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APRIL 2021 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 75 a secondary power source for components by smoothing over voltage drops. Use a bypass capacitor to help reduce flutter, or power fluctuations, which are usually the result of too many ICs pulling voltage simultaneously. Bypass capacitors are usually placed closer to ICs or components. Good Power Supply Design is a Core Practice No matter how solid the rest of your PCB design is, without good power supply design, your circuit will not reach the level of reliability you would probably like. You will need to pay attention to not only the physical layout of the power supply on the PCB, but the way voltage fluctuates, spikes, and drops across segments of your circuit. You will also need to watch for heat issues and electromagnetic interference, all of which are core issues that good power supply design is intended to mitigate. DESIGN007 Matt Stevenson is the VP of sales and marketing at Sunstone Circuits. To read past columns or contact Stevenson, click here. If your design uses a linear regulator to main- tain steady voltage and manage power quality, you may need to integrate a cooling method such as heat sinks or fans. However, the right regulator can reduce heat dissipation in a cir- cuit. Switched regulators, in particular, can be helpful for this since they dissipate less heat. Using Power Supply Problems to Diagnose Circuits Remember that the power supply can only control the quality of the voltage it provides. It has no control over the current being pulled by various components or loads. Luckily, this means that sometimes power supply issues can help you locate faults in your PCB design. For instance, voltage sags or interruptions can indicate a fault or short circuit somewhere in your design. Power spikes and unexpected voltage drops could indicate that certain components are drawing unpredictable amounts of power under certain loads. If you are seeing this behavior in your circuit, consider using decou- pling and bypass capacitors to mitigate voltage drops and maintain power quality. A decoupling capacitor reduces imped- ance between power and ground. It acts like SEMI, the industry association serving the global electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, applauded the inclusion of initiatives to strengthen U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and research and calls for investment in the Biden Administra- tion's American Jobs Plan. In addition to calling on Congress to invest $50 billion in semiconductor manufacturing and research, in line with the bipar- tisan CHIPS for America Act, the plan lists semicon- ductors as a field of focus in its call for an invest- ment of another $50 billion in the National Science Foundation (NSF). "Reversing the 50% decline in the U.S. share of semiconductor manufacturing capacity over the past 20 years requires bold action, and the Biden administration's support for significant funding to bolster the industry in its American Jobs Plan is an important step forward," said Ajit Manocha, SEMI president and CEO. "Funding the authorized CHIPS For America Act provisions and enacting an invest- ment tax credit to support investment in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain will make the United States a globally competitive location for new semi- conductor facilities. The plan's focus on addressing workforce development in the industry is encourag- ing as well, as the competition for talent is intensify- ing to support projected growth." (Source: SEMI) SEMI Applauds Initiatives to Bolster Semiconductor Manufacturing, Research in American Jobs Plan