High-Speed PCB Design and VNA Testing with Copper Mountain Tech | Sierra Circuits

Designing PCBs for frequencies beyond 10 GHz comes with challenges like signal reflections, crosstalk, EMI, and propagation delays, all of which can degrade signal fidelity and impact system performance. To overcome these, focus on selecting materials with low dielectric constant, low dissipation factor, and high thermal conductivity for better heat dissipation. Avoid placing adjacent signal layers in your stack-up and ensure signals are positioned near their reference planes. Consistent impedance is key-use termination resistors and stitching capacitors to minimize reflections and ringing.
For EMC, implement Faraday cages, via stitching, and ensure multiple return paths. Reduce crosstalk by spacing signals 3-5 times the trace width, adding guard traces, and avoiding parallel routing of sensitive signals. Address propagation delays by matching track lengths with meandering. To filter power supply noise, use low-inductance decoupling capacitors close to IC power pins.
Finally, follow DFM guidelines like maintaining 8-mil drill-to-copper clearance and proper solder mask web spacing to ensure seamless production of high-speed PCBs.
Webinar agenda:
• Common challenges in designing high-speed PCBs
• Choosing materials and designing efficient stack-ups
• Techniques to maintain signal and power integrity
• Best practices for designing RF PCB layouts
• DFM tips for high-speed boards
• VNA testing for high-speed circuits
• Time-domain vs. frequency-domain analysis with vector network analyzer
Meet the presenters:
► Brian Walker, Senior RF Engineer SME at Copper Mountain Technologies
Brian Walker is the Senior RF Engineer SME at Copper Mountain Technologies where he helps customers to resolve technical issues and works to develop new solutions for applications of VNAs in test and measurement. Previously, he was the Manager of RF design at Bird Electronics, where he managed a team of RF Designers and designed new and innovative products. Prior to that he worked for Motorola Component Products Group and was responsible for the design of ceramic comb-line filters for communications devices. Brian graduated from the University of New Mexico, has over 40 years of RF Design experience, and has authored 3 U.S. Patents.
► Amit Bahl, CRO at Sierra Circuits
Amit Bahl, widely recognized as the PCB Guy, currently serves as the Chief Revenue Officer at Sierra Circuits. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from UCLA in 1997, launching his career in Silicon Valley’s tech industry. In 2009, he assumed the role of Director of Sales and Marketing at Sierra Circuits, with a dedicated focus on democratizing design for manufacturing best practices and guidelines for PCB designers and engineers.
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