Abstract

The Impact of PCB Laminate Weave on the Electrical Performance of Differential Signaling at Multi-Gigabit Data Rates

Authors:
Scott McMorrow, Director of Engineering, Teraspeed Consulting Group
Chris Heard, Hardware System Architect, Amphenol TCS

Variation in performance for laminates will be characterized and compared to provide a framework for the worst-case understanding of material influences on differential pair signaling. Measurements of PCB laminate weaves will be made showing the variation of Er, loss tangent, and delay of traces in commonly used stackup configurations for various material types, including FR-406 and Nelco 4000-13SI. These comparisons will be used to show designers the hidden impact of substrate material choices on design parameters such as Er, loss, impedance control, and skew.