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Signal Integrity

Browse our library of resources to learn more about pcb design and signal integrity.

What is Signal Integrity? xSignals in Altium Designer Signal Integrity Stimulus Design Rules Basics of Signal Integrity Analysis

Integrated circuit CMOS load capacitance

How Load Capacitance on a Transmission Line Affects Your Signals If you ever read about transmission lines and integrated circuit datasheets, there is this seemingly mysterious quantity called load capacitance. This value depends on the geometry of the component lead connected to the transmission line, as well as the substrate material and distance to the reference plane on the integrated circuit die. When working with transmission lines, the load capacitance of a component has some important effects on signal Read Article

Microwave Cavity Resonator Emissions in Your PCB Layout

Microwave Cavity Resonator Emissions in Your PCB Layout Even digital designers need to worry about cavity resonant emission in PCBs. Here’s how your circuit board can act like a microwave cavity resonator. Read Article

transmission line transfer function ABCD parameters S parameters

Transmission Line Transfer Function from ABCD and S-parameters High frequency and data rate channels can be routed as a mode-selective transmission line. Here’s when you should consider this routing technique. Read Article

ABCD parameters vs S-parameters

The Advantages of ABCD Parameters for Analyzing Your PCB SI (Signal integrity) engineers always talk about S-parameters, but an alternative tool for circuit design and analysis is ABCD parameters. Read Article

Stripline vs microstrip impedance

Stripline vs. Microstrip Trace Width for Desired Impedance: Are They the Same? Stripline vs. microstrip width values are quite different; they can’t simply be interchanged. Let’s break down why and what you can expect from your PCBs. Read Article

Difference between data rate and bandwidth

Data Rate vs Bandwidth: What's the Difference? What is the difference between data rate vs bandwidth? This topic has been obfuscated for the last 30 years. Here’s how they relate. Read Article

What is impulse response function Fourier transform

What are Impulse Response Functions? You can get a transfer function from a simulation, but what is an impulse response function? Learn more in this article. Read Article

UTP cable differential pairs without ground

Differential Pairs Without Ground: Is it a Problem? Some designers tell you that differential pairs without ground are acceptable. So who’s correct? We’ll examine the pros and cons of a differential pair ground plane. Read Article

Through Thick And Thin — How Do You Get High Current Into a High Speed PCB?

Through Thick And Thin — How Do You Get High Current Into a High Speed PCB? The typical large currents in today’s high speed PCB designs require a different approach. This article will describe the stackup requirements associated with these very large current PCBs and how to design them so that they can be readily manufactured properly. Read Article

Bandwidth Requirements For Differential Signals

Bandwidth Requirements For Single-Ended vs. Differential Signals This article provides an overview of the benefits of differential signaling and how it operates in a working electronic product. Read Article

Modeling PCB Interconnects as Causal Systems

Modeling PCB Interconnects as Causal Systems Real PCB interconnects are causal systems and must be modeled with the correct time-dependent behavior. Read Article

The Benefits of High-Dk PCB Materials

The Benefits of High-Dk PCB Materials The terms “high-speed design” and “low-Dk PCB laminate” are often used in the same articles, and often in the same sentence. Low-Dk PCB materials have their place in high speed and high-frequency PCBs, but high-Dk PCB materials provide power integrity. Low-Dk PCBs are typically chosen as they tend to have lower loss tangent. Thus high-DK PCB materials tend to get overlooked for high speed and high-frequency PCBs. When we look at power integrity Read Article

Cellular internet of things design and devices

Using Cellular Modules for Internet of Things Devices and Design Cellular internet of things products are widely accessible and easy to design thanks to standard cellular modem modules and transceiver components. Read Article

Determining the Parasitic Inductance of a DC to DC Converter

Determining the Parasitic Inductance of a DC to DC Converter Unwanted parasitic inductance from capacitors and transformer leakage inductance in DC/DC converters cause power instability in digital systems. Here's how you can determine parasitic inductance in your power system. Read Article

The Basics of Signal Integrity Analysis in Your PCB

The Basics of Signal Integrity Analysis in Your PCB Read and learn the important steps in signal integrity analysis and how these steps reveal problems in your PCB layout. Read Article

Using Altium Designer for the Cellular Industrial IoT

Using Altium Designer for the Cellular Industrial IoT Industrial IoT can benefit hugely from cellular connectivity, and new cellular IoT hardware solutions are making it easy for innovators to build new products. Read Article

Oscilloscope Basics: A Beginner's Guide

Oscilloscope Basics: A Beginner's Guide Wondering how to use an oscilloscope? Read this guide from Mark Harris to learn more about some oscilloscope basics for new electronics engineers. Read Article