High frequency PCB designs carry a unique set of challenges due to concentration of signal power in a narrow bandwidth. To design high frequency interconnects, designers must consider an entire interconnect, including its linearity and stability. This course focuses on an approach to designing high frequency interconnects, beginning with PCB design and leading into systems-level RF design.

Topics covered:

• transmission line design

• network parameter analysis including S-parameters

• interconnect characterization

• parasitics and their effects on signal integrity

• Advanced topics like waveguides and emitters

Design examples involving unique waveguide and cavity structures on high frequency PCBs will be presented. By the end of the course, attendees will have received conceptual guidance on interconnect design and analysis for any frequency range.

About the Speaker

Zachariah Peterson has an extensive technical background in academia and industry. He currently provides research, design, and marketing services to electronics companies. Prior to working in the PCB industry, he taught at Portland State University. He conducted his applied physics Ph.D. research on random laser theory and stability. His work has been published in over a dozen peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings, and he has written hundreds of technical blogs on PCB design for a number of companies. He currently works with other companies in the electronics industry providing design, research, and marketing services. He is a member of IEEE Photonics Society, IEEE Electronics Packaging Society, and the American Physical Society, and he currently serves as a member of the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA).