Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -1

MYTHS

Differential Impedance
…finally made simple
Eric Bogatin
President
Bogatin Enterprises
www.BogatinEnterprises.com
913-393-1305
[email protected]

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -2

MYTHS Overview

• What’s impedance
• Differential Impedance: a simple perspective
• Coupled Transmission line formalism
• Measuring differential impedance
• Emulating effects of a split in return path
• Calculating differential impedance

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -3

First Order Model of a Transmission Line

MYTHS
(Loss Less Model)

∆x

L L L L L L C = CL ∆x capacitance
L = LL ∆x inductance
C C C C C C

(loop)
(unbalanced transmission line)

The circuit analysis result:

LL
Z0 = TD = LtotalC total υ= 1
CL LLC L

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -4

MYTHS “…be the signal”

courtesy ICE

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -5

0th Order Model of Transmission

MYTHS
Line

∆x CL= Capacitance per length [pF/in]

Vin C C C C C C C C C

C = C L ∆x
∆Q = CV,
∆x
every ∆t = v

vCL ∆ x V
I = ∆∆Qt =
I, V definition of
Transmission Line: ∆x = vCLV
What’s the impedance?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -6

Instantaneous Impedance of a
MYTHS
Transmission Line
I = v C LV

Z = V = vCV = 1
I LV
vCL
1
Z0= vC
L

Features of the impedance:

• looks like a resistor
• dependant on intrinsic properties only
• is an intrinsic property
• independent of length
• defined as the "characteristic impedance" = Z0
• also called the “surge impedance” or “wave impedance”

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -7

Characteristic Impedance and

MYTHS
Capacitance per Length
What happens to the
capacitance per length? The
increase h characteristic impedance?

w = 10 mils

h = 5 mils

50 Ohm PCB cross section

What happens to the
capacitance per length? The
increase w characteristic impedance?

1
Z0 ~
CL

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -8

MYTHS What Does it Mean to Have a 50 Ohm Line?

coax
ggggg 50 Ohm
lon
Verrrry

Ω
What will Ohm-meter read?

For the first second? After 3 seconds? After 10 sec?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -9

MYTHS An important Distinction

• THE impedance of the transmission line (may be time

dependent)

• The instantaneous impedance of the transmission line

• The Characteristic impedance of the transmission line

Just referring to “…the impedance” may be a bit ambiguous

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -10

MYTHS Return Path in T Lines

Current into signal line

TD = 1 sec

Where is the return path?

For DC currents:

For RF currents? When does current come out return path?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -11

Current Flow in the

MYTHS
Transmission Line
signal

L L L L L L
C C C C C C
It’s a propagating wave.

What happens initially if the end is open?, shorted?, terminated?

To control impedance, manage the return

path as carefully as the signal path
 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -12

The Growing Importance of

MYTHS
Differential Pair Use
Early Applications for Differential Pairs
MECL I 1962
MECL II 1966
MECL III 1968
MECL 10k 1979
MECL 10kH 1981

ANSI/TIA/EIA-644-1995 is the generic physical layer standard for LVDS. It

was approved in November of 1995, and first published in March of 1996.
Example: high speed serial transmission

à IEEE1394
TI 1.8 Gbps LVDS TRX à IEEE488
à Gigabit Ethernet

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -13

What’s a Differential Pair

MYTHS
Transmission Line?

???

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -14

What’s a Differential Pair

MYTHS
Transmission Line?

Answer: …..any two, coupled transmission lines (with their return paths).

