Lee, When talking about stitching vias I'm not always talking about complete plane stitching with via patterns. The rule of thumb is just about creating at least one GND return path for a signal transition, and I don't think that anyone of us needs proof that changing signal layers without a GND return path is big trouble. Thus there must be a GND via somewhere when signals switch Layers and reference planes. You are correct in regards to via pattern stitching. There is no general proof that these are always necessary, or even beneficial. Usually there are many GND vias in each design, and if they are not too far away from the signal via then there is a decent GND return and you don't need any additional vias. If the GND vias are well distributed (which is the case in 90% of the Designs), then you usually don't need to stitch the complete plane using via patterns. But that’s also just a rule of thumb. My two cents here are: The question wasn't specific enough to create a single complete answer. The best answer then is to give guidance and provide some insights that allow engineers to think into the right direction. That’s what we all did. BR Gert ---------------------------------------- Absender ist HARTING Electronics GmbH, Marienwerderstraße 3, D-32339 Espelkamp; Registergericht: Amtsgericht Bad Oeynhausen; Register-Nr.: HRB 8808; Vertretungsberechtigte Geschäftsführer: Dipl.-Kfm. Edgar-Peter Düning, Dipl.-Ing. Torsten Ratzmann, Dipl.-Wirtschaftsing. Ralf Martin Klein -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: Lee [mailto:leeritchey@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] Gesendet: Donnerstag, 16. Oktober 2014 19:16 An: scott@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Yishan.Li@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: Havermann, Gert; aaditya.kandibanda@xxxxxxxxx; si-list Betreff: Re: [SI-LIST] Re: AW: Ground vias around signal via This discussion seems to be terribly theoretical. We all know that there are thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of assemblies shipped every day with differential signals as high as 28 Gb/S on them that work just fine without the need to put in "ground vias" nearby. What comes to my mind when I read discussions such as this is that old Burger King commercial where Clara Peller asks "where's the beef?" For all of the postulated problems mentioned in these discussions, "where's the proof?" We do too much speculating on this forum and not enough proving! My position on this whole thing as well as many others that appear on this discussion group is, if you are going to put forth a rule, be prepared to offer the proof that the rule is valid as well as where it is valid. If you are not prepared to do this, it is a disservice to those who are asking for advice to make such a posting. -----Original Message----- From: Scott McMorrow Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2014 3:29 AM To: Yishan.Li@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: Gert.Havermann@xxxxxxxxxxx ; aaditya.kandibanda@xxxxxxxxx ; si-list Subject: [SI-LIST] Re: AW: Ground vias around signal via Gert has good advice about the distance of the ground via to the signal via, but I would like to modify it a bit. A well-referenced set of ground planes will have ground stitch vias that are separated by no more than 1/10 the wavelength of the Nyquist frequency of the highest differential bit rate, or the bandwidth of the signal edge rate of the fastest single ended driver. So for some numbers in the English system. Let Dk = 4 Tdelay = 170 ps/inch For DDR3/4 with 100 ps driver edge rates BW = .35/100ps = 3.5 GHz lambda = 285 ps 1/10 lambda = 28.5 ps In Dk = 4 ground vias should be separated by a maximum of 167 mil to maintain a good return path for these singled-ended DDR signals. For 10 Gbps Nyquist is 5 GHz lambda = 200 ps 1/10 lambda = 20 ps117 In Dk = 4 ground vias should be separated by a maximum of 117 mil for 10 Gbps signalling to maintain a good return path. For 28 Gbps Nyquist is 14 GHz lambda is 71 ps 1/10 lambda is 7.1 ps In Dk = 4 ground vias should be separated by a maximum of 42 mil for 28 Gbps signalling. These recommendations apply to the region in proximity of the signal transition vias. They serve to tie the ground cavities together, provide shielding for the power/ground cavities, eliminate resonances in the signal passband and first harmonic, and reduce via-to-via crosstalk. If the signal transition is at the balls of a semiconductor device, or in the pin field of a connector, there are "usually" enough ground vias in these regions to meet these requirements. If that is the case, then no additional grounds are required. But, there are often cases that we encounter at Teraspeed Consulting where these rules are violated. Here are some common areas to look at. Via transitions around dc blocking capacitors. Boards with outer layer buildup microvias, where drilled vias do not carry the package or connector grounds down through the board. Areas with asymmetric stripline crossing power splits on the distant plane side of the stripline (the stripline is close to ground.) In all