EEWeb Pulse - Issue 65

INTERVIEW

EEWeb

PULSE

EEWeb.com

65 Issue 64 25, 2012 September 18,

Mike Holt

CEO Get2Volume Accelerator

Electrical Engineering Community Visit www.eeweb.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Mike Holt GET2VOLUME ACCELERATOR Interview with Mike Holt - CEO

Featured Products

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Signal Processing: Precision or Radiation Tolerance?

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BY JOSH BROLINE & OSCAR MANSILLA WITH INTERSIL Key parameters that need to be considered when choosing an op amp and how they can become in a hindrance in satellite applications.

Noise Control For Your Wireless Device

BY DERMOT O’SHEA WITH TAOGLAS

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How noise and emissions have become a significant problem for wireless devices in recent years and what you can do to solve the problem.

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RTZ - Return to Zero Comic

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EEWeb PULSE PULSE EEWeb

Mike Holt Get2Volume Accelerator

Mike Holt is the CEO of Get2Volume, which is a small group of experienced executives whose goal is to help tech starts move rapidly from concept to profitability. We spoke with Mike about ham radio--his first electronic passion, his extensive resumÊ as an executive in a variety of technology-based companies and the key to Get2Volume’s hands-on approach with the companies they consult.

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EEWeb | Electrical Engineering Community EEWeb | Electrical Engineering Community

INTERVIEW How did you get into electrical engineering?

I have been passionate about electronics for as long as I can remember. By the time I was 7, I was experimenting with “160 in 1” circuit kits (Figure 1). In 1974 when I was 11, my friend got an Altair Computer (Figure 2). We spent hours keying in simple programs using the switches on the front panel. My first real passion was radio. I started by modifying toy

Ham radio was about much more than technology—it allowed me to reach out from the small town that I lived in to the entire world. I managed to talk to other ham radio operators in over 150 countries. It was fascinating to communicate with people in far-off places like Europe, Japan and even Antarctica (McMurdo Research Station). I even talked to Ham radio operators in Singapore.

When it was time for higher

Fig. 1: Electronics kit

Fig. 3: My first Ham radio (1975) walkie-talkies to increase the power and added a big antenna to see how far we could communicate. At 12, I passed the FCC amateur radio test and was licensed as WB6SSC. That Christmas, my parents got me a HeathKit DX-100 transmitter (Figure 3) and a Heathkit SB-104 Receiver kit that I built (Figure 4).

What have been some of your influences that have helped you get to where you are today?

Getting to where I am today has not been unusual. Instead, though not scripted, all of the experiences along the way have created a story that brings me here. More than anything, I have done what I really love and am passionate about: travelling around the world, being an entrepreneur and innovating through new technologies.

Fig. 2: My best friend’s computer

Fig. 4: My first Ham radio receiver kit (1975)

education, I didn’t have any thoughts of studying anything but electrical engineering. In 1981, I started studying electrical engineering at the University of California, Irvine where I graduated in 1985 and started my first engineering job (and later with an MSEE and an MBA).

In terms of my entrepreneurial influences, I’d say that deciding on my first job out school at the startup company Silcom with three engineers (including myself as junior engineer) was one of them.

Those other two engineers who I worked with mentored me and really inspired me in my own work.

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“I bought 4 one way tickets to Singapore for myself and my family...Waking up the first morning in a Singapore service apartment, with my wife, 9 and 11 year old sons and no job, was a bit terrifying, yet I knew that I could make it happen. What a great reminder and lesson of the hope that drives entrepreneurs to overcome self doubt to focus on creating something new.”

Another learning experience that really helped my career was starting my own company, Smartronics with a co-worker back in 1987. We had developed an interesting consumer product, but didn’t market it properly.

Although the company ended up failing, I learned so much about how businesses operate and consumer market behavior. This drove me to complete an MBA at UC Irvine while

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simultaneously working full-time.

With an MBA, I was able to broaden my role from the engineering side to marketing responsibilities. The combination of growth, company success, start up challenges and my experience in Asia inspired me to start an advisory firm focused in helping entrepreneurs grow their technologies and decided to this in Singapore.

