Signal Integrity: PCB and Interconnect test
Proper design of PCB traces, vias, connectors and cables is essential to ensure Signal Integrity on the transmission channel. Performance is typically characterized by insertion loss and return loss as well as near-end crosstalk (NEXT) and far-end crosstalk (FEXT). Giving insights to a potential EMI or EMS coupling path, mode conversion like e.g. differential to common mode conversion is often specified and needs to be tested. Frequency domain parameters are also transformed into the time domain to view discontinuities and impedance over the signal structure as well as signal rise/fall time, intra-pair and inter-pair skew. Also eye diagrams and eye mask tests are often performed based on the measured S-parameters.
To avoid a cumbersome TRM / TRL calibration with multiple standards, deembedding is required to accurately characterize lead-ins and lead-outs to the DUT (device under test). With this, the lead-ins and lead-outs are removed from the measurement and accurate measurements of the DUT can be done. The characterized lead-in also can be used for deembedding this signal path in an oscilloscope measurement.
With expertise in both the time and frequency domain and by working closely with the corresponding standardization bodies, Rohde & Schwarz provides a wide range of Signal Integrity solutions to test PCBs and interconnects and to characterize lead-ins for use in oscilloscopes to deembed from the measurement results.
