Fundamental EMI source mechanisms leading to common-mode radiation from printed circuit boards with attached cables are presented in this paper. Two primary EMI source mechanisms have been identified: one associated with a differential-mode voltage and another associated with a differential-mode current, both of which result in a common-mode current on an attached cable. These mechanisms can he used to relate printed circuit layout geometries to EMI sources. The two mechanisms are demonstrated through numerical and experimental results, and an example from a production printed-circuit design is presented.

/pdf/investigation-of-fundamental-emi-source-mechanisms-driving-2v86hmhn28.pdf

Investigation of fundamental EMI source mechanisms driving common-mode radiation from printed circuit boards with attached cables

Mitigating power distribution network (PDN) noise is one of the main efforts for power integrity (PI) design in high-speed or mixed-signal circuits. Possible solutions, which are based on decoupling or isolation concept, for suppressing PDN noise on package or printed circuit board (PCB) levels are reviewed in this paper. Keeping the PDN impedance very low in a wide frequency range, except at dc, by employing a shunt capacitors, which can be in-chip, package, or PCB levels, is the first priority way for PI design. The decoupling techniques including the planes structure, surface-mounted technology decoupling capacitors, and embedded capacitors will be discussed. The isolation approach that keeps part of the PDN at high impedance is another way to reduce the PDN noise propagation. Besides the typical isolation approaches such as the etched slots and filter, the new isolation concept using electromagnetic bandgap structures will also be discussed.

Overview of Power Integrity Solutions on Package and PCB: Decoupling and EBG Isolation

We describe Delta-I noise caused by power plane resonances in multilayer boards. First, we study the effect of power plane resonances on the ground bounce of the system by performing finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. We simulate the voltage fluctuations at one point of the printed circuit board (PCB) due to a current surge between the power planes in a different point. Next, two methods to prevent this ground bounce effect are investigated. The first method consists of adding lumped capacitances to the design. The effect of one large capacitor is compared to the effect of adding a "wall" of smaller capacitors. A second approach is to isolate the chips by etching a slot around the sensitive integrated circuits (ICs) and connecting both sides by a small inductor. Both methods provide excellent protection against power plane resonances.

Study of the ground bounce caused by power plane resonances

This paper reviews the fundamentals and latest progress of modeling, analysis, and design technologies for signal integrity and electromagnetic compatibility on PCB and package in the past decades. Most results in this field are based on the very rich and highly educational literature produced by Prof. C. Paul in his long scientific career. The inclusion of parameters variability effects is also considered, and it is demonstrated how statistical simulations can become affordable by means of recently-introduced stochastic methods. Finally, the necessity of practical training of designers is mentioned, and an experience relying on realistic PCB demonstrators is illustrated.

Overview of Signal Integrity and EMC Design Technologies on PCB: Fundamentals and Latest Progress

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) from slots and apertures resulting from coupling of interior sources through enclosure cavity modes in a rectangular test enclosure is reported. EMI from a specially designed test enclosure with slots or apertures excited by interior sources was studied experimentally and with finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) modeling. The measurements and FDTD modeling agree well. The results indicate that radiation at cavity mode resonances through slots and apertures of nonresonant dimensions can be as significant as the radiation at aperture or slot resonances. The agreement between the FDTD modeling and measurements demonstrates the usefulness of FDTD for investigating aspects of shielding enclosure design such as coupling to slots and apertures and slot interactions.

/pdf/emi-from-cavity-modes-of-shielding-enclosures-fdtd-modeling-5gdn8lmwo3.pdf

EMI from cavity modes of shielding enclosures-FDTD modeling and measurements

Guidelines for the selection and placement of decoupling capacitors that work well for one-sided or two-sided printed circuit boards are not appropriate for multilayer boards with power and ground planes. Boards without internal planes take advantage of the power bus inductance to help decouple components at the higher frequencies. An effective decoupling strategy for multilayer boards must account for the low inductance and relatively high capacitance of the power bus. >

/pdf/power-bus-decoupling-on-multilayer-printed-circuit-boards-3kb3ajl1mz.pdf

Power bus decoupling on multilayer printed circuit boards

Parasitic inductance in printed circuit board (PCB) geometries can detrimentally impact the electromagnetic interference (EMI) performance and signal integrity of high-speed digital designs. This paper identifies and quantifies the parameters that affect the inductance of some typical PCB geometries. Closed-form expressions are provided for estimating the inductances of simple trace and ground plane configurations.

/pdf/quantifying-emi-resulting-from-finite-impedance-reference-3u7dderqdd.pdf

Quantifying EMI resulting from finite-impedance reference planes

Radiation from cables attached to printed circuit boards and shielding enclosures is among the primary concerns in meeting FCC Class A and B limits. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method can be employed to model radiation from printed circuit boards and shielding enclosures with complex geometries, but difficulties in modeling wires and cables of arbitrary radii are encountered. Modeling the wire by setting the axial component of the electric field to zero in the FDTD method results in an effective wire radius that is determined by the mesh discretization. Neglecting the wire radius in applications, such as electromagnetic interference (EMI) or printed circuit board modeling, may result in gross errors because near-field quantities are typically sensitive to wire thickness. Taflove et al. (1988) have developed a subcellular FDTD algorithm for modeling wires that has been shown to work well for plane wave scattering. The method uses a quasistatic field approximation to model wires with a well defined radius independent of the mesh dimensions. The wire model is reviewed and investigated for application to common-mode radiation from cables attached to printed circuit boards, where the source is often a noise voltage at the connector. Also investigated is energy coupling to attached cables through enclosure apertures resulting in common-mode radiation from the cable. The input impedance for a center-fed dipole antenna, as well as a monopole connected to a conducting half-sheet, is computed with FDTD methods and compared to moment method input impedance results. A simulation of a shielding enclosure with an attached cable demonstrates the utility of FDTD analysis in modeling common-mode radiation.

/pdf/fdtd-modeling-of-common-mode-radiation-from-cables-3t8f55aynf.pdf

FDTD modeling of common-mode radiation from cables

Stacked-card and modules-on-backplane printed circuit-board geometries are advantageous for conserving real-estate in many designs. Unfortunately, at high frequencies, electromagnetic magnetic interference (EMI) resulting from the nonnegligible impedance of the signal return at the connector may occur. This effective EMI coupling path results in the daughtercard being driven against the motherboard and attached cables, resulting in common-mode radiation. The connector geometry can be modified to minimize the EMI coupling path when high frequencies are routed between the motherboard and daughtercard. Current speeds and printed circuit board (PCB) sizes result in geometries that are of significant dimensions in terms of a wavelength at the upper frequency end of the signal spectrum. The PCB geometries are then of sufficient electrical extent to be effective EMI antennas. The resonant lengths of the EMI antennas may, however, be quite removed from the typical half-wavelength dipole resonances. The finite difference time-domain method can be used to numerically analyze the printed circuit board geometries, determine antenna resonances, and investigate EMI coupling paths. EMI resulting from the stacked-card configuration has been investigated experimentally and numerically to ascertain the EMI coupling path at the bus connector, and EMI antennas.

D.M. Hockanson

Papers

Investigation of fundamental EMI source mechanisms driving common-mode radiation from printed circuit boards with attached cables

Power bus decoupling on multilayer printed circuit boards

Quantifying EMI resulting from finite-impedance reference planes

FDTD modeling of common-mode radiation from cables

FDTD and experimental investigation of EMI from stacked-card PCB configurations