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I have had “failures” through this that have actually been big influences.

I think that these “failures” did much more to shape opportunity and galvanize good outcomes than anything else. After we sold the company that brought me to Singapore as CEO in 2002, I returned to California and took a job at another startup semiconductor company (post internet bubble

INTERVIEW meltdown, 2002 was a tough time for a technology executive to find a job and an even tougher time for startup companies to survive and prosper).

Despite initial success in growing the business, the job was not the right one for me and the company was struggling.

After a year, I had a falling out with the board of directors and left the company. I immediately knew that I wanted to work with technology entrepreneurs in helping them grow their companies and navigate the challenges and uncertainties of running a startup company. I also knew that I wanted to do this in Asia. I bought 4 one way tickets to Singapore for myself and my family.

I then set out to create Get2Volume.

Waking up the first morning in a Singapore service apartment, with my wife, 9 and 11 year old sons and no job was a bit terrifying, yet I knew that I could make it happen. What a great reminder and lesson of the hope that drives entrepreneurs to overcome self doubt to focus on creating something new.

Can you tell us about some of the previous companies you have worked for, including TI/ Silicon Systems? What was your role in the company?

semiconductor products). What an amazing experience to learn from great engineers like Jeff Harth and Dave Parlour. When the modem I worked on finally transferred data I was stunned. Dave assured me that “there is no magic” -simply debug the errors and it will work.

I still think that Dave was wrong – there was an unbelievable magic in what we worked on. Silcom was integrated into Silicon Systems to bring a systems capability to Silicon Systems. With that I began a 14 year journey at Silicon Systems.

At Silicon Systems (SSI), I was a design engineer for 8 years in new (and usually undefined) product areas.

Here I worked on the company’s first digital products, first VHDL products, and first DSPbased watt hour meter chips. In 1993 I completed an MBA that I worked on while working full time at Silicon Systems. Silicon Systems management like Greg Winner, Rick Goerner and Russ Garcia were incredibly supportive in having SSI pay for the MBA. On nearly the day I completed the MBA, I marched in to see Russ who ran strategic marketing at SSI to convince him to give me a job in product marketing.

He did, giving me the opportunity to run what was a small product line that created the semiconductor devices that control the motors in disk drives (servo/spindle motor controllers).

This product line had essentially no revenue but some of the best engineers at SSI or anywhere. By 1996 we had build this product line into a $70M a year business. In 1996, Texas Instruments acquired SSI. For me this was huge. I had focused on digital signal processing in my engineering masters degree and now I would work for the best DSP company in the world.

As part of the acquisition integration, I worked with a TI management consultant, Dave Beuerlein, on business integration and strategy.

At that time, 80% of the world’s disk drives were manufactured in Singapore. Dave and I became friends through this. He knew my experience in Singapore well. I was then given the opportunity to run TI’s DSP business for disk drives based in Houston, Texas. Dave had since taken a job as an executive search consultant. Dave called in 2000 looking for a semiconductor CEO in Singapore.

In my “Established Company Employee” phase, I worked for three closely related companies: Silcom (acquired by Silicon Systems), Silicon Systems (acquired by Texas Instruments) and Texas Instruments.

As I noted, I joined startup company Silcom immediately after graduating from engineering school. Silcom was wholly owned by Silicon Systems.

Silcom developed computer modems (2400 bps and 1200 bps modems) as an embedded systems company (using Silicon Systems

Fig. 5: Smartronics Tollsaver Visit www.eeweb.com

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EEWeb PULSE I then moved to Singapore to run semiconductor start up eMicro. eMicro made audio chips with Creative Labs as the primary customer for its SoundBlaster PC cards. The company was a joint venture between Creative and Cirrus Logic. In 2002, Cirrus, as majority shareholder consolidated eMicro into Cirrus. I returned to California as VP of Marketing and Operations at TDI. We shipped millions of USB controller chips for use in products like printers.

My advice is: do what you are passionate about. Don’t simply settle for a job because it pays, rather, push yourself to do something you truly want to do.

