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82 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2021 Semi-additive PCB fabrication is getting a lot of attention as fabricators install new pro- cesses that enable them to provide much finer features than traditional subtractive etch pro- cesses. is is opening new opportunities and tools for PCB designers to solve today's com- plex electronics challenges. ese packaging and interconnect solutions can reduce size and weight by 90% over traditional processing techniques in the U.S. and bring significant sig- nal integrity benefits. As with any new technol- ogy, there are many questions: How to apply this new capability to the design, what are the signal integrity considerations, and who has the capability to supply these fine features? is column kicks off a series of interviews with veteran PCB designer who share their thoughts, opinions, and questions as they navi- gate this new frontier. I recently sat down with Cherie Litson, MIT CID/CID+, president of Litson1 Consulting and an instructor at Ever- ett Community College, to understand her perspective on this new fabrication capability. Tara Dunn: Cherie, you are a well-known designer and instructor in the industry, but for those who have not had the opportunity to meet you, could you please start with a quick introduction? Cherie Litson: My background is broad and deep: it has been an amazing opportunity to work with so many companies, notably Micro- so—where I helped create their design data- base for the Surface and, earlier, the first wire- less mouse. e first hand-held ultrasound from SonoSite was another passion project. Passing on what I have learned from others led me to become a Master Instructor for the IPC Designer Certification program. I learn more every time I teach. As a member of the Averatek Community of Interest, I encourage everyone in the industry to share their experi- ences with this new technology so we can all learn and optimize the benefits of new devel- opments. Pin-Out Challenge: Rethink the Solution PCB Talk by Tara Dunn, AVERATEK Figure 1: Cherie Litson is an instructor at Everett Community College.