The following is a sample outline for our seminars. Often, the seminars are customized to the interests of those who attend. This is particularly true when a seminar is given on site.

• Overview
• course objectives
• daily overviews


• Time, Frequency and Space
• wavelength, speed of propagation and frequency
• rise time and frequency spectrum
• discussion of the influence of harmonics on different phenomena including waveforms, crosstalk and radiation


• Electromagnetic (EM) Fields
• from Maxwell's equations to transmission line equations
• static, electric, and magnetic fields
• TEM including quasi-stationary and full wave approach
• numerical methods of solving differential equations (FDM and FEM)
• numerical methods of solving integral equations including: charge simulation technique, multipole expansion, method of images, and boundary element method (BEM)


• Circuit Representation of EM Fields
• unit parameters, from EM field to circuits
• influence of trace width, thickness, and spacing on microstrip and stripline unit parameters (LRCG)
• equivalent circuit and cut-off frequency for the model
• tangent delta and dielectric loss


• Current Distribution
• skin effect
• proximity effect
• frequency-dependent inductance and resistance
• eddy currents


• Interconnect Attenuation
• lossy (single conductor) transmission line, propagation constant, attenuation and phase shift
• introduction of S-parameters
• the role of plating
• the role of floating conductors


• Input Impedance and Characteristic Impedance
• from input impedance to characteristic impedance
• role of the characteristic impedance
• link between Zopen, Zshort and characteristic impedance
• frequency dependence of characteristic impedance
• odd/even and differential impedance


• Reflections
• reflection coefficients
• techniques of loading transmission lines (R, diode, RC, C ...)
• role of discontinuities including corners and vias
• role of branching
• stub length effect

• Time Delay in RC Networks
• RC interconnect theory (AWE)
• RC models of transmission lines
• Elmor delay calculation
• definition of parameters and sensitivity
• impact of tolerances, statistical models
• the role of inductance


• Time Delay in LC Networks
• single conductor transmission line theory
• speed of propagation and the solution of the wave equation
• relationship between time delay and phase-shift
• frequency dependence of attenuation and propagation delay
• transmission line models
• time domain reflectometry (TDR)
• definition of parameters


• Forward Crosstalk
• multiconductor lossless transmission line theory
• LC matrices and their transformations (circuit definition)
• propagation modes and visualization of crosstalk
• approximate formulae and justification for crosstalk parameters
• modal and ladder transmission line models
• definition of parameters
• examples of forward crosstalk analysis


• Backward Crosstalk
• impedance and admittance matrices
• infinitely long transmission line models
• approximate formulae, which formulae to use when, and justification for crosstalk parameters
• definition of parameters
• examples of backward crosstalk analysis


• Ground Bounce
• LRCG matrices, role of losses in the return path
• cylindrical waves between planes
• TLM, FDTD or distributed network analysis
• decoupling capacitor (the role of polarity - where the optimal cap is connected)
• definition of parameters
• sensitivity
• the role of floating conductors


• Conclusions
• technical requirements
• participant questions
• future directions

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