Abstract
Coupling between circuitry on printed circuit boards can be mitigated by a variety of well-known techniques. One such technique is to isolate circuitry in different areas of the printed circuit board by strategically placing a gap in the signal return plane. However, this technique is only effective at reducing common-impedance coupling, which is generally not a significant coupling mechanism at frequencies above 1 MHz. This paper investigates the effect of a gap located between and parallel to adjacent microstrip traces. The effect of the gap on the mutual inductance and mutual capacitance is evaluated. Laboratory measurements and numerical simulations show that gaps in the return plane are ineffective at reducing inductive and capacitive crosstalk in most configurations, and in some cases they increase the mutual coupling between printed circuit board traces.
Recommended Citation
T. H. Hubing et al., "Traces in Proximity to Gaps in Return Planes," IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Jan 2005.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1109/TEMC.2005.847405
Department(s)
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
Analog; Capacitance; Capacitive Crosstalk; Common-Impedance; Common-Impedance Coupling; Coupling; Digital; Electromagnetic Compatibility; Electromagnetic Coupling; Gapped; Ground Islands; Ground Plane; Inductance; Inductive Crosstalk; Isolation; Microstrip Traces; Moating; Mutual Capacitance; Mutual Inductance; Printed Circuit Board; Printed Circuit Boards; Printed Circuits; Signal Return Plane
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
0018-9375
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2005 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jan 2005
