8:00 to 8:30 

Registration Breakfast

8:30 to 9:30  

Welcome and Plenary Speaker 1, Main Room

Dr. Guoan Wong, University of South Carolina. Title “Toward Fully Electrically Reconfigurable RF and Microwave Technologies with Novel Thin Films and Techniques”

Abstract:  This talk will present the development of frequency agile and fully electrically tunable miniaturized RF and microwave devices with different novel thin films and related techniques (i.e., on-chip tuning) enabling multifunctional and adaptive radios.  First, the needs and requirements for adaptive and reconfigurable frequency control components in next generation wireless devices will be described.  Overview of current tuning techniques (e.g., RF MEMS, ferroelectric and ferromagnetic films) will be briefly discussed and summarized, followed by the applications of these components in adaptive wireless systems.

9:40 to 11:10

Workshop 1: Keysight
(Main Room)

OJ Danzy and Russ Kramer

Topic: “The Power Integrity Ecosystem…..it’s more than decoupling capacitors”

 Abstract:  The paper will cover aspects of the signal integrity and power integrity efforts in modern day electronic circuits with their high levels of integration.  The full SI and PI Eco-System looks at validating the Signal Integrity with the addition of the degradation caused by the Power Delivery network.  The paper will discuss ways to do this.

 Bio: Russ Kramer received a BSEE and an MSEE from Penn State University Park and an MBA from Loyola University. 

Workshop 2, Ansys
 Chris Mesibov

Topic: “Signal Integrity and the Hardware Development Process”

Abstract: In today’s high speed digital device development process, companies are discovering that SI/PI activities are creeping into most segments of the development process.  This presentation’s goal is to demonstrate a typical hardware development process and show all the areas in which SI/PI activities are present. The outgrowth of this demonstration is familiarization with the elements of the process and typical examples of interactions that SI engineers experience with subject matter experts (SMEs) and non-engineering functional departments such as purchasing and QC.  Understanding the HW development process allows us to identify to our organization that SI engineering is a significant stakeholder in the process.  Applying SI/PI in areas where appropriate and implementing simulation in a way that saves the company money through meeting schedule objectives, reducing PCB spins and reduced test time.

11:15 to 12:15 

Plenary Speaker 2

Dr. Piero Triverio, University of Toronto. Title” Fast Electromagnetic Analysis of 3D Interconnects Using a  Surface Integral Formulation"

Abstract: We present a new surface integral method for Maxwell's  equations which is very well suited for signal integrity analysis. A novel surface admittance operator is used to model skin and proximity effect inside conductive objects of arbitrary shape. The operator is computationally efficient, since it requires only a surface mesh, but broadband and Maxwell-accurate. Couplings between different conductive objects are modelled with the method of moments, accelerated with the adaptive integration method and iterative solution techniques. Several application examples related to 2D/3D integration will be presented to show the accuracy, robustness and scalability of the proposed method.

12:15 to 1:10

Lunch Speaker:

Richard Mellitz, Samtec Distinguished Engineer, Title “Effective Return Loss for 112G
and 56G PAM 4”

Abstract: This presentation proposes using a pulse echo for time domain reflectometry (TDR) rather the commonly used step function echo.  The echoed pulse response of a single symbol is convolved with the modulation signal levels to produce an effective reflection coefficient metric at a specified bit error ratio (BER).  A conversion to dB results in an effective return loss (ERL) in more familiar return loss units. ERL is a single value which replaces the commonly used frequency domain return loss (RL) mask. It makes RL grading simple, straightforward and meaningful.

Richard Mellitz is presently a Distinguished Engineer at Samtec, supporting interconnect signal integrity and industry standards.

1:15 to 2:15

Plenary Speaker 3

Jason Ellison, Senior Staff Signal Integrity Engineer, Amphenol ICC, title  “In situ stripline laminate property extraction accounting for effective surface roughness losses”

Abstract: A method for extracting the effective copper surface roughness of a laminate in situ is introduced. The rough copper attenuation as a function of surface roughness is removed from the total attenuation. The residual loss is fit to coefficients, and an error is calculated based on the remaining apparent surface roughness contribution. When the error is minimized or when the apparent surface roughness contribution is nearest zero, the effective surface roughness is found, and the dielectric attenuation is isolated by subtracting the rough copper attenuation from the total attenuation.

2:30 to 4:00

Workshop 3 (Main Room)

Chris Scholz, Rohde & Schwarz USA, Inc.

Signal Integrity tools for PAM4 and beyond

As data rates increase and the applications move to higher-order modulation formats, VNAs become a crucial part of the Signal Integrity Engineers’ toolbox.

In this talk we will present the rich set of signal integrity tools available for modern VNAs. Specific topics addressed include estimation of channel capacity, channel equalization techniques, methods to characterize crosstalk, PAM4 and higher order modulation and advanced de-embedding techniques.

Chris Scholz is product manager for vector network analyzers for Rohde & Schwarz North America.

Workshop 4

Tracey Vincent, CST

Leveraging Complete Technology for Connector and other SI applications

Tracey is a Senior Application Engineer with the CST, part of the Simulia group of Dassault Systems. She is located in MA focusing on Signal Integrity and Materials Characterization for 3D simulations. She has a Masters Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, a Masters degree in Numerical Techniques where she wrote a finite element program to solve fields in Ferrimagnetic materials and PhD in Material Science. Tracey was previously employed as a design engineer for more years that she cares to admit