Introduction from the Microwave Journal Editor

Signal integrity addresses the losses and types of signal degradation that can happen along the signal path (channel) between a transmitter and a receiver. Signal integrity is becoming more and more important as digital signal speeds and analog frequencies are rapidly increasing making circuits much more sensitive to any losses or variations in the path. This eBook provides information and instruction on making accurate signal integrity measurements with emphasis on the VNA as a tool.

The first article is about Signal Integrity tips and techniques using TDR, VNA, and modeling to understand the channel design. The next article covers time-domain analysis using Copper Mountain Technologies’ VNAs. It provides a nice review of the theory and methods of measurements in detail.

Those articles are followed by one about characterizing uncertainty in S-Parameter measurements so you can see what parameters affect the accuracy of your measurements and how to improve them. Then we have an article about using a VNA for power plane impedance analysis as power supplies have become a critical component in the design of high frequency and high-speed circuits.

Finally, we end with an article about the design of 1.35 mm precision coaxial connector that enables high-performance E-Band cable assemblies for accurate measurement of high frequency and high-speed signals showing the importance of the connection signal integrity.

We thank Copper Mountain Technologies for sponsoring this eBook so you can download and read it at no cost. Copper Mountain Technologies has a wide range of low cost, high-performance VNAs and have been working with many companies in the industry to come up with total measurement solutions for measuring materials, antennas, devices, and circuits.

Pat Hindle, Microwave Journal Editor