What really excited me was helping entrepreneurs grow their companies. I wanted to take the experience and hard earned lessons that I had learned both in growing businesses in larger semiconductor companies as well as in startup technology companies to enable success of other technology entrepreneurs. I moved back to Singapore in 2005 and formed Get2Volume, with the mission of enabling technology company growth. After initial successes, I added a few partners in Singapore and Silicon Valley. We worked with several technology companies on executing next stage growth

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including selling companies, buying a company, creating fundability and raising venture capital, establishing sales channels, understanding customer needs, defining products – essentially working as part of the entrepreneurial team to growth the company to the next level. In 2010, we purchased semiconductor company Semitech and restructured for growth. In 2010 we also founded eHealth company ConnectedHealth.

Earlier this year, Get2Volume was selected by the Singapore government for government funding to incubate semiconductor and microelectronics companies in Singapore (see http://www. g2vaccelerator.com/).

We bring first round funding, connections and capabilities to better ensure success of semiconductor and microelectronics companies.

Do you have any tricks up your sleeve?

My advice is: do what you are passionate about. Don’t simply settle for a job because it pays, rather, push yourself to do something you truly want to do. Think about how you define risk. People frequently risk not achieving success, impact and happiness by settling for predictability. Job security may be much more risky than you think.

Finally, I’d say that you need to remind yourself that your story is unique. Use this uniqueness in shaping what you do.

What are you currently working on?

I am working on making technology entrepreneurs successful.

The Get2Volme team, along with the investment fund from the Singapore government, enables us to bring the best capital, connections and capabilities to growing semiconductor companies.

EEWeb | Electrical Engineering Community

I am very excited that Get2Volume is a part of solving the world’s big problems.

In terms of energy, we are figuring out how to power the millions of people that are being pulled out ofpoverty and how to do this without destroying our environment.

Get2Volume’s company Semitech Semiconductor provides power line communications chips that connect power utilities to their customers, creating a “smart grid” that improves the efficiency and availability of power.

With health care, we are figuring out how the world can reduce the cost of health care and make it available to those that need it. Get2Volume’s company ConnectedHealth makes this happen with eHealth solutions that connect patients to health care providers anywhere.

How do you ensure that you are able to keep a “handson” strategy in your business ventures?

We work hand-in-hand with entrepreneurial teams.

We are hands on because we are part of the team executing company growth.

Discuss the importance of Get2Volume Accelerator as a vehicle to foster semi innovation.

The semiconductor industry is changing. VCs are largely no longer funding semiconductor industry startup companies - and yet, established semiconductor companies still rely on acquiring emerging growth semiconductor companies to foster innovation.

The industry is shifting to a ‘capital lite’ approach to reduce initial start up cost approaches. Get2Volume Accelerator brings capital, connections and capabilities to

INTERVIEW bring early stage semiconductor related companies to the point where they can be funded to acquisition by established semiconductor companies or next stage growth. Many of the world’s semiconductor companies have groups in Singapore enabling post incubation acquisition. Get2Volume Accelerator fosters innovation by helping grow companies that established semiconductor companies will look at to drive additional innovation.

improve the likelihood of semiconductor company success.

Can you tell us more about Get2Volume and the value it brings to the semiconductor industry?

What challenges do you foresee in our industry?

Working with startup teams, Get2Volume Accelerator’s capital, connections and capabilities

What direction do you see your business heading in the next few years?

Expect to see Get2Volume bring application-specific capabilities to enable growth inclusive of microelectronics customer needs.

Some of these areas include medical technologies and secure payment capabilities.

semiconductor companies must take a different approach that pushes capital requirements out until value can be demonstrated.

This is a challenge that GSA (Global Security Alliance) is addressing with its Capital Lite Working Group.

Get2Volume is working with GSA and executing such ‘capital lite’ approaches with its companies. ■

The biggest challenge is how the industry will continue to create the emerging growth semiconductor companies that are needed to drive industry innovation. Emerging

For more information about Get2Volume Accelerator, please visit their site:

www.get2volume.com

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TECH ARTICLE

System designers of space or hi-reliability

applications often have to compromise signal integrity when it comes to selecting a radiation hardened op amp, since many key parameters such as input offset voltage, slew rate, and input bias current are not good enough over the needed total accumulated radiation. Why should a compromise be needed between critical op amp performance and radiation capability when you could have best of both worlds? It is well known that processing incoming signals accurately and reliably is mission critical for a satellite system. A critical component of processing a signal is the operational amplifier. The job of the op amp is to amplify an incoming signal to usable levels and filter noise so this signal can be fed to an analog-to-digital converter for data processing with minimal distortion. There are several key parameters that need to be considered when choosing an op amp. But for satellite applications, the performance of these critical parameters over total accumulated radiation can be a major hindrance.

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With the exception of over temperature range performance, the performance over total accumulated radiation can be a major factor on semiconductor device capabilities. Specifically, an op amp’s input offset voltage or bias current, for example, can dramatically shift over radiation exposure. In some cases, shifting this performance is enough to make the op amp unusable.

Bipolar processes are commonly used for precision and high-speed analog circuits, such as op amps and voltage references. In general, this is because the bipolar device offers high gain and good offset voltage performance.

The use of vertical transistors with deep junctions, along with other techniques, can help improve this performance in case of radiation exposure. Silicon-oninsulator (SOI) processes can be used to provide latchup immunity and to minimize device capacitance and reduced leakage currents, ultimately helping radiation performance. As discussed above, next-generation process techniques and bipolar device construction have a major influence on an op amp’s precision performance over radiation, and help insure that overall signal integrity performance is not compromised in even the most harsh environments.

But not all bipolar processes are created equal, especially when it comes to performance over radiation exposure. A ground-up holistic approach on the fabrication process is required in order to get the best of both features. Fabrication techniques such as vertical devices, deep trench isolation, and exceptional device matching allow for next generation power-to-bandwidth performance, precision DC accuracy, and superior AC performance over radiation. Furthermore, with devices dielectrically isolation, a latch-up free device can be realized. This is absolutely critical for satellite applications as resets or downtime and destructive mechanisms cannot be tolerated.

One example of this kind of process is Intersil’s PR40 bipolar process, which uses bonded wafer SOI substrates. The process has recently yielded a low power precision quad op amp with a radiation capability up to 300krad(Si) at the standard high dose rate of 50-300krad(Si)/s and characterized to 100krad(Si) at the standard low dose rate of <10mrad(Si)/s.

Bipolar devices are known to be radiation sensitive, especially when they are exposed over a lower dose rate, such as < 1rad/sec. The ionizing radiation causes hole-electron pair generation in the oxide of the bipolar device and ultimately a positive charge buildup in the oxide results in lower device gain performance. This plays a role in the ultimate performance of an op amp in a radiation environment and can affect power-tobandwidth, DC, and AC performance of the op amp.

One of the major contributors to error in any system is the input offset voltage of the op amp, and with a maximum specification of ±110µV over radiation and temperature this op amp reduces overall system error while increasing accuracy. Figure 1 compares the typical input offset voltage shift over high dose radiation of the Intersil ISL70417SEH and a similar IC. While the input offset voltage stays relatively flat on the ISL70417SEH, the input offset voltage of the comparison part increases by approximately 200µV at 200krad(Si).

At first glance one may not think that 200µV is relatively high; however, typical applications for these op amps may have a gain of 1000 or more. This will lead to over 200mV of system error at 200krad(Si) for high gain applications (G > 1000).

ISL70417SEH

Competitor A

Input Offset Voltage

Input Offset Voltage 300

Vs=+–15V Vcm=0V

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Figure 1: Input offset voltage of the ISL70417SEH and Competitor A vs. Radiation

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1000

ISL70417SEH

Competitor A

Positive Slew Rate

Positive Slew Rate

0.8

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Vs=+–15V Vcm=0V

Positive Slew Rate (V/µs)

TECH ARTICLE

0.6

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Figure 2: Positive slew rate of the ISL70417SEH and Competitor A vs. Radiation Another factor which may lead to distortion in the signal chain is choosing an op amp with a varying slew rate. In satellite applications many of the op amps are used to sense, filter and amplify periodic signals, i.e. sinusoidal waveforms. Take for example a sine wave as the input signal of an op amp; the slew rate will determine, given a fixed signal amplitude, the maximum frequency of the sine wave before the signal is distorted by the op amp.