1
2

A special case: a symmetric pair

What’s differential impedance?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -15

Differentially Driving a
MYTHS
Differential Pair
1 Difference signal
à0v
V = 1và à1v
V = 0à

2
1

What is the difference signal?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -16

MYTHS The Difference Signal

Difference signal
à0v
V = 1và à1v
V = 0à

+1 Difference voltage = 2v : -1v à +1v

-1
What is the impedance the difference signal sees?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -17

MYTHS Differential Impedance

Differential Impedance: the impedance the difference signal sees

V (diff ) 2V
Z (diff ) = = ≈ 2(Z0 − small )
Ione I one
Differential impedance decreases as coupling increases
C12

+1v -1v
Ione x Itwo C11 C22

How will the capacitance matrix elements be affected by spacing?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -18

MYTHS Capacitance Matrix Elements

C12
4
Capacitance per Length (pF/in)

C11
3

C11 C22
2

C21
+1v S +1v 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Edge to Edge Separation (mils)

What happens to the differential

impedance as S gets smaller?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -19

How to Terminate the

MYTHS
Difference Signal?
Difference signal
à0v
V = 1và à1v
V = 0à

V (diff ) 2V
Z (diff ) = = ≈ 2(Z0 − small )
Ione I one Terminate with a
resistor to match
Ω,
If there is no coupling, and each line is 50Ω impedance of the
what resistor terminates the differential pair? difference signal

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -20

Formalism:
MYTHS
Mode Pattern for Identical Traces
Hyperlynx simulation

+1v -1v +1v +1v

Iodd x Ievenx

Mode: odd, or 1, or a Mode: even, or 2, or b

Corresponds to differential driven Corresponds to common driven

What is Iodd compared to Ieven?

How do they vary with spacing?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -21

MYTHS Odd and Even Mode Impedance

V V Hyperlynx simulation
Zodd = Zeven =
Iodd Ieven

+1v -1v +1v +1v

Iodd x Ievenx

Mode: odd, or 1, or a Mode: even, or 2, or b

Odd mode current increases as Even mode current decreases

traces are brought together as traces are brought together

Odd mode impedance Even mode impedance

decreases increases

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -22

Differential Impedance and

MYTHS
Odd Mode Impedance
Difference signal
à0v
V = 1và à1v
V = 0à

V (diff ) 2V
Z (diff ) = = = 2 x Zodd
Ione Ione

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -23

MYTHS The Characteristic Impedance Matrix

I1 I2
x x

V1 V2

Define a Characteristic Impedance Matrix

V1 = Z11I1 + Z12I 2
How is Z12 influenced by coupling?
Is Z12 large or small?
V2 = Z 22I 2 + Z 21I1
Characteristic Impedance Matrix [ohms]:
1 2
1 49.6 6.4
2 6.4 49.6 Hyperlynx simulation

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -24

Definition of Odd and Even Mode

MYTHS
Impedance
(Special case: symmetric)
I1 I2
x x

V1 V2

Vodd =
1
(V1 − V2 ) Zodd =
Vodd
2 I1 Veven =0
Define:
Veven
Veven = (V1 + V2 )
1 Zeven =
2 I1 Vodd =0

What is the voltage when Veven = 0? When Vodd = 0?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -25

Odd and Even Mode

MYTHS
Impedance
V1 = Z11I1 + Z12I 2

V2 = Z 22I 2 + Z21I1
1
Odd Mode: I1 = −I 2 Vodd = (V − V ) = (Z11 − Z12 )I1
2 1 2
Zodd = (Z11 − Z12 )
Odd mode impedance is reduced with coupling

1
Even Mode: I1 = I 2 Veven = (V + V2 ) = (Z11 + Z12 )I1
2 1
Zeven = Z11 + Z12
Even mode impedance is increased with coupling

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -26

MYTHS Mode Impedances

Odd mode impedance is the impedance of one line Zodd = (Z11 − Z12 )
when the pair is driven differentially

V (diff ) 2V
Differential impedance: Z (diff ) = = = 2(Zodd ) = 2(Z11 − Z12 )
I I

Even mode impedance is the impedance of Zeven = Z11 + Z12

one line when the pair is driven commonly

Common impedance: Zcommon = Zeven = Z11 + Z12

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -27

MYTHS Summary So Far

• A differential pair is any two transmission lines

• Special case: symmetric lines

• Differential driving has symmetric, opposite signal on each line

• Differential impedance is the impedance the difference signal sees

• With no coupling, current into one line depends on capacitance per length of
the line

