Effective Conductivity Concept for Modelling Conductor Surface Roughness

Gold G, Helmreich K (2014)


Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Conference contribution

Publication year: 2014

Publisher: DesignCon 2014

Edited Volumes: DesignCon 2014: Where the Chip Meets the Board

Conference Proceedings Title: Proceedings

Event location: Santa Clara (CA), USA

Abstract

In the two-digit GHz-range, where the conventional skin depth decreases to the range of surface roughness, loss predicted assuming ideally smooth surfaces falls far behind measurement. A new method to treat surface roughness in field solvers is introduced which employs the concept of a frequency-dependent effective conductivity as impedance boundary condition. It is deduced by solving Maxwell's equations for the newly introduced conductivity gradient model: Comparing signal wavelength, conductor width and roughness feature size, one can conclude that a propagating wave does not "see" individual peaks and pits, but rather a "mean" plane surface, which, however, shows no abrupt border between dielectric and conductor, but a steady transition in conductivity perpendicular to the surface. Thus, roughness with the gradient model can be characterized by one single parameter: The root mean square Rq of microscopic surface height, already provided in many PCB material data sheets. This method accurately predicts measured insertion loss responses.

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How to cite

APA:

Gold, G., & Helmreich, K. (2014). Effective Conductivity Concept for Modelling Conductor Surface Roughness. In Proceedings. Santa Clara (CA), USA: DesignCon 2014.

MLA:

Gold, Gerald, and Klaus Helmreich. "Effective Conductivity Concept for Modelling Conductor Surface Roughness." Proceedings of the DesignCon 2014, Santa Clara (CA), USA DesignCon 2014, 2014.

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