PCB Signal Integrity LiveLessons (Video Training)

Video description

PCB Signal Integrity LiveLessons is a complete, detailed course on signal integrity for printed circuit board designers. There is no other media (including in person seminars) that provides so much material in such an easy-to-learn, convenient format.

Doug starts the course by introducing the basic electronic background information necessary for understanding the rest of the material. This includes his perspective on the historical evolution of signal integrity issues on PCBs. He then devotes the next six lessons on specific signal integrity topics, ranging from EMI and crosstalk to bypass capacitors, to the skin effect, their impact, and solutions to the problems they impose. Before concluding with some final thoughts, Doug adds a lesson on the relationship between trace currents and temperatures, and how to address very large current surges that might melt (fuse) a trace.

Skill Level

  • All Levels

What You Will Learn

  • The role of rise time in signal integrity issues.
  • The root cause of the various signal integrity issues.
  • The “problem” and impact of the various issues.
  • PCB design solutions to those signal integrity issues.
  • Problems to avoid in implementing the solutions.

Who Should Take This Course

  • Literally, anyone who designs printed circuit boards. The problems and solutions discussed in these lessons can apply to ALL circuit boards.
  • Although this material would not be required for people in related industries (e.g. board fabrication and board assembly), it would be beneficial for them to also understand these issues.

Course Requirements

  • Although there are no prerequisites to this course, it would be beneficial for the student to have a basic understanding of electronic circuits and of how circuit boards are designed and fabricated.

About the Author:

Douglas Brooks has an MS/EE from Stanford University and a PhD from the University of Washington. He has spent most of his career in the electronics industry in positions of engineering, marketing, general management, and as CEO of several companies. He has owned UltraCAD Design Inc. since 1992. He is the author of numerous articles in several disciplines, and has written articles and given seminars all over the world on Signal Integrity issues since founding UltraCAD. His first book, Printed Circuit Board Design and Signal Integrity Issues was published by Prentice Hall in 2003. That was followed by his second book, PCB Currents; How They Flow, How They React, in 2013, also published by Prentice Hall.

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Introduction to PCB Signal Integrity LiveLessons 00:07:13
  2. Lesson 1: Review Background Information
    1. Learning objectives 00:02:36
    2. 1.1 Gain Historical Perspective 00:08:46
    3. 1.2 Understand the Nature of Current 00:20:16
    4. 1.3 Understand Frequency, Rise Time, and Harmonics 00:14:49
    5. 1.4 Visualize Electromagnetic Fields 00:12:38
    6. 1.5 Deal with Propagation Speed and Time 00:11:28
    7. 1.6 Understand Impedance 00:20:42
  3. Lesson 2: Eliminate Reflections Using Controlled Impedance Traces
    1. Learning objectives 00:00:59
    2. 2.1 Understand Reflections 00:16:12
    3. 2.2 Implement the Transmission Line Solution 00:28:43
    4. 2.3 Avoid Controlled Impedance Routing Pitfalls 00:18:07
  4. Lesson 3: Minimize EMI and Crosstalk Coupling
    1. Learning objectives 00:01:12
    2. 3.1 Understand Coupling 00:33:02
    3. 3.2 Route for Minimum Coupling 00:17:31
  5. Lesson 4: Design Differential Traces
    1. Learning objectives 00:01:18
    2. 4.1 Compare Single-Ended, Differential, and Common Mode 00:17:09
    3. 4.2 Understand Differential Impedance 00:13:52
    4. 4.3 Avoid Differential PCB Design Pitfalls 00:19:42
  6. Lesson 5: Solve Power Distribution System (PDS) Problems
    1. Learning objectives 00:01:17
    2. 5.1 Understand PDS Problems 00:14:29
    3. 5.2 Compare Traditional and Impedance Solutions 00:25:53
  7. Lesson 6: Understand High Frequency Resistance Losses
    1. Learning objectives 00:01:09
    2. 6.1 Learn About Skin Effect 00:16:41
    3. 6.2 Learn More About Skin Effect 00:10:55
    4. 6.3 Learn About Dielectric Losses 00:06:31
    5. 6.4 Deal with Lossy Transmission Lines 00:11:11
  8. Lesson 7: Deal With Really Short Wavelengths
    1. Learning objectives 00:00:58
    2. 7.1 Learn Design Techniques when Wavelengths are Really Short 00:14:21
  9. Lesson 8: Control Trace Temperatures
    1. Learning objectives 00:01:13
    2. 8.1 Design Traces for Temperature 00:26:45
    3. 8.2 Design Traces for Melting Point 00:11:51
  10. Lesson 9: Final Thoughts
    1. Learning objectives 00:01:09
    2. Final Thoughts 00:18:42
  11. Summary
    1. Summary of PCB Signal Integrity LiveLessons 00:01:51

Product information

  • Title: PCB Signal Integrity LiveLessons (Video Training)
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: October 2013
  • Publisher(s): Pearson
  • ISBN: 0133548562