Broadband Signal Integrity Characterization

of a High Speed Differential Backplane Pair

F. Zanella, A. Ciccomancini Scogna

CST of America Inc, 10 Laurel Avenue, Suite 300, Wellesley Hills (MA) 02481, USA,
antonio.ciccomancini@cst.com, fabrizio.zanella@cst.com

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Introduction
o Circuit boards in modern digital equipment contain
differential signals with frequencies of 2.5Gbs -10Gbs.
o These differential signals pass through packages, traces,
connectors, vias, backplanes.
o Full wave 3D simulation is required to accurately model
the channels at these frequencies.
o CST Microwave Studio, a Finite Integration Technique
solver, is used for all simulations presented.

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Outline
o Workflow process, physical parameters of backplane
differential pair.
o Numerical results of through via and backdrilled via
simulations, impact of common mode conversion.
o Effect of ground vias on signal transmission.
o Equivalent circuit MOR model.

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Design Flow Process

Export MWS file from

Cadence Allegro program

Load file in MWS

all solids are parameterized

Signal Integrity analysis

pre-route and post route
process

3D Full wave simulation

(equivalent circuit extraction)

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Physical Model
365 mils

1700 mils

o The backplane thickness is 198 mils, and the material used for all dielectrics is
Park Nelco N4000-13 with r=3.7 and tg=0.009 @ 2.5GHz.
o The signal connections between layers are made using through vias.
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Backplane Stackup

198 mils

Layer 3

16 layers; 8 stripline, 8 ground planes

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Differential Pair structure

Signal Vias

Simulated differential pair is located on layer 3

Signal Vias

Ground Vias

Ground Vias

Top view
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Top View of Differential Pair

Trace length = 1.41 inches

Ground Vias

Port 2

Port 1

Port 3

Port 4

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Backdrilled Signal Vias

Signal Vias

Common procedure used by board manufacturers to reduce reflections on

high speed channels
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Full Wave Simulations

o Through vias compared to backdrilled vias
o Time Domain simulations performed at 0-20GHz, to
capture all resonances
o Convert results to differential mode and common mode
S-parameters

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Differential S-parameters
Mixed mode scattering matrix if one is interested in the performance of
this structure at differential mode propagation

Sdd Sdc

Smm = MS3M 1 =
S
Scc
cd

1 1 0 0

1 0 0 1 1
M=
2 1 1 0 0

0
0
1
1

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Sdd11 Sdd12
Sdd =

S
S
dd21 dd22

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Differential Mode Results

Sdd21 through via vs. backdrilled via

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Differential Mode Results

Sdd11 through via vs. backdrilled via

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Eye Pattern evaluation

PRBS, Period=300ps
Through Vias

Bdrill Vias

Eye opening is improved on backdrilled via case

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Ground Via Effect

Ground vias removed

Study effect of ground vias near signal traces

Simulated through via case, with and without ground vias
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S21 with and without ground vias

Through Vias

Large resonances at 5.5, 6.5GHz with ground vias removed

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Electric field at 5GHz on differential pair

Including ground vias

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Ground vias removed

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Surface Current Distribution

Coupling mechanism between signal and ground vias

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MOR SPICE model extraction

o SPICE model created from S-parameter data

o Model Order Reduction technique required for this structure
o Behavioral VCVS model enables faster simulation in SPICE
o Accuracy of SPICE model vs. full wave S-parameters
provided

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SPICE Model Accuracy

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Summary & Conclusions (1/2)

o With this study it is shown how a numerical full wave simulation can
be helpful in the SI design process since it allows checking electrical
performances at different levels.
o The backdrilling technique on a differential backplane structure and
the effect of ground vias are both numerically studied.
o This last aspect is demonstrated to be a sensitive parameter when
dealing with high speed data transmission since a significant coupling
effect can be observed between signal/ground vias.
o The possibility to extract a SPICE compatible equivalent circuit offers
the advantage to store a library for different configuration types no
need to repeat full wave analysis when a similar structure is studied.

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Summary & Conclusions (2/2)

o The increasing complexity of the broadband S-parameters of
todays structures requires using specific techniques to extract
accurate equivalent circuit models since standard transmission line
theory doesnt take into account several details.
o The MOR technique built in the commercial tool MWS used for the
numerical simulation is demonstrated to be successfully applied for
this purpose.

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