The relationship for maximum signal frequency and op amp slew rate is given by Equation 1:

[1] ƒmax=

SR 2πVp

Where Vp is the peak amplitude of the input sine wave.

Figure 2 compares the slew rate performance of the ISL70417SEH and Competitor A over radiation.

The competitor part degrades to less the 0.2V/μs at

200krad(Si) while the ISL70417SEH is relatively flat up to 100krad(Si) and degrades from a 0.47V/μs initially to 0.46V/μs at 200krad(Si).

The degradation of the slew rate performance limits the operating area of the op amp in its application. It also limits the portability of the op amp into higher frequency applications, making it less attractive to system engineers. Figure 3 compares the operating area of the ISL70417SEH with Competitor A, at an ionizing dose of 200krad(Si) and sinusoidal input signal with a VP=2V. While the ISL70417SEH would process signals up to 40 kHz without distortion, the other part will have to be used with signals at a frequency less than 15 kHz even though the pre-radiation slew rate performance is comparable to the ISL70417SEH. This type of radiation degradation limits the designer in using the IC at its full potential — and it hinders the designer in using the same solution in

ISL70417SEH

Competitor A

Input Bias Current

Input Bias Current

2.5

2.5 Operating Area with no Distortion

Operating Area with no Distortion

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Figure 3: Operating area without slew rate limitation of the ISL70417SEH and Competitor A after 200KRAD(SI) Visit www.eeweb.com

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future developments, since the process or signal speed may increase to levels beyond what the op amp can handle.

One of the most overlooked sources of error in a signal chain that utilizes op amps is the input bias currents.

These currents flow into any impedance connected to the input pins, i.e. gain setting resistors, and produce a voltage which introduces additional system errors.

Let’s review an application where an op amp is used as a unity gain buffer. The source impedance may be as high as 1MΩ, with an input bias current specification of 10nA typical; competitor A will introduce an additional 10mV of error into the system. In a space environment bias current performance over total dose irradiation is dominated by the gradual degradation of the gain (‘beta’) of the input transistor pair, either PNP or NPN devices. In a differential amplifier configuration, the collector current is at a fixed value set by a current source, and the input bias current is simply the collector current divided by the transistor gain. As the gain drops while the collector current remains constant, the measured input bias current will increase, adding even more system error. Figure 4 compares the typical positive input bias current performance over high dose radiation of the ISL70417SEH and Competitor A.

a linear increase in bias current. Referring to the buffer application, at 200krad(Si) of ionizing dose the bias current for Competitor A is ~55nA and the error introduced will increase to 55mV compared to 10mV. Operational amplifiers are essential building blocks of any data acquisition system and modern space applications demand their performance be as good as any commercial op amp but without degradation in the radiation environment. Using an already established commercial process with hi-rel attributes, such as SOI, has led to the development of high performance op amps that mean a system designer does not have to choose between precision or radiation tolerance.

This baseline process technology is also being utilized in the development of other circuits that are integral to the signal chain, such as voltage references, temperature sensors, and ADC drivers. The goal is to give hi-reliability space designers the tools necessary to develop a system whose performance specifications rival leading commercial counterparts without having to compromise performance in a radiation environment.

In addition, the larger volumes that run through the process help maintain a high quality and reliability level.

