High speed planar electrical data transmission structure modelling using VHDL-AMS with Skew and EMI management

Abstract

Signal integrity constraints in modern high speed data communication protocols are be- coming increasingly stringent. Consumers are demanding faster, more powerful systems with lower power requirements that require faster internal data transfers over longer distances. These two statements are not mutually compatible because as fre- quency increases there are increased losses and increased abberations to the data signal from a variety of sources. It, therefore, becomes increasingly difficult to guarantee a receiver will be able to recover the signal. Large system level time domain simulations have been possible for a while, however, the inclusion of an efficient, compatible and accurate time domain transmission line model that responds to the signal in real time has not as yet been possible. Additionally, as the frequency increases, any difference in transmission time between each compo- nent of a differential signal will also increase linearly as the period decreases. This signal skew has not as yet presented a problem to signal integrity or loss. However, as the frequency increases there will be increased signal skew which increases mode conversion so less of the signal will be available for recovery using existing skew com- pensation methodologies. Mode conversion is the process where the energy in a signal is converted from one mode to another, with a variety of possible causes. The primary cause of mode conversion in this research is signal skew, which causes a potential gra- dient between the traces forming a differential pair. This allows energy to be coupled and transferred between the copper traces, causing signal asymmetries. This thesis examines high speed planar copper data transmission structures through the use of time and frequency domain modelling. Models for physical loss, reflection and signal skew are created in the time domain using the hardware description language VHDL-AMS while physical loss, reflection, mode conversion and losses to electro- magnetic radiation are modelled in the frequency domain using Agilent's Genesys®. There are three main contributions presented in this thesis. The first of which is a signal dependent time domain methodology of calculating skin depths and dielectric conductances in high speed planar data transmission structures.

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