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]

Manufacturing by Design is the New DfM

Today’s SMT and PTH assembly processes are driven by component packaging technology and functional design requirements. These requirements are driving manufacturing/test toward “build right” and... [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]

Hair-Raising Footprint Horror Stories – and How to Avoid Them

When creating libraries, standards are crucial for maintaining consistency, accuracy, and reliability. Yet, even with rigid standards in place, mistakes inevitably creep into such a detail-oriented... [more]