Fundamentals of  Signal and Power Integrity

Instructor Dr. Cosmin Iorga

Class Description:

This introductory class uses a practical approach to build the intuitive analysis skills necessary to understand the most essential principles of signal and power integrity.  The topics presented include:

• High-speed versus low-speed signal propagation
• Transmission line concept
• Characteristic impedance
• Driver and load impedance
• Signal reflection
• Partial and multiple reflections
• TDR method to characterize transmission lines
• Power distribution
• Transient supply currents and loop inductance
• Decoupling capacitors
• Ground bounce

Each of these topics is analyzed first by building a strong intuitive understanding of the physical principles that describes it and second by developing the mathematical analysis skills needed by engineers and designers in their daily work.

What attendees will gain:

After completing this class, attendees are expected to be able to identify signal and power integrity problems, analyze them and find their root cause, and come up with efficient fixes to these problems.  Designers are also expected to identify potential signal and power integrity problems early in the design process and develop methods and guidelines to further avoid them.  At the end of the class attendees will have a clear view about what transmission lines are, what generates signal reflections, how to characterize or troubleshoot an interconnect path using the TDR method, what are the sources of power and ground bounces, how to lower the loop inductance in a power distribution network, and how to choose the right number, types, and values of decoupling capacitors.