Power Bus Decoupling Guidelines for Printed Circuit Boards with Closely Spaced Power Distribution Pl.docVIP

Power Bus Decoupling Guidelines for Printed Circuit Boards with Closely Spaced Power Distribution Planes Applicable to: Multi-layer boards with power distribution planes spaced ~0.3 mm or less apart General Guidelines Multi-layer boards generally employ two types of decoupling capacitor. Large-valued bulk capacitors help to minimize the impedance of the power bus at low frequencies (e.g. below a few hundred kHz). Smaller local capacitors reduce the power bus impedance at higher frequencies (e.g. up to ~ 100 MHz on boards with closely spaced planes). At even higher frequencies, the power bus impedance is determined by the planes themselves. Boards typically have one or two large electrolytic bulk decoupling capacitors or they may employ half a dozen or more bulk decoupling capacitors in smaller packages. Either approach is effective and this decision is normally made based on size, cost and board-area constraints. The total value of the bulk decoupling is determined by the transient power requirements of the active devices on the board (See: How much decoupling capacitance do I need?) Generally, the total bulk decoupling capacitance is 1 - 10 times the total local decoupling capacitance connected to the power bus. Local decoupling capacitors are intended to be effective at higher frequencies. The inductance of their connection to the power distribution planes is far more critical than their nominal capacitance. Generally, smaller package sizes can be connected to the planes with a lower inductance than larger packages. Therefore, local decoupling capacitors should be as small as possible. Choose the largest nominal capacitance available in a given package size. However, do not use capacitors that have a nominal capacitance less than the parallel plate capacitance that naturally occurs between the power and power-return planes [C=eA/d]. A board made with FR-4 material containing one pair of power distribution planes spaced 0.25 mm (10 mils) apart has an interplane ca