these regions it is necessary to close the return path loop with ground vias as described above. Use the above as a guide to current and future designs. best regards, Scott Scott McMorrow Teraspeed® Consulting - A Division of Samtec 16 Stormy Brook Rd Falmouth, ME 04105 (401) 284-1827 Business http://www.teraspeed.com On Thu, Oct 16, 2014 at 3:39 AM, LI Yishan <Yishan.Li@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hi, Aaditya: > According to 3D simulation, ground vias around signal via deeply > effect high frequency impedance. If your signal is low speed signal, > it seems the ground vias are not necessary. > > Best regards > Li Yishan > -----Original Message----- > From: si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] > On Behalf Of Havermann, Gert > Sent: 2014å¹´10月16æ—¥ 14:59 > To: aaditya.kandibanda@xxxxxxxxx; si-list > Subject: [SI-LIST] AW: Ground vias around signal via > > Aaditya: My opinion is, if we have a proper return path, they are not > necessary. > > -> As Wolfgang said, GND vias are needed for proper return path > -> because > without any GND via there will be no proper return path. You don't > have to put multiple of those around the signal via. with proper > placement one is enough even for very high speeds. > > Aaditya: Any situations they are useful other than shielding? > > -> Placing many stitching vias doesn't necessarily provide any shielding. > That’s an old Myth. Take a look at waveguide filters. The placement > of screws into the dielectric (air) looks and functions very similar > to a PCB where the energy also travels in the dielectric. Stitching > vias can act as a filter, meaning that some frequencies are not > shielded but guided to the outside. > > Aaditya: How will they help? When do we need them? > > -> As already said, use GND vias to provide a proper GND return. as a > -> rule > of thumb there should be a return via within the range of 1/8 > wavelength > (Nyquist) to the signal via. > > BR > Gert > > > ---------------------------------------- > Absender ist HARTING Electronics GmbH, Marienwerderstraße 3, D-32339 > Espelkamp; Registergericht: Amtsgericht Bad Oeynhausen; Register-Nr.: > HRB 8808; Vertretungsberechtigte Geschäftsführer: Dipl.-Kfm. > Edgar-Peter Düning, Dipl.-Ing. Torsten Ratzmann, > Dipl.-Wirtschaftsing. Ralf Martin Klein > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > Von: si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] > Im Auftrag von Aaditya K > Gesendet: Mittwoch, 15. Oktober 2014 19:42 > An: si-list > Betreff: [SI-LIST] Ground vias around signal via > > Hello Experts, > I have a question on ground vias placement around signal via. > > My opinion is, if we have a proper return path, they are not necessary. > Am I correct? > > Any situations they are useful other than shielding? > > How will they help? When do we need them? > > Please help. > > Thanks > Aaditya > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > To unsubscribe from si-list: > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field > > or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: > //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list > > For help: > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field > > > List forum is accessible at: > http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list > > List archives are viewable at: > //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list > > Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: > http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > To unsubscribe from si-list: > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field > > or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: > //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list > > For help: > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field > > > List forum is accessible at: > http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list > > List archives are viewable at: > //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list > > Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: > http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > To unsubscribe from si-list: > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field > > or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: > //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list > > For help: > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field > > > List forum is accessible at: > http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list > > List archives are viewable at: > //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list > > Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: > http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from si-list: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list For help: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field List forum is accessible at: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list List archives are viewable at: //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu ----- No virus found in this message. 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