“Controlling E & M Fields on the PC Board”

When a time-varying (AC) current flows, an electric and a magnetic field are present!!! These fields, when not controlled, are the source of noise and EMI.  In recent years ICs with very fast rise time outputs have made problems common, even in circuits clocked at low frequencies.  A few basic board design concepts can go a very long way to help contain EM fields and control EMI.
This short course will cover the concept of ‘Ground’, the location of fields in the PC board, high and low frequency current flow, the source of Common Mode currents in a PC Board, effects of IC style & packaging, impact of connector pin out, routing to control noise and correct board stack-up.

BIO

Rick Hartley
L-3 Communications, Avionics Systems Inc.

Rick Hartley is a Senior Principal Engineer at L-3 Communication, Avionics Systems. He is also the principal of Hartley Enterprises, through which he consults and teaches internationally to resolve noise, signal integrity and EMI problems. Rick’s focus is on correct design of PC boards to prevent & solve problems. He has consulted with major corporations in the US, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, China, Japan, England, France, Spain and Germany. His design career has focused on circuits and PC boards for computers, aircraft avionics and telecommunications. Rick has a degree in engineering from Ohio Technical Institute and 45 years of experience in electronics. He has dedicated the past 35 years to PC board and circuit development with emphasis on control of noise, in both Digital and RF circuits. He is a past member of the Editorial Review Board of Printed Circuit Design Magazine and has written numerous technical papers on methods to control EMI and signal integrity. He is currently on the IPC Designers Council Executive Board and is Chairman of the IPC Design Committees. Rick is a past international chairman of the IPC Designers Council.