DesignCon 2007 Signal Integrity Analysis for Inductively Coupled Connectors

We demonstrate multi-Gbps pulse signaling with inductively coupled interconnects across printed circuit boards and packaging interfaces. This has application in realizing sub-mm pitch Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) surface mount connectors and sockets. The signaling data rate achievable in our system is from 1Gbps to 8.5Gbps, which depends on the 3dB coupling frequency of the composite channel consisting of the inductive interconnections and the transmission lines. Methods to improve signal integrity in inductively coupled systems are established. Options include transformer geometry optimization, integrated series terminations and system level tradeoffs. Karthik Chandrasekar received his Bachelor's degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering in SVCE, Chennai in May 2000. He received his MS degree in Computer engineering at NCSU in August 2002. He started the PhD program at NCSU in August 2002 and is finishing up dissertation writing on a part-time basis expecting to Graduate in Feb' 07. He spent summer of 2005 interning at Nvidia, Santa Clara in the Substrate system design group and he joined as a full-time employee in October 2006. In the long term he is interested in a career in areas spanning signal integrity, package layout & modeling, RF IC design and custom circuit design for high speed serial links. was with IBM designing analog circuits for networking ICs, and in 2000, he was with a start-up company designing circuits for RFID tags. Currently, as a Research Assistant Professor at NCSU, he is leading a research effort on AC-coupled interconnect and 3D-ICs. in 2001 and 2002 respectively. He is currently working towards his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering at NCSU. His research interests include inductor and transformer modeling, high speed chip-to-chip communication, and high speed equalization schemes. 3 of BST and MEMS. She is also interested in RF modeling of flip-chip and AC coupled interconnects and 3-D packaging. research interests include developing I/O techniques and interfaces for high-speed chip-to-chip communications and both micro-and nano-fabrication technologies. companies he cofounded, Communica and LightSpin Technologies. His current interests center on the technology and design of complex systems incorporating VLSI, MEMS, advanced packaging and molecular electronics. Application areas currently being explored include novel advanced packaging structures, Network Processors,SOI baseband radio circuit design for deep space, on-chip inductor and inductance issues, RF MEMS, and moleware circuits and characterization. He has lead several major efforts and published over 120 papers in these areas.