Six tips for better TDR measurements
The setup in Figure 2 illustrates the impact of poor quality connectors. In this image, the TDR is deskewed with no cables attached to...
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Picotest
Nov 26, 20131 min read
PDN Basics – Paralleling Tantalum and Ceramic Capacitors Can Be Risky
Because of their high ESL compared to ceramic, tantalum capacitors are not the optimum choice for high frequency decoupling. Paralleling...
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Picotest
Nov 7, 20132 min read
Combination VNA/FRAs Offer More Capability And Lower Cost
A frequency response analyzer (‘FRA’) is often used to measure gain and phase plots of control loops (Bode plots), filter responses and...
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Picotest
Nov 7, 20131 min read
PDN Issues Occur in the Simplest of Circuits
A single tiny logic gate The first case we’ll look at is a Fairchild NC7SZ04 ultra-high-speed inverter gate. This logic gate is a single...
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Picotest
Oct 30, 20132 min read
How To Verify Control Loop Design
The non-invasive stability assessment is a method that uses an output impedance measurement to accurately determine stability without...
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Picotest
Oct 1, 20131 min read
Five Things Every Engineer Should Know About PDN
Keep it flat Most PDN books tell you that the best performing PDN impedance looks flat over frequency. That is because noise signals are...
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Picotest
Sep 26, 20131 min read
Oscilloscope Mistakes: #4 (Part 4 of 4)
The engineering community uses oscilloscopes more than any other piece of equipment, yet many of the published results are questionable...
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Picotest
Sep 22, 20131 min read
Oscilloscope Mistakes: #3 (Part 3 of 4)
The engineering community uses oscilloscopes more than any other piece of equipment, yet many of the published results are questionable...
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Picotest
Sep 17, 20131 min read
Oscilloscope Mistakes: #2 (Part 2 of 4)
The engineering community uses oscilloscopes more than any other piece of equipment, yet many of the published results are questionable...
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Picotest
Sep 12, 20131 min read
Oscilloscope Mistakes: #1 (Part 1 of 4)
Avoiding these common pitfalls will get you better data with minimum effort. Steve Sandler takes a look at four common scope mistakes and...
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Picotest
Sep 10, 20131 min read
FAQ# 27: Why is PDN measured using a VNA and not an oscilloscope?
Steve Sandler Answers Your PDN Questions (Power Electronics’ Q&A Series) Power Electronics received a question about why PDN is measured...
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Picotest
Sep 5, 20131 min read
FAQ# 26: How do I pick a voltage regulator that will be good for my circuit?
Steve Sandler Answers Your Voltage Regulator Questions (Power Electronics’ Q&A Series) Power Electronics received a question about how to...
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Picotest
Aug 27, 20131 min read
FAQ#25: How do you measure PSRR of a linear regulator circuit that powers an oscillator for an ADC?
Steve Sandler Answers Your PSRR Questions (Power Electronics’ Q&A Series Follow Up) Earlier this month Power Electronics received a...
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Picotest
Aug 20, 20131 min read
Inductors for the Uninitiated
What could be simpler than inductors? Pick one from a catalog based on saturation, inductance, DCR, etc, and you’re done. If you need...
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Picotest
May 1, 20131 min read
Target impedance based solutions for PDN may not provide realistic assessment
One of the more common design techniques for power distribution networks (PDN) is the determination of the peak impedance that will...
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Picotest
Jan 23, 20131 min read
How to Make Higher Voltage Power-Distribution-Network Measurements
Assuming the AC signals in the measurement are very small, the power ratings of the ports limit the absolute maximum DC voltage that can...
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Picotest
Oct 23, 20121 min read
Clock Power Optimization Depends On Jitter Control
Clock-jitter performance has become a top priority among clock, analog-to-digital controller (ADC), and power-supply manufacturers. Why?...
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Picotest
Sep 28, 20121 min read
Assessing Point-Of-Load Regulators Using Non-Invasive Techniques
Evaluating the stability of a Point-Of-Load (“POL”) regulator can be performed using both traditional Bode plot and output impedance...
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Picotest
Sep 4, 20121 min read
Making Ripple Measurements
Making ripple measurements has traditionally been using an oscilloscope. For a number of technical reasons, an oscilloscope, in general,...
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Picotest
Aug 20, 20121 min read
Sharpen Rising and Falling Edges
Wherever you find a digital control signal, you find sharp rising and falling edges that need characterization. These edges occur on...
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