PCB Signal Integrity LiveLessons (Video Training)

Description

• Copyright 2014
• Edition: 1st

• Downloadable Video
• ISBN-10: 0-13-354145-2
• ISBN-13: 978-0-13-354145-8

PCB Signal Integrity LiveLessons

7+ Hours of Video Instruction

Overview 

PCB Signal Integrity LiveLessons is a complete, detailed course on signal integrity for printed circuit board designers. There is no other media (including in person seminars) that provides so much material in such an easy-to-learn, convenient format.

Description

Doug starts the course by introducing the basic electronic background information necessary for understanding the rest of the material. This includes his perspective on the historical evolution of signal integrity issues on PCBs. He then devotes the next six lessons on specific signal integrity topics, ranging from EMI and crosstalk to bypass capacitors, to the skin effect, their impact, and solutions to the problems they impose. Before concluding with some final thoughts, Doug adds a lesson on the relationship between trace currents and temperatures, and how to address very large current surges that might melt (fuse) a trace.

Lesson 1: “Review Background Information” covers several basic background topics particularly helpful in understanding the following material. Doug first puts PCB signal integrity issues into an historical perspective, showing how the progression of the various topics relates to faster and faster rise times. He then reviews the basic topics of the nature of current, frequency, rise time, harmonics, and impedance. Two lessons emphasize the importance of some of the basic laws of electronics, and the nature of electromagnetic fields.

Lesson 2: “Eliminate Reflections” introduces the problem of reflections. This problem is solved with transmission lines, or “controlled impedance traces.” But this solution is not sufficient, since terminations also play an important role.

Lesson 3:  “Minimize EMI and Crosstalk Coupling” describes these two effects and their importance to PCB designers. In explaining crosstalk Doug utilizes several creative animations. In Lesson 3.2 Doug shows how it is possible to route two very long traces very close together without any crosstalk at all at the far end of the “victim” trace, and demonstrates that with the results of simulations.

Lesson 4: “Design Differential Traces” introduces the concept of differential signals and why they might perform better than single-ended signals. But differential traces require their own set of design guidelines. Doug outlines what these are, and why he believes in the guidelines he proposes.

Lesson 5: “Solve Power Distribution Problems” discusses the problems we might have in making power available around our boards. The two most common problems are (a) making sure there is enough charge available at the time and point of switching, and (b) making sure that “ground bounce” doesn’t negatively impact the signal. The solution to these problems involves bypass capacitors. But then Doug discusses the questions of how many, what size, where to put them, why, and the role ESR plays in all of this.

Lesson 6: “Understand High Frequency Resistance Losses” introduces the idea that resistance might not be constant with frequency. At least it might look that way. Doug introduces and explains the phenomena of skin effect and dielectric losses and how these ultimately result in lossy transmission lines. He then shows what we might be able to do about that.

Lesson 7: “Deal with Really Short Wavelengths” covers what happens when rise times get so short, and critical lengths get so short, that there is no physical room for implementing the solutions discussed in the previous lessons. At this stage, even via lengths might be longer than critical lengths. This severely limits what we can do with vias and how we should design them. Doug covers all this in this lesson.

Lesson 8:  “Control Trace Temperatures” covers the relationship between trace currents and temperatures. Traces must be sized carefully to carry their currents with acceptable temperature rise, and Doug covers why this is so, and then how to go about doing this. In the case where a catastrophic failure might severely overload a trace, Lesson 8.2 covers how to size a trace to last long enough to safely “shut down” the system after such a failure.

Lesson 9: “Final Thoughts” is just that, some concluding thoughts Doug wants to leave with you. These include a summary of what we have covered in the context of the historical evolution of signal integrity on PCBs, a summary of the important design rules introduced, Doug’s answer to the student who once asked “Why should we believe your design rules?”, and Doug’s response to those who forecast the coming “death” of the PCB.

About the Instructor

Douglas Brooks has an MS/EE from Stanford University and a PhD from the University of Washington. He has spent most of his career in the electronics industry in positions of engineering, marketing, general management, and as CEO of several companies. He has owned UltraCAD Design Inc. since 1992. He is the author of numerous articles in several disciplines, and has written articles and given seminars all over the world on Signal Integrity issues since founding UltraCAD. His first book, Printed Circuit Board Design and Signal Integrity Issues was published by Prentice Hall in 2003. That was followed by his second book, PCB Currents; How They Flow, How They React, in 2013, also published by Prentice Hall.

  

Skill Level

· All Levels

What You Will Learn

·  The role of rise time in signal integrity issues.

·  The root cause of the various signal integrity issues.

·  The “problem” and impact of the various issues.

·  PCB design solutions to those signal integrity issues.

·  Problems to avoid in implementing the solutions.

Who Should Take This Course

·  Literally, anyone who designs printed circuit boards. The problems and solutions discussed in these lessons can apply to ALL circuit boards.

·  Although this material would not be required for people in related industries (e.g. board fabrication and board assembly), it would be beneficial for them to also understand these issues.

Course Requirements

· Although there are no prerequisites to this course, it would be beneficial for the student to have a basic understanding of electronic circuits and of how circuit boards are designed and fabricated.

Table of Contents

Lesson 1 Review Background Information                                                                              

            1.1 Gain Historical Perspective                                                            

            1.2 Understand the Nature of Current

            1.3 Understand Frequency, Rise Time, and Harmonics                                                

            1.4 Visualize Electromagnetic Fields                                                               

            1.5 Deal with Propagation Speed and Time                                                                 

            1.6 Understand Impedance                                                                  

                                                                                   

Lesson 2 Eliminate Reflections Using Controlled Impedance Traces                                                                           

            2.1 Understand Reflections                                                                  

            2.2 Implement the Transmission Line Solution                                                                       

            2.3 Avoid Control Impedance Routing Pitfalls                                                             

                                                                                   

Lesson 3 Minimize EMI and Crosstalk Coupling                                                                                 

            3.1 Understand Coupling                                                                     

            3.2 Route for Minimum Coupling                                                                    

                                                                                   

Lesson 4 Design Differential Traces                                                                            

            4.1 Compare Single-Ended, Differential, and Common Mode                                                  

            4.2 Understand Differential Impedance                                                            

            4.3 Avoid Differential PCB Design Pitfalls                                                                    

                                                                                   

Lesson 5 Solve Power Distribution Systems (PDS) Problems                                                             

            5.1 Understand PDS Problems                                                            

            5.2 Compare Traditional and Impedance Solutions                                                                 

                                                                                   

Lesson 6 Understand High Frequency Resistance Losses                                                                   

            6.1 Learn About Skin Effect                                                                 

            6.2 Learn More about Skin Effect                                                                     

            6.3 Learn About Dielectric Losses                                                                   

            6.4 Deal with Lossy Transmission Lines                                                                     

                                                                                   

Lesson 7 Deal with Really Short Wavelengths                                                                         

            7.1 Learn Design Techniques when Wavelengths are Really Short                                                                  

                                                                                   

Lesson 8 Control Trace Temperatures                                                                         

            8.1 Design Traces for Temperature                                                                  

            8.2 Design Traces for Melting Point     

Lesson 9 Final Thoughts

About LiveLessons Video Training

LiveLessons Video Training series publishes hundreds of hands-on, expert-led video tutorials covering a wide selection of technology topics designed to teach you the skills you need to succeed. This professional and personal technology video series features world-leading author instructors published by your trusted technology brands: Addison-Wesley, Cisco Press, IBM Press, Pearson IT Certification, Prentice Hall, Sams, and Que. Topics include: IT Certification, Programming, Web Development, Mobile Development, Home and Office Technologies, Business and Management, and more.  View all LiveLessons on InformIT at: http://www.informit.com/livelessons

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Sample Content

Excerpts

Video: PCB Signal Integrity: An Introduction

Video: PCB Signal Integrity: Deal with Lossy Transmission Lines

Video: PCB Signal Integrity: Gain Historical Perspective

Video: PCB Signal Integrity: Understand Coupling

Table of Contents

Lesson 1: “Review Background Information” covers several basic background topics particularly helpful in understanding the following material. Doug first puts PCB signal integrity issues into an historical perspective, showing how the progression of the various topics relates to faster and faster rise times. He then reviews the basic topics of the nature of current, frequency, rise time, harmonics, and impedance. Two lessons emphasize the importance of some of the basic laws of electronics, and the nature of electromagnetic fields.

Lesson 2: “Eliminate Reflections” introduces the problem of reflections. This problem is solved with transmission lines, or “controlled impedance traces.” But this solution is not sufficient, since terminations also play an important role.

Lesson 3:  “Minimize EMI and Crosstalk Coupling” describes these two effects and their importance to PCB designers. In explaining crosstalk Doug utilizes several creative animations. In Lesson 3.2 Doug shows how it is possible to route two very long traces very close together without any crosstalk at all at the far end of the “victim” trace, and demonstrates that with the results of simulations.

Lesson 4: “Design Differential Traces” introduces the concept of differential signals and why they might perform better than single-ended signals. But differential traces require their own set of design guidelines. Doug outlines what these are, and why he believes in the guidelines he proposes.

Lesson 5: “Solve Power Distribution Problems” discusses the problems we might have in making power available around our boards. The two most common problems are (a) making sure there is enough charge available at the time and point of switching, and (b) making sure that “ground bounce” doesn’t negatively impact the signal. The solution to these problems involves bypass capacitors. But then Doug discusses the questions of how many, what size, where to put them, why, and the role ESR plays in all of this.

Lesson 6: “Understand High Frequency Resistance Losses” introduces the idea that resistance might not be constant with frequency. At least it might look that way. Doug introduces and explains the phenomena of skin effect and dielectric losses and how these ultimately result in lossy transmission lines. He then shows what we might be able to do about that.

Lesson 7: “Deal with Really Short Wavelengths” covers what happens when rise times get so short, and critical lengths get so short, that there is no physical room for implementing the solutions discussed in the previous lessons. At this stage, even via lengths might be longer than critical lengths. This severely limits what we can do with vias and how we should design them. Doug covers all this in this lesson.

Lesson 8:  “Control Trace Temperatures” covers the relationship between trace currents and temperatures. Traces must be sized carefully to carry their currents with acceptable temperature rise, and Doug covers why this is so, and then how to go about doing this. In the case where a catastrophic failure might severely overload a trace, Lesson 8.2 covers how to size a trace to last long enough to safely “shut down” the system after such a failure.

Lesson 9: “Final Thoughts” is just that, some concluding thoughts Doug wants to leave with you. These include a summary of what we have covered in the context of the historical evolution of signal integrity on PCBs, a summary of the important design rules introduced, Doug’s answer to the student who once asked “Why should we believe your design rules?”, and Doug’s response to those who forecast the coming “death” of the PCB.

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