Steve, With the big "V" is nothing wrong, provided that one obtains the required impedance target at all frequencies of interest. In this case the number of caps will be driven by inductance only. Then following will be true: > Take the same qty of capacitors using decade spacing, and just > substitute the larger value for all of them and the impedance plot is still > very well behaved, and the phase doesn't go all over creation. This might be a good approach for large multilayer boards, but - as a RF-guy - I have my doubts about this as the most optimal way. To me it seems that the "staggered tuning" is a better approach (however not necessarely in a 1:10:100: ..... ratio). Combined with low-Q values for the capacitors to iron out the peaks, the result will be quite flat and I think less caps are needed to reach the impedance target. A simple example: (see the figures in the plot I sent you): To obatin 100 milliOhm impedance at 1GHz you will need aprox 10 pcs of 100nF in parallel (ESL = 0.6nH) regards, Bart Yageo Europe Bart, I don't know why people fear that big "V". Capacitors by the decade are something that I oppose. I have seen people, including respected consultants mess up capacitors by the decade and blow impedance targets by a factor of 3:1 or more. In the meantime, no parts were saved. There is nothing wrong with an impedance lower than target, and the capacitor count is driven by the requisite inductance to meet the HF intercept. Take the same qty of capacitors using decade spacing, and just substitute the larger value for all of them and the impedance plot is still very well behaved, and the phase doesn't go all over creation. The only argument that anyone could ever try and make for smaller value capacitors that makes any sense to me is the higher ESR of the small values, provided it is high enough to get close to Ztarget that will help damp anti resonance with the planes. In that case, I can see clear to two values of ceramic caps properly chosen, but not by the decade. But, I have yet to see any author who advocates multiple values of MLCCs advocate on the basis of bringing up the ESR. It has always been based on this folklore surrounding some perceived need for a flat impedance curve, that many then blow due to antiresonance. Regards, Steve. At 10:34 AM 2/13/2004 +0100, Bart Bouma wrote: > > Zhangkun, I am curious, why do you use capacitors as small as 1nF? Do you > > use capacitors spaced by decades, ie: 1uF 100nF, 10nF, 1nF? If so, why > > not just use 100nF in an 0603 package? They have the same inductance as > > any other value in that package, and with just one value they will not > have > > an antiresonant peak. > >Steve, >you're right. There will be no parallel resonances in that case. >But impedance will not be a 'flat' line over frequency. There will be one >deep dip at the part's resonance frequency which typically will be 20 MHz. > >Using 1nF, 10nF etc. is not a bad idea: it results in a low impedance over >a broad frequency range, with dips at regular intervals. >This is a wellknown method that is used by many people I believe. >By using low-Q parts, the resonance peaks can be controlled. >The 1nF parts are most likely not the best wrt to low ESR values, so are a >good choice I think. >More problematic are e.g. the 100nF 0603 parts, they have a large number >of electrodes and hence a low ESR-figure. >See attached plot: showing three curves for 1nF, 10nF and 100nF 0603 parts. >(sorry si-listers: attachment will be filtered out). > >best regards, Bart >Yageo Europe > >Re [SI-LIST] Re Stack up for .gif > > > > >steve weir <weirsp@xxxxxxxxxx> > >13-02-04 02:59 >Sent by: si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > >Please respond to weirsp > > To: zhang_kun@xxxxxxxxxx >si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > cc: > Subject: [SI-LIST] Re: Stack up for EMI reduction,plane > resonance and u-str ip radiation etc etc > Category: > > > >Zhangkun, I am curious, why do you use capacitors as small as 1nF? Do you >use capacitors spaced by decades, ie: 1uF 100nF, 10nF, 1nF? If so, why >not just use 100nF in an 0603 package? They have the same inductance as >any other value in that package, and with just one value they will not have >an antiresonant peak. > >Steve. >At 09:42 AM 2/13/2004 +0800, Zhangkun wrote: > >Dear all: > > > >I have reviewed the mails in this thread. The following is my points. > > > >a)From my view, I am caring about the EMI of PCB. Very small common mode > >noise will give rise to critical EMI problem. In my experience, the common > >mode noise is proportional to the impedance of power delivery systems. > >This has been verified by measurement and simualtion. > > > >b)I have done some measurement. No matter have many caps are placed on the > >boards, the impedance of PDS beyond 200MHz will not get better. It should > >be clarified that now I do not use cap less than 1000pF. When the caps > >less than 1000pF is used, there will be a lot of antiresonance. This is > >also verified by simualtion and measurement. > > > >c)I have not studied the interaction between signal in trace and noise in > >plane. However, I have treated one case, in which the noise in plane > >seriously affect the signal in trace. After we eliminate the noise in > >plane, the signal become very good. > > > >Best Regards > > > >Zhangkun > >2004.2.13 > >------------------------------------------------------------------ > >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 technical documents are available at: > > http://www.si-list.org > > > >List archives are viewable at: > > //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list > >or at our remote archives: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list/messages > >Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: > > http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu > > >------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information contained in this communication is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and others authorized to receive it. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance of the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. YAGEO Corporation is neither liable for the proper nor the complete transmission of the information contained in this communication nor for any delay in its receipt. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 technical documents are available at: http://www.si-list.org List archives are viewable at: //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list or at our remote archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list/messages Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu