Due to high-frequency interconnect losses, a higher data rate will lead to higher ISI. This is an undesired event as the previous symbols have a similar effect as noise, affecting the reliability of the communication. Intersymbol interference (ISI) is a type of signal distortion in which one symbol interferes with consecutive symbols. These data rates have been nearing the Gigabit-per-second regime, leading to tighter timing budgets. Data rates are increasing, pushing more bits per unit of time through a single interconnect link/channel. In the constantly evolving computing field, the shift from parallel to high-speed serial data transmission is giving rise to new PCB design challenges. Instrumentation to measure signal integrity When it comes to high-speed boards, designers need to pay attention to both analog and digital aspects of the signal. While signal integrity is not a critical issue at lower frequencies, at higher frequencies (in the range of 2-10 GHz) it plays a vital role. It is the measure of the quality of the signal (signal degradation) that passes through a transmission line from a driver to a receiver.

Signal integrity indicates the signal’s ability to propagate along PCB traces without distortion. In this article, we will show you how S-parameters help in signal integrity analysis, the instruments we use for measurement, and different S-parameters for multiport networks. This is where S-parameters come into play, as circuit characteristics can be analyzed to deal with the transmission and reflection of signals for any device. RLC Resonant Frequency and Impedance Calculatorĭesigning a PCB with an operating frequency higher than a few GHz becomes challenging as it is difficult to measure the voltage, current, or impedance directly.Bandwidth Rise Time and Critical Length Calculator.Transmission Line Reflection Calculator.

Trace Width and Current Capacity Calculator.

Vector network analyzer