not attached to the conductive surface film 540, such that the two elements are separable. This configuration is in contrast to the contact tails of the connector, which may be inserted into and soldered to respective signal vias and ground vias of the printed circuit board. The conductive gasket may be pressed between the printed circuit board and a connector mounted to the printed circuit board. The conductive finger may extend from a connector or other component attached to the printed circuit board. The conductive gasket and/or the conductive finger may provide current flow paths between grounding structures in the connector and in the printed circuit board, increasing the effectiveness of the ground structures and enhancing signal integrity.
It will be understood that the electrical connection between the conductive shadow vias and the conductive surface film is not limited to the via patterns shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, 7 and 8. The conductive shadow vias may be electrically connected to a conductive surface film in any via pattern which has a conductive surface film and which utilizes conductive shadow vias.
