crosstalk

In this article, we investigate the impact of a guard trace on crosstalk reduction and present measurements taken with the latest‑generation PCB, both in time and frequency domains.

This article is the first of a two-article series devoted to the topic of crosstalk between PCB traces. In Part 1 of the series, we vary circuit topology, i.e., the distance between traces and the distance to the ground plane.

This article discusses the crosstalk reduction between PCB traces by utilizing a guard trace between the traces and investigating the effect of the guard trace grounding.

When two circuits are in the vicinity of one another, a signal propagating in one circuit can induce a signal in another circuit, due to capacitive (electric field) and/or inductive (magnetic field) coupling between the circuits. This phenomenon is referred to as crosstalk.

Interference between circuits is a common occurrence, which is increasingly problematic with our ever condensing technology operating in a wide range of operating frequencies. This interference, known as crosstalk, can be conducted or radiated, and we refer to the circuits generating and receiving this interference as either the source or receptor.