PCB SI Introduction

At present, users need a tool that combines timing analysis and SI, and the interface should be optimized, the settings should be simple, and the Design KIT should be included. If ICX Tau can improve its performance like Quantum-SI, it will be welcomed by users. Since Mentor has the design front-end and back-end, the advantage of ICX + Tau is that other tools cannot replace it.
The timing problem is the key issue. At present, designers basically use the ready-made solutions of core chip manufacturers, so the main part of the design is how to ensure that the PCB can meet the timing requirements of the chip. At present, domestic users have basically not mastered the timing problem. A few SQ users will use Excel tables to compile timing requirements, and later manually fill in the parameters measured from SQ into Excel tables to calculate whether the final design meets the timing requirements. Both schematic designers and PCB wiring designers find it difficult to read the timing from the chip data sheet. The timing problem is mainly parallel interface problems.
Ordinary SI problems. That is, solving driving problems, numerical calculations of termination resistors or series damping resistors, PCB laminate structure and characteristic impedance calculations, and routing topology analysis. For common SI problems, Hyperlynx, SQ and ICX can solve them well. Domestic users have basically mastered how to deal with and analyze common SI problems. As far as tools are concerned, SQ, Hyperlynx or ICX can solve them well. In terms of performance, the advantage of SQ is that it is a PCB layout and routing tool itself, so it is suitable for actual PCB layout and routing. The performance is better, that is, the performance of on-site debugging is better. However, SQ has no timing analysis capability, only simple limited timing measurement function. The advantage of Hyperlynx is that it is easy to use, but it has neither timing analysis function nor timing measurement function. Relatively speaking, Hyperlynx is more convenient in EMC prediction, which is the advantage of Hyperlynx. The weakness of ICX in its GUI and the complexity of settings make users reluctant to use this tool. At present, common SI problems are mainly handled by PCB wiring designers. Schematic designers basically do not do this work. The main reason is that they are not familiar with the use of tools and have little understanding of SI.
Microwave transmission problems. That is, it is usually called GHz SI. The design needs to solve various problems that are usually only considered in the microwave field due to the small size of the routing, vias and materials on the transmission link. The microwave transmission problem is caused by the serial interface, which is particularly important in communication. It mainly solves the multi-board problem, that is, the transmission problem on the card core chip-connector-backplane-connector-card core chip link. There is no timing problem in the serial link, only transmission problem. It is necessary to solve the problem of inter-code interference caused by the change of signal amplitude and 01 bit stream caused by the frequency reaching the microwave band. This part of the problem must be combined with frequency domain and time domain tools. At present, the mainstream SQ, Hyperlynx and ICX are not very effective in dealing with these problems. Hyperlynx and ICX use Eldo to process S parameters, but due to the lack of MGH algorithms, it is not practical in terms of the time required to analyze long bit streams.