The book provides practical, how-to guidance on making frequency-domain measurements
and modeling and simulating power distribution networks (PDN) and
components. Accurate frequency-domain measurements are fraught with difficulties.
This book aims to break the measurement process down step by step, highlighting
the many pitfalls that can be encountered along the way. Selection of
instruments, probes, cables, and calibration processes is explained, and choices are
listed and evaluated. The book focuses equal attention on modeling and simulation.
In Chapter 2, which is on simulation, a few selected tools are considered, and
through practical examples, their strengths and weaknesses are evaluated and
parameters and options settings are discussed. Finally, several chapters are devoted
to approaches to modeling every aspect of a PDN, including planes, vias, bypass
capacitors, inductors, and dc-dc converters. The book focuses on frequency domain
characterization exclusively. The reasons behind the book’s focus on frequency
domain are numerous and discussed in detail in Chapter 1. Throughout the book
you will see an emphasis placed on closing the loop between these three elements of
characterization: measurement, modeling, and simulation. Components are characterized
using multiple techniques, and the results are compared and the discrepancies
discussed. It is through the process of correlation that we show how to develop
trust in measurement, modeling, and simulation techniques.