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94 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2026 TA RG E T C O N D I T I O N S ignal integrity (SI) in PCB design has moved from a niche engineering concern to the de- fining factor in whether modern electronics succeed or fail. As data rates push beyond PAM4 (4-level 112G) gigabit territory and SerDes com- ponents exhibit edge speeds as fast as 50–100 picoseconds, PCBs behave less like collections of simple traces and more like complex electromag- netic systems. At these speeds, a trace is no longer just a con- nection between two points, but a transmission structure governed by field behavior, discontinui- ties, and propagation delay. Even small imperfec- tions in routing, stackup design, or return path management can lead to timing errors, signal distortion, electromagnetic interference, and, ulti- mately, system failure. The Founders of Signal Integrity I've compiled a list of contributors to the signal integrity evolution (see sidebar). It isn't meant to be comprehensive; it reflects my personal recollec- BY K E L LY DAC K , C I T C I D + , P I O N E E R C I RC U I TS , I N C. The Modern Masters of Signal Integrity and AI-driven Design