Does a Differential Pair Need a Return Plane?

A differential pair is any two transmission lines. When each transmission line has a return plane, its pretty clear how the differential impedance is related to the geometry. But what if there is no... [more]

IoT PC Board Design and Layout

Circuit boards for the IoT world (Internet of Things) are often driven by the need for low power dissipation, low cost (which drives very low layer count), moderate to high-density and mixed-signal... [more]

Feeding the Beast: Consumption-Based PCB Design

A step-by-step guideline for determining the PCB design requirements based on device energy consumption requirements. Wave cycle times and transmission line capacity form the basis of this... [more]

The Butterfly Effect in PCB Design: Optimization of High-speed Lines for an FMC Carrier Board

When signals start to get affected by the physical characteristics of the PCB, things start to get a little tricky. A simple point-to-point connection won’t be enough to keep the integrity of the... [more]