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FEBRUARY 2024 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 75 I had the notion 20 years ago that it would also be possible to create vertical resistors by drilling from one layer to another and filling the hole with a resistive material. e depth and diameter of the via would account for the number of squares and the resistive ink would be selected by the designer and the needs of the design. Once filled, copper would be plated over the top of the resistor material and a rel- atively small footprint resistor could be had. ey could potentially be quite useful for termi- nation resistors. (U.S. Patent No. 7049929B1) Inductors are the other final passive func- tion adapted for embedment into printed cir- cuits. Inductors are well understood and fol- low a few established rules. e features that define inductance can be readily produced by standard printed circuit processing. In gen- eral, inductance is determined by the length of the spiral and number of turns. e spac- ing between turns will control the resonant frequency of the inductor. In general, a wider spacing will typically reduce capacitance and raise the inductance frequency. In a multilayer board, a multiple-layer inductor can be pro- duced, increasing the number of turns without increasing the footprint. In conclusion, the concept of embedded design is claimed by more than one segment of the electronics industry, though I believe that embedded component design in PCB con- struction predates the more recent interpreta- tion of meaning. No matter, in the context of the application, the meaning should be clear to all. DESIGN007 Resources For those wishing to take a deeper dive into the subject matter, Vern Solberg, an industry veteran and IPC Hall of Fame Award recipient, provides better understanding with additional detail and graphics. Joe Fjelstad is founder and CEO of Verdant Electronics and an international authority and innovator in the field of electronic interconnection and packaging technologies with more than 185 patents issued or pending. To read past columns or contact Fjelstad, click here. Download your free copy of Fjelstad's book Flexible Circuit Technology, 4th Edition, and watch his in-depth workshop series "Flexible Circuit Technology." After its 72nd flight on January 18, 2024, NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter captured this color image showing the shadow of a rotor blade damaged dur- ing a rough landing. NASA's history-making Ingenu- ity Mars Helicopter has ended its mission at the Red Planet after surpassing expectations and making dozens more flights than planned. While the heli- copter remains upright and in communication with ground controllers, imagery of its Janu- ary 18 flight sent to Earth this week indicates one or more of its rotor blades sustained dam- age during landing and it is no longer capable of flight. Originally designed as a tech- nology demonstration to perform up to five experi- mental test flights over 30 days, the first aircraft on another world operated from the Martian surface for almost three years, performed 72 flights, and flew more than 14 times farther than planned while logging more than two hours of total flight time. "The historic journey of Inge- nuity, the first aircraft on another planet, has come to end," said NASA Administrator Bill Nel- son. "That remarkable helicop- ter flew higher and farther than we ever imagined and helped NASA do what we do best— make the impossible possible." (Source: NASA) After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends