30 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2022
the key to obtaining accurate predictions from
your solver.
Viewing the stack in Figure 2 as a schematic
view with fixed size layers for materials is ideal
from a planning perspective, but once the stack
is complete and pressed, a proportional view
makes it plain to see if you have added incor-
rect materials in error—in the blink of an eye.
Conclusion
I have used a small sample of the techniques
you need to deploy to ensure that a field solver
engine is fed with accurate data. Quality mate-
rial data from the supplier is also key in this
process, but the key takeaway is that, when
looking at the appropriate field solver for your
requirements, you must always remember that
all solvers are accurate; it is the pre-processing
of the data being fed to the solver which unlocks
its full potential. is is true for lossless lines
up to around 2GHz on through to ultra high-
speed lines where insertion loss needs serious
consideration too. You should also take care
that measurement data is validated, but that is
the topic of another article—already partially
covered in my April 2022 column in Design007
Magazine, "Using Touchstone Files to Build
Measurement Confidence."
DESIGN007
Martyn Gaudion is managing
director of Polar Instruments
Ltd. To read past columns,
click here.
Additional content from Polar:
• The Printed Circuit Designer's Guide to… Secrets
of High-Speed PCBs, Part 1 by Martyn Gaudion
• The Printed Circuit Designer's Guide to… Secrets
of High-Speed PCBs, Part 2 by Martyn Gaudion
• View other titles in our full I-007e book library
here
Figure 3: As a "sanity check" a proportional view lets you view real dimensions.