The bias current increases due to beta degradation seen at low ionizing radiation levels for competitor A. The ISL70417SEH performance is much better, staying relatively flat until 70krad(Si) and then showing

ISL70417SEH

Competitor A

Input Bias Current

Input Bias Current 60

Vs=+–15V

1

Vcm=0V

Input Bias Current (nA)

Input Bias Current (nA)

1.5

0.5 0 -0.5 -1 -1.5

Vs=+–15V Vcm=0V

50 40 30 20 10 0

1

10

100

1000

Total Dose krad(Si)

1

10

100

Total Dose krad(Si)

Figure 4: Positive input bias current of the ISL70417SEH and Competitor A vs. Radiation

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1000

TECH ARTICLE

Get the Datasheet and Order Samples http://www.intersil.com

1.2A High Efficiency Buck-Boost Regulators ISL9110, ISL9112

Features

The ISL9110 and ISL9112 are highly-integrated Buck-Boost switching regulators that accept input voltages either above or below the regulated output voltage. Unlike other Buck-Boost regulators, these regulators automatically transition between operating modes without significant output disturbance.

• Accepts Input Voltages Above or Below Regulated Output Voltage

Both parts are capable of delivering up to 1.2A output current, and provide excellent efficiency due to their fully synchronous 4-switch architecture. No-load quiescent current of only 35µA also optimizes efficiency under light-load conditions. Forced PWM and/or synchronization to an external clock may also be selected for noise sensitive applications.

The ISL9110 is designed for standalone applications and supports 3.3V and 5V fixed output voltages or variable output voltages with an external resistor divider. Output voltages as low as 1V, or as high as 5.2V are supported using an external resistor divider.

The ISL9112 supports a broader set of programmable features that may be accessed via an I2C bus interface. With a programmable output voltage range of 1.9V to 5V, the ISL9112 is ideal for applications requiring dynamically changing supply voltages. A programmable slew rate can be selected to provide smooth transitions between output voltage settings.

The ISL9110 and ISL9112 require only a single inductor and very few external components. Power supply solution size is minimized by a tiny 3mmx3mm package and a 2.5MHz switching frequency, which further reduces the size of external components.

• Automatic and Seamless Transitions Between Buck and Boost Modes • Input Voltage Range: 1.8V to 5.5V • Output Current: Up to 1.2A • High Efficiency: Up to 95% • 35µA Quiescent Current Maximizes Light-load Efficiency • 2.5MHz Switching Frequency Minimizes External Component Size • Selectable Forced-PWM Mode and External Synchronization • I2C Interface (ISL9112) • Fully Protected for Overcurrent, Over-temperature and Undervoltage • Small 3mmx3mm TDFN Package

Applications • Regulated 3.3V from a Single Li-Ion Battery • Smart Phones and Tablet Computers • Handheld Devices • Point-of-Load Regulators

Related Literature • See AN1648 “ISL9110IRTNEVAL1Z, ISL9110IRT7EVAL1Z, ISL9110IRTAEVAL1Z Evaluation Board User Guide” • See AN1647 “ISL9112IRTNEVAL1Z, ISL9112IRT7EVAL1Z EvaluationBoard User Guide”

100

VIN MODE EN BAT PG

11

LX1

4

2 LX2 VOUT 1

FB 12

L1 2.2µH V OUT = 3.3V/1A C2 10µF

EFFICIENCY (%)

6 10 9 8 7

GND

STATUS OUTPUTS

5 PVIN

PGND

C1 10µF

95

ISL9110IRTNZ

90 VIN = 5V 85 80

VIN = 3V

VIN = 2.5V

75 VOUT = 3.3V 70 0.01

3

V IN = 1.8V TO 5.5V

0.05

0.25

1.25

IOUT (A)

FIGURE 1. TYPICAL APPLICATION

July 13, 2012 FN7649.2

FIGURE 2. EFFICIENCY

Intersil (and design) is a registered trademark of Intersil Americas Inc. Copyright Intersil Americas Inc. 2011, 2012 All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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Taoglas - Co-founder And Joint Managing Director Of Taoglas

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TECHARTICLE ARTICLE TECH

our Wireless Device Noise Control is not just for rock concerts, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also an integral part of ensuring that Machine-toMachine (M2M) and connected devices transmit and receive information efficiently. Believe it or not, if your system is not designed to contain and suppress noise the better your device antenna, the worse the noise problem can be! In this article I will discuss how noise and emissions have become a significant problem for wireless devices in recent years and what you can do to solve the problem.

