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RF / Microwave PC Board Design and Layout: Rick Hartley L-3 Avionics Systems
RF / Microwave PC Board Design and Layout: Rick Hartley L-3 Avionics Systems
Rick Hartley
L-3 Avionics Systems
richard.hartley@L-3com.com
PCB Designers –
RF Design Engineers –
8
RF / Microwave Design - Basics
10
RF / Microwave Design - Basics
11
) Signal Wavelength -
*Wavelength (λ) of a Signal is the Distance it
Travels in the Time of One Cycle.
) For a Signal Traveling in Free Space -
*λ = c (Speed of Light) / f (frequency).
(λ = 11.78”/nSec at 1GHz = 11.78”)
) Signal in a Higher ε r Dielectric -
*λ = c / f • 1 / ε r
16
RF / Microwave Design - Basics
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
) Waveguide-
*Uses Air as Trans-
misssion Medium
and Side Walls of Tube as Return Path.
*Won’t Support Energy Propagation Below
Cutoff Frequency.
*Works Best at Ultra High Frequencies with
Millimeter Wavelengths. 20
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
) Waveguide -
*With an Air Dielectric, Signals Propagate at
the Speed of Light.
*Very Low Loss due to Smooth Side Walls and
the Air Dielectric.
*Ultra Low Loss with High Density, Ultra
Smooth Coating on Walls.
*In Very High Power applications, Uses Solid
Dielectric to Prevent Voltage Arcing. 21
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
) Impedance (L/C)-
*Lower Er Materials Net Higher Impedance
Traces and Faster Propagation Times per given
Trace Width & Trace-to-Ground Separation.
*As Trace Width Increases, Trace Impedance
Decreases (Thickness has Min Effect).
*As Trace Spacing from Ground Increases,
Impedance Increases.
23
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Microstrip
25
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Microstrip
120π 4.0h 14.0 + 8.0 / ε r 4.0h
Z0 = ln 1.0 +
2.0 2.0π ε r + 1.0 w' 11.0 w'
14.0 + 8.0 / ε r 4.0h 1.0 + 1.0 / ε r 2
2 2
+ + π (Ω)
11.0 w' 2.0
where: w' = w + ∆w'
1 .0 + 1 .0 / ε r (Replace Er
∆w' = ∆w
2 .0
with Eeff)
∆ w 1 .0 4e
= ln
t π 1/ π
2
(t / h ) +
2
26
w / t + 1 .1
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Microstrip
60 8h w w
Z0 = • ln + if <1
ε eff w 4h h
otherwise
120π 1
Z0 = •
ε eff w w
+ 1.393 + 0.677 • ln + 1.444
h h
27
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Microstrip
ε + 1 ε r −1 1 w
2
w
ε eff = r + + 0.041 − if <1
2 2 12h h h
1 + w
otherwise
ε +1 ε −1 1
ε eff = r
+ r
2 2 12h
1 +
w 28
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Embedded Microstrip
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Centered Stripline
30
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Centered Stripline
4 . 0 (b − t ) 8 . 0 (b − t ) 8.0(b − t )
2
120π
Z0 = ln 1.0 + + + 6.27
2.0π ε r π w' π w' π w'
where: b = 2 .0 h + t
∆w
w' = w + t
t
∆w 1.0 e
= ln
t π 1
2
.25π
m
+
2.0(b − t ) / t + 1 w / t + 1.1 31
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Off-Center Stripline
33
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Coplanar Waveguide
Coplanar Waveguide
) Lower Loss Tangent than Microstrip (Signals
Couple Mostly through Air).
) Higher Skin Effect Losses (Fields Concentrate on
Edges of Trace and Grounds).
) May Need to Strap Grounds together on Either Side
of Trace, every 1/20th Wavelength.
) Only Need One Side of Board to be Accessible.
) No Plated Holes Needed,
) Can Narrow Trace to Match Component Leads. 35
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Coplanar Waveguide
) CPW Allows Variation of Trace Width, or
Spacing-to-Ground or Dielectric Thickness
to Control Zo.
) Zo of CPW Decreases as Dielectric Thick-
ness Increases.
) CPW Produces Smaller Trace per given Zo
than Microstrip. 36
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Coplanar Waveguide
30.0π K (kt ') πa
Z0 = • sinh t
ε eff ,t K (kt ) k1 = 4.0h
πb
ε eff − 1.0
sinh t
ε eff ,t = ε eff − 4.0h
(b − a ) / 2.0 • K (k ) + 1.0
0 .7 t K ' (k ) k1' = 1.0 − k12
ε r − 1.0 K (k ')K (k1)
ε eff = 1.0 + • 1.25t 4.0πa
2.0 K (k )K (k1') at = a + 1.0 + ln
π t
at a
kt = k=
bt b 1.25t 4.0πa
bt = b − 1.0 + ln
2
k ' = 1 .0 − k 2
π t 37
k t ' = 1 .0 − k t
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
120π 1 .0 k = a/b
Z0 = •
2.0 ε eff K (k ) +
K (k1)
K (k ') K (k1') k ' = 1 .0 − k 2
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Slotline
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Other Configurations
) 3 Line Coplanar Strip w & w/o Ground.
) Microstrip w/ Limited Width Plane
(and/or) Limited Width Dielectric.
) Metal Plate or Shield Covered CPW/CPWG.
) Metal Plate or Shield Covered Slotline.
) Offset CPW or CPWG.
) Etc, etc. - See Wadell or Gupta, Garg, ..... 46
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
Zo Calculations
) Use Equations Given or Wadell or Gupta.
) Use H.P. AppCAD (DOS and/or Windows).
) Use Rogers Corp. MWI (Dr R. Trout).
) Buy Field Solver (2D or 3D) Based Zo
Calculator (i.e.- POLAR Ltd.)
RF / Microwave Design -
Line Types and Impedance (Zo)
48
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
C= ε r x ε 0 x (A/h)
Where: ε r - DK of PCB Material
ε 0 - Permittivity of Space
(2.25 x 10-13 ferrads/in.)
A - Area of Plate (L x W)
h - Dielectric Thickness 50
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
) Interdigital Capacitor-
51
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
) Interdigital Capacitor
ε r + 1. 0
C2 = L[( N − 3.0 )A1 + A2] (pF / in)
w
2
t
A1 = 0.3349057 − 0.15287116
X
2
t
A2 = 0.50133101 − 0.22820444
X
) Multilayer Capacitor -
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
) Spiral Inductors -
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
56
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
57
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
58
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
59
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
63
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
66
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
67
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
68
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
69
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
) Directional Coupler -
Input Output
Strongest Weakest
Coupled Pulse Coupled Pulse 70
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
RF / Microwave Design -
Integral Components
) Resistors -
*Impractical when made from PCB Copper.
*Requires Extremely Long Lines to achieve
Resistance of a Few Ohms.
) One Exception -
*When Very Small ‘R’ is needed to Measure a
Very Large Current.
72
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
75
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
76
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
81
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
82
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
) Ground:
*‘Copper Pours’ Too Small to have Vias Must be
Removed (Can Act as Antenna).
*Arrange Poured Ground Around Signals to
Completely Surround Signals -
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
) Ground:
*By Maintaining Isolation Between Circuits, Do
Not Split Ground Plane.
*Attach Ground to Case Continuously.
*One Exception is Ground for Cable Shields.
88
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
Z 0 = Z s • Z load
= 50x68
= 3400
= 58.3Ω
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
90
Mismatched Source and Load Impedance 91
http://home3.netcarrier.com/~chan/EM/PROGRAMS/STUBMATCH/ 92
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
) Trace Corners -
93
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
) Trace Corners -
Others Considered Fair to Good
94
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
) ‘T’-Junctions:
Ideal is the Wilkinson Splitter-
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
) ‘T’-Junctions (Acceptable):
96
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
) Impedance of Vias-
REFERENCE
Wang, Taoyun, et al., “Quasi-static Analysis of a Microstrip Via Through a Hole in
a Ground Plane,” IEEE Transactions on Microstrip Theory and Techniques, Vol.
MTT-36, No. 6, June 1988, pp. 1007-1013. 97
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
98
RF / Microwave Design -
Layout Techniques and Strategies
RF / Microwave Design -
Power Bus
RF / Microwave Design -
Power Bus
RF / Microwave Design -
Power Bus
RF / Microwave Design -
Power Bus
106
RF / Microwave Design -
Board Stack-Up
RF / Microwave Design -
Board Stack-Up
RF / Microwave Design -
Board Stack-Up
RF / Microwave Design -
Skin Effect
66 SD - Skin Depth in mm
SD =
f f - Frequency in Hertz
113
RF / Microwave Design -
Skin Effect
2 R • 3dB
Atten(dB ) =
Zo LOADED
115
RF / Microwave Design -
Loss Tangent (tan(δ ))
116
RF / Microwave Design -
Loss Tangent (tan(δ ))
- Signal Attenuation -
118
RF / Microwave Design -
Shields and Shielding
RF / Microwave Design -
Shields and Shielding
) Shield Cost -
*Least Expensive is Off-the-Shelf.
*Next Lowest Cost is Photo Etched.
) Resolve Trouble Shooting / Repair Issues-
*Tabs Every 1/20th λ instead of Continuous
Connection to Ground on Circuit Board.
120
RF / Microwave Design -
Shields and Shielding
RF / Microwave Design -
Shields and Shielding
Example of Micro-
strip PC Board. 123
RF / Microwave Design -
Example PC Boards
Typical
Multi-
Layer
Micro-
wave PC
Board.
124
RF / Microwave Design -
Example PC Boards
RF / Microwave Design -
PC Board Materials
RF / Microwave Design -
Bibliography