Advanced Printed Circuit Board Design for EMI and Signal Integrity



Overview

This course provides a unique blend of theory, applications, and numerous hardware demonstrations to describe effective PCB design strategies to eliminate EMC problems such as radiated emissions & immunity, and ESD, and to improve low and high frequency signal integrity of analog and digital sensors.

The real-time hardware demonstrations use a spectrum analyzer, oscilloscope and signal generators to illustrate inductance, common-impedance coupling, and ground loops in PCBs, cables, and systems. Specific examples of single-point, multi-point, “good”, and “bad” grounds will be discussed. We will also apply the course learning by discussing and examining actual SILENT client case histories as well as examples of integrated circuit application notes that give bad EMC design advice.

This two-day course provides a unique blend of theory, applications, and numerous hardware demonstrations to describe effective PCB design strategies to eliminate EMC problems such as radiated emissions & immunity, and ESD, and to improve low and high frequency signal integrity of analog and digital sensors.

The real-time hardware demonstrations use a spectrum analyzer, oscilloscope and signal generators to illustrate inductance, common-impedance coupling, and ground loops in PCBs, cables, and systems. Specific examples of single-point, multi-point, “good”, and “bad” grounds will be discussed. We will also apply the course learning by discussing and examining actual SILENT client case histories as well as examples of integrated circuit application notes.

This two-day course is Day 1 and Day 3 of a four-day programme:

At checkout, you may choose to add either or both of Day 2 and Day 4 to your enrolment.

Programme details

Day 1: Introduction

Section 1: Measuring and Inducing noise

  • The electrical noise model
  • Distinguishing the four noise paths by name, electrical driving function, necessary physical features, and impact of source to victim distance
  • Troubleshooting techniques based on the noise model
  • Far-field versus Near-field coupling + DEMONSTRATION
  • Practical antenna theory for radiated emissions and immunity + DEMONSTRATION
  • Problems inherent in predicting radiated emissions and radiated immunity test results
  • Conducted emissions—mode separation, LISNs, troubleshooting
  • Practical applications

Section 2: Understanding the Physics and Root Causes of Noise Problems

  • Capacitance—in ESD, PD boards, decoupling networks, filter networks, cables + DEMONSTRATION
  • Electrostatic discharge (ESD). IC and system ESD tests. Problems with test repeatability. Design techniques to improve PCB ESD immunity + DEMONSTRATION
  • Inductance—in PC boards, connectors, ICs, high speed signal paths, decoupling networks,
  • How to use connectors for improved signal quality, reduced emissions, & improved immunity
  • Behaviour of current paths at low and high frequencies + DEMONSTRATION

_____________________________________________________

Day 3: Advanced Printed Circuit Board Design for EMI & Signal Integrity

Section 1: PCB Noise Models

  • Review of the noise coupling model
  • Review of the four noise coupling paths
  • Emissions and immunity

Section 2: Capacitance, Inductance and Current Paths in PC Boards

  • Good and bad capacitance
  • Good and bad inductance
  • Current loops
  • Low versus high frequency current paths
  • Inductance and low versus high frequency current paths + DEMONSTRATION
  • “Ground plane” splits - appropriate and inappropriate uses
  • Connectors, cables, and I/O wires connected to the PCB

Section 3: Signals on PC Boards

  • Which signals are important?
  • What do they look like? + DEMONSTRATION
  • Transmission lines, characteristic impedance, terminations + SIMULATIONS
  • Harmonic content versus duty cycle + DEMONSTRATION

Section 4: Power Distribution

  • Functions of PCB “grounds”
  • Voice noise
  • Decoupling and filtering
  • Board layer stack-ups
  • Funny design ideas, current research, new design applications

Section 5: Design Techniques and Examples

  • Component placement
  • Signal routing + stackup
  • Examining vendor applications notes that give bad EMC advice for PCB design
  • Examining past SILENT PCB design review findings
  • Test and measurement equipment for this course is supplied by Rohde & Schwarz 

Attending Your Course 

Further details will be emailed to you two weeks ahead of your course, which will include registration information. 

Please get in touch if you have not received this information within five working days of the course start date.  

In the meantime, you may wish to plan your travel: Travel information

Digital Certification

To complete the course, you will be required to attend and participate in all of the sessions on the course in order to be considered for a certificate. Participants who complete the course will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course.

The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will also be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Days 1 and 3 (standard course fee) £995.00
Day 2 - Applying Practical EMI Design (optional) £495.00
Day 4 - Mechanical Design for EMC (optional) £495.00

Payment

Fees include course materials, tuition, refreshments and lunches. The price does not include accommodation.

All courses are VAT exempt.

Register immediately online 

Click the “book now” button on this webpage. Payment by credit or debit card is required.

Request an invoice

If you require an invoice for your company or personal records, please complete an online application form. The Course Administrator will then email you an invoice. Payment is accepted online, by credit/debit card, or by bank transfer. Please do not send card or bank details via email.

Tutor

Lee Hill

Speaker

SILENT Solutions LLC & GmbH, USA & Germany

Lee Hill is Founding Partner of  SILENT, an independent EMC and RF design firm established in 1992 that specializes in EMC and RF design, troubleshooting, and training. 

Lee received his MSEE from the Missouri University of Science & Technology EMC Laboratory, emclab.mst.edu.

He teaches a graduate course in EMC as a member of adjunct faculty at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and is also an EMC course instructor for Texas Instruments, the University of Oxford (England) and the IEEE EMC Society’s Global University, which he currently chairs. He is a past EMC instructor for UC Berkeley, Agilent, and Hewlett Packard.

With over 30 years of EMC design and troubleshooting experience, Lee consults and teaches world-wide, and has presented courses in Taiwan, China, Poland, Singapore, Mexico, Norway, Canada, South Korea, France, Germany and United Kingdom. 

Lee is a past member of the IEEE EMC Society's Board of Directors (2004-2007).

Learning outcomes

After attending this course, you will be able to:

  • Place decoupling capacitors to obtain best performance for a given layer stackup, based on the latest university research
  • Explain the pros and cons of different PCB stackups, and know where to route and not to route high frequency noise sources
  • Control trace inductance for signal integrity and low noise design
  • Correctly identify the possible noise paths that can disrupt PCB operation and choose appropriate solutions
  • Explain the problems that split ground planes cause and how to use them correctly
  • Choose & place connectors and assign signals for lowest crosstalk, best signal integrity, and lowest EMI
  • How to identify mutual inductance and improve the effectiveness of filter capacitors
  • Identify good and bad design practices when viewing actual PCB layout screenshots

Application

If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying, please click Contact Us at the top of this page.

Accommodation

Although not included in the course fee, accommodation may be available at our on-site Rewley House Residential Centre. All bedrooms are en suite and decorated to a high standard, and come with tea- and coffee-making facilities, free Wi-Fi access and Freeview TV. Guests can take advantage of the excellent dining facilities and common room bar, where they may relax and network with others on the programme.

To check prices, availability and to book rooms please visit the Rewley House Residential Centre website. 

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support