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EEWeb PULSE THE PROBLEM WITH NOISE M2M devices are getting smaller and are likely to integrate more wireless technology and applications than ever before. Five years ago, devices that were the same size as a cell phone and may have used external antennas for GPS and cellular. Today, devices are smaller many use embedded antennas and include more requirements such as Wi-Fi, NFC, and/ or 915Mhz. There are more cellular bands for 3G and 4G, and customers are looking for global coverage. The minimum now is a quadband cellular antenna for global 2G. For global 4G or LTE the antenna needs to go from 700MHz up to 2600MHz. This greatly increases the RF design complexity, so that it is almost impossible to fully contain noise and emissions that will affect transmission and reception. Inband noise occurs when a device has emissions or harmonics of emissions present at the operating cellular frequencies. This noise can then either affect initial cellular reception or be reradiated by the cellular module, making the problem worse, and particularly if the antenna efficiency and radiated power of the system is very high.

FINDING THE RIGHT SOLUTION The key is to eliminate or suppress the noise that is causing performance compromises and most likely certification challenges. Identify the source first and then act to solve the problem by stopping the noise, filtering it or at least mitigating its affects on the system.

Patching things up a little or using a less efficient antenna is not advised – it will only end up in poor

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user experiences in the field. Quite often it is not any one thing but a combination of different factors that are at fault. The best practice RF design only comes with experience, that is, learning the hard way. The key is to start best practice RF design at the beginning of the product design process to help minimize these effects and to keep them away from the antenna.

SIX STEPS TO ELIMINATING NOISY DEVICES • Select the right antenna: The first step is to team up with a wireless product designer to select and integrate the right antenna component. Size, position and mounting mechanisms are vital considerations.

Avoid large components on the board itself, which are normally older types, and follow the component layout guidelines closely.

• Choose connectors carefully: Eliminate test points (at the end), connectors and wires. If this is not possible, minimize them by using the latest powerful PCB design software to filter and bypass every integrated circuit.

• Use the right PCB: It is important for the PCB stack up configuration to be designed to contain emissions and to be optimized for RF. A four-layer board may be more expensive, but it more than pays for itself in performance when you compare it to a two-layer board.

• Consider Traces: The routing of all power and signal traces and their thicknesses is critical for good RF performance. The distances between these traces and their impedances are also vital in order to achieve the best device performance.

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• Be aware of the ground plane: The size of the ground plane is important for antenna performance. For overall RF performance it is important to completely fill in the ground plane. This means ensuring that all unused areas of the PCB are filled with copper and not ground free.

The ground plane should be one consistent, coherent and connected “pour” so you can see copper on all unused areas of the PCB, even between components • Review Shielding: Implement shielding where necessary. In some cases, it may even be required to add shielding cans over active circuitry or potential sources of emissions like clocks or processors etc.

A QUIET LIFE Two products can look similar to the eye, but one device could be noisy and the other one not, even though they are using the same components. It’s all about the way the system is laid out and how certain components interact with each other. Partnering with an expert who has the right equipment, expertise and experience can help you design your product better and quicker. The end goal is to design products that are optimized from an RF perspective so you can enhance sensitivity and minimize the noise effects in your device.

About the Author Dermot O’Shea is co-founder and joint managing director of Taoglas. Having founded Taoglas with Ronan Quinlan in Taiwan in 2004, he is currently responsible for sales, finance and marketing and is based in Taoglas’ San Diego office. Prior to founding Taoglas, Dermot worked for over ten years in the global electronics industry for companies such as Network International.

He is a highly regarded source in the M2M antenna market and today advises automotive, tracking, telemedical and utility companies worldwide on antenna solutions. Dermot is an expert in the wireless antenna arena, he provides high-level counsel on device noise debugging, testing services, device certification and approval management. Dermot has a Science Degree from University College Dublin and postgraduate diplomas from Dublin Business School (Business), Griffith College Dublin (Computing) Waterford Institute of Technology (Enterprise Development). For more information visit: http://www.taoglas.com

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