• With coupling, current into one line depends on how the other line is driven

• The impedance of one line will depend on how the other line is driven

The differential impedance will be twice the impedance of

one line when the pair is driven differentially

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -28

MYTHS

How can differential impedance be

measured?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -29

MYTHS TDR Equipment

HP 83480A TDR: Time Domain Reflection

TDT: Time Domain Transmission
Digital Communications Analyzer DTDR: Differential Time Domain Reflection
(mainframe) DTDT: Differential Time Domain Transmission

HP 83484A
HP 54754A 2 Channel 50 GHz Module
Differential TDR Module Two independent voltage channels
Two independent TDR channels
- simultaneous TDR/TDT
- simultaneous differential TDR

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -30

MYTHS Conventional Single Channel TDR

TDR: 400 mV output, unloaded

Ω output impedance
50Ω TDR response
Vmeasured
(DUT) --400mV
Device
Under
Test
--300mV
w=h
--200mV
Ω
50Ω w = 2h
cable
w = 8h --100mV
50 mV/div
3 different line width microstrips,
500 psec/div
each 9 inches long --0mv

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -31

Converting Reflected Voltage

MYTHS
into Impedance
Voltage scale
Vreflected 1− ρ
ρ= ZDUT = 50Ω
Vincident 1+ ρ

Impedance scale
Ω−
70Ω
Ω−
60Ω
Ω−
50Ω
Plotting Ω−
40Ω
impedance 30ΩΩ−
directly Ω/div
10Ω
Ω−
20Ω 500 psec/div

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -32

Two Channel Differential TDR:

MYTHS
Differential or Common Driven
Driving differential signal 400mV--
Channel 1
200mV--

0mV--
open
-200mV--
Channel 2
-400mV--
open
200 psec/div

Driving common signal 400mV--

200mV--
Channel 1
open 0mV--
Channel 2

-200mV--
open
-400mV--

200 psec/div

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -33

Measuring Odd and Even Impedance of

MYTHS
Tightly Coupled Lines
Measured Impedance of one trace,
trace as the other is driven:
Odd mode impedance: differentially driven pair
Even mode impedance: commonly driven pair

For identical lines: 500 psec/div

Z11 = ½ (Zeven + Zodd) Replace this with a good one
Ω
Z12 = ½ (Zeven – Zodd) 60Ω
Ω
55Ω Zeven
Ω
50Ω Common driven
Not driven
Extracted Ω
45Ω Differentially driven
Characteristic Zodd
Ω
40Ω
impedance matrix

48.5 3.5
3.5 48.5

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -34

Direct Measurement of
MYTHS
Differential Impedance
Zdiff = Zodd1 + Zodd2

Ω
105Ω
Ω
100Ω
Differential
impedance Ω
95Ω
Ω
50Ω Line 1 Zodd
Ω
90Ω
Ω
45Ω Line 2 Zodd
Ω
40Ω

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -35

Measuring Differential Impedance

MYTHS
of Low Impedance Traces

Ω
-100Ω
Differential Ω
- 80Ω
impedance
Ω
- 60Ω
Ω−
50Ω Ω
- 40Ω
Ω−
40Ω
Zodd
Ω−
30Ω
Ω−
20Ω

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -36

Full Characterization of a Differentially

MYTHS
Driven, Differential Pair

TDR1 V1
V2
TDR2

V1
100mV/div
V2 Vdiff
200mV/div

SMA 2Vcomm

50mV/div Ω cable
50Ω TDR2
TDR1

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -37

Full Characterization of a Single End

MYTHS
Driven, Differential Pair

TDR1 V1
FEXT
NEXT

Odd mode has

V1 shorter TD than
even mode
100mV/div
FEXT
Vdiff
200mV/div 2Vcomm
SMA
Ω cable
50Ω NEXT
50mV/div
TDR1

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -38

Differential Pair Over Split in

MYTHS
the Return Path

1 inch

What will be the behavior when:

à single end driven
à differentially driven?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -39

