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30 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2023 e path of electromagnetic energy in multi- layer PCBs is generally guided by a signal trace bounded by the plane(s). However, as the demand for high-density, high-performance microwave (µWave), and millimeter wave (mmWave) circuits increases in the latest wire- less technologies, the electromagnetic fields require more stringent control as they tend to radiate more—particularly on microstrip (surface) layers. us, as we enter the realm of µWave (3-30 GHz) and mmWave (30-300 GHz), designers are compelled to implement waveguide techniques, used traditionally in RF design, to reduce radiation loss. At these ultra-high frequencies, the behavior of elec- tromagnetic waves and their interaction with circuit components is significantly different from what is observed at lower frequencies. It requires specialized circuit design techniques and the use of components that are tailored to the specific requirements of RF circuits. One of the most fundamental steps in the process of gaining proficiency in high-speed digital, and RF design (encompassing µWave/ mmWave) is learning to think in the frequency domain. For most of us, the vast majority of our early experience with electrical circuits and signals remains within the context of voltages and currents that are either static or dynamic with respect to time. An RF circuit is a special type of analog cir- cuit operating at very high frequencies suit- able for wireless transmission. One prominent feature of an RF circuit is the use of inductive Containing Electromagnetic Fields in Wireless PCB Design Beyond Design Feature Column by Barry Olney, IN-CIRCUIT DESIGN PTY LTD / AUSTRALIA