TeddyChou@xxxxxxxxxx wrote: >I just learned about power distribution system design. So far, I have had some >experiences in ceramic cap modeling by VNA measurement. But I couldn't find >any materials or papers to talk about how to measure tantalum capacitors and >aluminium electrolytic capacitors. Does any SI expert know it? Thanks in >advance. > >Teddy Chou > > John Barnes just posted a most excellent bibliography of numerous papers and other resources related to PDN design. I'd recommend looking into any number of those listed publications. To answer your question more specifically, I'd recommend you visit Istvan Novak's web site and obtain copies of several of the papers he and some of his colleagues have written on the topic of decoupling capacitor measurement techniques over the past several years. Specifically, check out the following three papers: "Measuring MilliOhms and PicoHenrys in Power Distribution Networks" http://home.att.net/~istvan.novak/papers/dc2000_rev.pdf http://home.att.net/~istvan.novak/papers/dc2000_slides.pdf "Frequency-domain Power Distribution Measurements - An Overview" http://home.att.net/~inovak/papers/DC03-East_HP-TF1_SUN.PDF "Frequency Dependent Characterization of bulk and Ceramic Bypass Capacitors" http://home.att.net/~istvan.novak/papers/EPEP2003_cap_models.PDF http://home.att.net/~istvan.novak/papers/EPEP2003_cap_models_poster.PDF One of the key concepts that you'll take away from these articles is the problem of errors induced by cable-braid ground loops and the need for isolation transformers or isolation amplifiers when making low frequency ESR measurements on bulk capacitors. The isolation techniques he presents can reduce the errors induced by the ground loop effect that can mask the actual low value impedances you are trying to measure. Ray Anderson Senior Signal Integrity Staff Engineer Xilinx Inc. ------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 FAQ wiki page is located at: http://si-list.org/wiki/wiki.pl?Si-List_FAQ 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