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PCB Design

NB-IoT Antenna Design and Layout for Your PCB

NB-IoT Antenna Design and Layout for Your PCB With all the possible wireless communication protocols available for use in a mobile device, it can be difficult to keep them straight. Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) and LTE-M are two low-bandwidth protocols that provide remote monitoring capabilities over several miles of distance. While the data rates are quite low in both protocols, these protocols are excellent choices for lightweight embedded systems, such as small sensor arrays, industrial or Read Article

Single-Ended Switching Versus Differential Signaling

Single-Ended Signal vs Differential Transmission Just about every place you look these days when you talk about high-speed PCB design, the signaling required for a product is, by default, differential signaling. But, differential signaling was not always at the forefront of product development. The original method of moving data was single-ended signaling. And, in some instances, it is still in use today. This article will describe the differences between single-ended vs differential Read Article

With so many possible noise sources, it can be difficult to tell them apart.

Is it Simultaneous Switching Noise or Crosstalk? How can you distinguish simultaneous switching noise and crosstalk? Take a look at the difference between these two signal integrity problems in this article. Read Article

Simulating Impedance Matching Network S-Parameters

Impedance Matching Network S-Parameters Simulation Here’s how you can calculate the S-parameters for your antenna impedance matching network in Altium Designer. Read Article

Parameter sweeps are an important part of designing an antenna impedance matching network.

Antenna Impedance Matching Network Circuit Simulation in Altium Designer Need to simulate an antenna impedance matching network? The SPICE tools in Altium Designer can help. Read Article

Analog Signal Bandwidth and its Relation to Power Integrity

Analog Signal Bandwidth and its Relation to Power Integrity Here’s how your analog signal bandwidth interacts with your PDN, and how it affects power integrity. Read Article

Antenna isolation in newer cell phones goes beyond simple shielding structures.

Designing for Antenna Isolation in Your Wireless System Antenna isolation is designed to prevent interference between antennas and ensure diversity in wireless systems. Read Article

Differential Crosstalk and Spacing Between Differential Pairs

Differential Pair Spacing and Crosstalk in PCB Design Differential crosstalk causing problems in your signals? Here’s how differential signals produce crosstalk and how you can ensure differential signal integrity. Read Article

PCB Debugging: Tips, Tools, and Tricks

PCB Debugging: Tips, Tools, and Tricks There are some basic testing and PCB debugging steps you should take when your new prototype has some functionality and signal integrity problems. Read Article

Switchback Routing vs. Serpentine Routing for Maximum Density

Switchback Routing vs. Serpentine Traces Routing for Maximum Density Choosing between switchback routing or serpentine routing means considering signal integrity and crosstalk in your board. Read Article

PCB Trace Inductance and Width: How Wide is Too Wide?

PCB Trace Inductance Calculation: How Wide is Too Wide? Here’s how you can size your traces correctly and ensure they have sufficiently low PCB trace inductance. Read Article

Integrated Electronics Manufacturing

Integrated Electronics Manufacturing and Design Collaboration Advanced devices require collaboration among multiple team members, both to ensure functionality and manufacturability. With embedded systems, this extends beyond a hardware team to include software developers. If you want your new product to be manufacturable at scale, then at some point, you will need to involve your manufacturer in the collaborative process. This is especially true with high speed digital devices and high speed analog devices Read Article

What you need to know about GaN and SiC Fets

What You Need to Know About GaN and SiC FETs New FETs on the block. What you need to know about high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). Read Article

Enterprise IoT Challenges for PCB Designers in 2020

Enterprise IoT Challenges for PCB Designers in 2020 Enterprise IoT became one of the biggest tech buzzwords in 2019, with many analysts promising improvements in business efficiencies and profits simply by connecting everything in the office. As time goes on, real problems that can be solved by connecting business assets start to become clear, and practical opportunities for innovation and problem solving can be identified. I would argue we’re starting to move away from the 1990s-equivalent age of Read Article

Revisiting Vertical Connection Structures-VECS Part 2

Revisiting Vertical Connection Structures-VECS Part 2 It’s been about one year since I posted a BLOG about the new VeCS Technology (vertical connection structures) invented by Joan Tourné. Since then, Joan has written four papers detailing much more information about his invention. This is a quick update, in case you have not seen or read those papers. He has two more coming up in January 2020, and March 2020 in PCB007. Vertical Conductive Structures-Rethinking Sequential Lamination [1] NEXTGIN Read Article

Noise Margin Analysis Part 2

Noise Margin Analysis Part 2 Part 1 of this article addressed the three elements that comprise a design rule set, noise sources and their impact on a system’s overall operation including Vcc, and ground bounce and ground and Vcc offsets. Also described, was what needs to happen when current leads are so high that it’s not possible to put enough copper in the power path. This second part addresses further noise sources and their impacts, including ground and Vcc drops in IC Read Article

Noise Margin Analysis Part 1

Noise Margin Analysis Part 1 In a previous article, I described the various aspects of noise margins, their sources and why it is necessary to sum up all the noise margins for every logic component utilized in a given design. This two-part article addresses why noise margin analysis is a critical element within the design rule creation process, and how that analysis is incorporated into the final design rule set. Part 1 addresses the three elements comprising a design rule Read Article