Ken, As Eric Bogatin often says "depends". If the gap is there because there are two or more power rails in the same plane and the PDS design has been done correctly, there is no problem. Do it all the time. Most of the designs I am involved with would not be possible without this strategy. For example, 29 Vdd rails in a 22 layer PCB. -----Original Message----- From: Ken Wyatt Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2014 12:58 PM To: EMC-PSTC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; SI-List Subject: [SI-LIST] Blog: Gaps in return planes Hi All, I just posted the following - “Gaps in return planes - yes or no?” I present arguments from an EMC and SI viewpoint where I feel they can be bad news, but I’d be interested in cases or scenarios where gaps in return planes are OK or maybe even preferred. http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/the-emc-blog/4429950/Gaps-in-return-planes---yes-or-no- Your insightful thoughts are solicited… Cheers, Ken _______________________ Ken Wyatt Wyatt Technical Services LLC ken@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.emc-seminars.com Phone: (719) 310-5418 ------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4355 / Virus Database: 3882/7363 - Release Date: 04/18/14 ------------------------------------------------------------------ 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