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]

Designing the Signal Return Path

When designing a PCB, the signal routing and its return are critical to the circuit working properly. Great care is usually given to routing the signals, but often the return portion is the last... [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]

PCB Design of Power Distribution and Decoupling

Power distribution in PCBs is the foundation around which all things work in the circuit. If this is not designed correctly, the entire circuit is at risk from noise and signal integrity issues, to... [more]