One of the most common applications of Internet of Things (IoT) devices is sensing, followed by transmission of raw data back to a base station or server for storage and further analysis. The most common of these sensing tasks seems to be environmental sensing, such as monitoring gas concentrations, temperature, humidity, etc. These devices are so ubiquitous that they … [Read more...]
Regulatory Lunch Break: Alphabet Soup
Over several decades, the FCC, the US Trade Representative, Department of Commerce (NIST) and the Industry (TCB Council, ACIL, Private Labs, including WLL) have been involved with opening up regulatory trade arrangements under the guise of “Mutual Recognition Arrangements” (MRAs). The purpose of MRAs is to even the playing ground for labs and their industrial clientele. In the … [Read more...]
Skip-Layer Routing for High Bandwidth Channels
As we have seen from discussions on chiplets and their routing standards in substrates, many of the routing techniques used in PCBs also apply in packaging. Microstrip and stripline structures can both be used in IC substrates, and the design approach is basically the same as in PCBs. This routing is fine for the majority of digital interfaces, but when we get to wideband … [Read more...]
Navigating Signal Integrity in Chiplet Designs
As the semiconductor industry embraces the chiplet design approach, electrical engineers are witnessing a significant shift in how performance, cost efficiency, and scalability are achieved. While this modular design philosophy offers advantages, it also introduces challenges to signal integrity (SI). For EMI/EMC engineers, the awareness of these signal integrity challenges is … [Read more...]
An Easy Way to Calculate a Microwave Wavelength in Inches
A colleague, Mike Stasiowski, and I came up with this quick GHz wavelength formula while designing quad ridge circular polarized jamming antennas for the military when working at Nurad. The textbook formula (wavelength = c/f) where: c = the speed of light 3.00×108 m/s, and f = frequency in Hz, was cumbersome at times to calculate, then convert, to inches for practical … [Read more...]
Shielding Design Flow Chart
The flow chart in Table 1 will assist the designer in selecting the appropriate shielding options necessary to meet their shielding and environmental requirements. The shielding requirement flow chart begins by identifying the type of NEMA or IP enclosure based on the intended environment (indoor/outdoor, military/commercial, marine or land/desert). Then, using the resulting … [Read more...]
EMI Basics and Board Level Shielding Design
Introduction In today’s world full of digital electronic devices, electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a major concern in both military and commercial marketplaces. Electrical equipment can become susceptible to these undesirable emissions and malfunction due to their presence. The simplest and most cost-effective method for reducing EMI is to first attack it at the board … [Read more...]
Guide to Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers: Applications
This is Part 4 in a series of articles which review the basics of conventional swept versus real-time spectrum analyzers and highlight some of the recent advances and instrument form-factors. Read Part 1, Guide to Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers: Types, here. Read Part 2, Guide to Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers: Definitions, here. Read Part 3, Guide to Real-Time Spectrum … [Read more...]
Guide to Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers: Advantages of Swept Versus Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers
This is Part 3 in a series of articles which review the basics of conventional swept versus real-time spectrum analyzers and highlight some of the recent advances and instrument form-factors. Read Part 1, Guide to Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers: Types, here. Read Part 2, Guide to Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers: Definitions, here. Swept spectrum analyzers are simpler and … [Read more...]
When Do You Need Low-Dk PCB Laminates?
Designers looking to build more advanced systems operating at higher data rates and bandwidths tend to rely on materials with low dielectric constant values, i.e., low-Dk materials. It has gotten to the point where every high-speed PCB design guide implies that high-speed and RF designs will not function without a low-Dk material like Rogers or Arlon. The reality is that … [Read more...]
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