Full Characterization of a Single End

MYTHS Driven, Differential Pair
Over a Split in the Return Path

V1
100mV/div
FEXT
Vdiff
200mV/div 2Vcomm
SMA

50mV/div Ω cable
50Ω NEXT
TDR1
return current

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -40

Full Characterization of a Differentially

MYTHS Driven, Differential Pair
Over a Split in the Return Path

V1
100mV/div
V2 Vdiff
200mV/div

SMA 2Vcomm

50mV/div Ω cable
50Ω TDR2
TDR1

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -41

MYTHS Measured Impedances

Ω−
140Ω Differential
Ω−
120Ω impedance

Ω−
100Ω

Ω−
70Ω
Zodd
Ω−
50Ω
Ω−
30Ω

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -42

Impedance as the Dielectric

MYTHS
Thickness Increases
Ansoft Maxwell 2D Extractor

200 Z11
Characteristic Impedance (Ohms)

180
160
140 Zdiff
Z21 Zdiff ~ 140 Ohms with the
120
100
80
bottom plane as the return path,
60 when far away
40
20
0 (when Z21 is a large fraction of Z11,
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 coupling dominates, differential
Dielectric Thickness (mils)
impedance approaches single
Ansoft Maxwell 2D Extractor ended impedance)

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -43

What Are the Return Currents

MYTHS
When Driven Differentially?

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -44

Return Currents in
MYTHS
Differential Pairs

Most return current is carried by the plane when

trace to plane coupling >> trace to trace coupling

Ex: most board level interconnects

Most return current is carried by the other trace

when trace to plane coupling << trace to trace
coupling

Ex: most connectors, shielded twisted pair, twisted

pair

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

 Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -45

First Order Approximations to

MYTHS
Differential Impedance: Microstrip
  s  s
Zdiff = 2Z0  1 − 0.48 exp − 0.96   h
  h 
National Semiconductor model
Apnote 905
110

100 2(Z11-Z21)
90
80
Symbols are extracted with field solver
Impedance (Ohms)

70 Line is National model

60

50 Z11
40

30
20

10
0 Z21
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Edge to Edge Separation (mils)

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -46

First Order Approximations to

MYTHS
Differential Impedance: Stripline
  s 
Zdiff = 2Z0  1 − 0.347 exp − 2.9  
s
b
  b 
National Semiconductor model
Apnote 905

110
100 2(Z11-Z21)
90
80 Symbols are extracted with field solver
Impedance (Ohms)

70 Line is National model

60
50 Z11
40
30
20
10
0 Z21
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Note, accurate only for Z0
Edge to Edge Separation (mils)
values near 50 Ohms!

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -47

MYTHS Impact from Width of the Line

b = 15 mils s
s = 5 mils b
Sweeping w

110

National 100
90
Semi
80
model
Impedance (Ohms)

70
60
50
40 Zdiff
30
20 Z11
10
0 Z12
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Line Wdith (mils)

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -48

Shielded Twin Leads,

MYTHS
Changing Shield Size
r1 = 10 mils Single ended impedance = 120Ω
Ω
r2 = 25 mils
filled with air ε=4
Pitch = 50 mils
300
280
260 Zcom
240
Z11
220
Impedance (Ohms)

200
Radius of shield, r3 180
160
140
Z21
120
100 Zdif
80
60
40
20
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Radius of Shield (mils)
differential impedance approaches single
ended impedance when rs > 3 x pitch Ansoft Maxwell 2D Extractor

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -49

MYTHS Summary

• The impedance of one line in a differential pair depends on how the other is
being driven:
ü Measure odd impedance by driving differentially
ü Measure even impedance by driving in common
ü Requires Differential TDR (DTDR)
• Characteristic impedance matrix elements can be extracted from odd and
even impedances
• A gap in the return path causes huge increase in cross talk in single ended
lines due to high mutual inductance
• If you must cross a split plane, better to use a diff pair
ü Some increase in differential impedance
ü Very little distortion of differential signal
ü Very little common voltage created
• Full characterization of differential pairs is possible with DTDR and dual
channel amplifier module

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com

Training for Signal Integrity and Interconnect Design Slide -50

MYTHS

For more information on resources

and references, visit our web site:

www.BogatinEnterprises.com

 Eric Bogatin 2000 www.BogatinEnterprises.com