High-speed simulation of PCB emission and immunity with frequency-domain IC/LSI source models

Some recent results from research conducted in the EMC group at Okayama University are reviewed. A scheme for power-bus modeling with an analytical method is introduced. A linear macro-model for ICs/LSIs, called the LECCS model, has been developed for EMI and EMS simulation. This model has a very simple structure and is sufficiently accurate. Combining the LECCS model with analytical simulation techniques for power-bus resonance simulation provides a method for high-speed EMI simulation and decoupling evaluation related to PCB and LSI design. A useful explanation of the common-mode excitation mechanism, which utilizes the imbalance factor of a transmission line, is also presented. Some of the results were investigated by implementing prototypes of a high-speed EMI simulator, HISES. </p

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) of System-on-Package (SOP)

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues are expected to be crucial for next-generation system-on-package (SOP) integrated high-performance digital LSIs and for radio frequency (RF) and analog circuits. Ordinarily in SOPs, high-performance digital LSIs are sources of EMI, while RF and analog circuits are affected by EMI (victims). This paper describes the following aspects of EMI in SOPs: 1) die/package-level EMI; 2) substrate-level EMI; 3) electromagnetic modeling and simulation; and 4) near electromagnetic field measurement. First, LSI designs are discussed with regard to radiated emission. The signal-return path loop and switching current in the power/ground line are inherent sources of EMI. The EMI of substrate, which work as coupling paths or unwanted antennas, is described. Maintaining the return current path is an important aspect of substrate design for suppressing EMI and for maintaining signal integrity (SI). In addition, isolating and suppressing the resonance of the DC power bus in a substrate is another important design aspect for EMI and for power integrity (PI). Various electromagnetic simulation methodologies are introduced as indispensable design tools for achieving high-performance SOPs without EMI problems. Measurement techniques for near electric and magnetic fields are explained, as they are necessary to confirm the appropriateness of designs and to investigate the causes of EMI problems. This paper is expected to be useful in the design and development of SOPs that take EMI into consideration

Characterizing and modeling methods for power converters

“Stable power delivery is becoming increasingly important in modern electronic devices, especially in applications with stringent requirements of its form factor. With the evolution of technology, the switching frequency in a power converter is pushed to a higher frequency range, e.g., several MHz or even higher, to decrease its size. However, the loss generated in the converter increases drastically due to the high switching frequency. In addition, a wide-band feedback controller is required to accommodate the high switching frequency in the converter. We focus on the characterization or modeling of the feedback control circuits and critical components in a switching power converter. A transient-simulation-oriented averaged continuous-time model is proposed to evaluate the transient output noise of a buck converter. The proposed modeling method is developed with time-domain waveforms, which enables a generalized modeling framework for current-mode controllers with constant and nonconstant switching frequencies. In this work, we mainly focus on characterization for two types of components: the switching components, including Si MOSFETs and GaN High-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT), and the magnetic core in an inductor. For the characterization of switching components, a set of test fixtures are designed to characterize the equivalent circuit of Si MOSFETs and GaN HEMTs. The frequency-dependent behaviors of Si MOSFETs are observed, which invalidate the conventional modeling methods for MOSFETs, especially for radiated emission (RE) prediction. For the characterization of magnetic cores, two different probe calibration methods are demonstrated. Accurate phase discrepancy characterization is allowed with the proposed method, which overcomes the main limitation in the conventional two-winding method. In addition, the proposed method supports wide-band loss measurement without resonance tuning, which supports core loss measurement for non-sinusoidal excitation”--Abstract, page iv

Measurement and Analysis of Electromagnetic Field, Noise and IC Logic Error due to system-level ESD

Department of Electrical EngineeringAs the high performance very-large-scale integration (VLSI) systems operate with high speed and low voltage, the system-level electrostatic discharge (ESD) event is becoming one of the important noise sources causing logic errors and system malfunctions such as system reboot or fault. To understand the ESD noise phenomena and improve the system-level ESD noise immunity for devices, the accurate ESD noise measurement and analysis of IC logic errors are necessary. Section I is written for the tendency of ESD research and previous research. This paper presents the noise type correlation by measuring the signal-ground noise and power-ground noise simultaneously on the fundamental F/F operation circuit and shows the type of error from chip, in section II. Furthermore, the decoupling capacitors (de-cap) effect that can reduce the error occurrence by checking the error rate are analyzed. A generator is designed on the main board which is based on real operating laptop, and the chip on dual in-line memory module (DIMM) is also designed to perform the basic F/F operation. The clock and data input from generator are connected to the chip on the DIMM through the small outline dual in-line memory module (SODIMM) socket. ESD occurs at the corner of the ground plane of main board. The specification of the ESD generator satisfies IEC 61000-4-2 [1]. The ESD current flows along the ground strap, and affects the DIMM. IN-ground, CLK-ground, OUT-ground and power-ground on the DIMM are simultaneously measured to determine the effect of ESD on the main board. To analyze the error ratio according to the ESD voltage level, the voltage setup of the ESD gun is 3kV, 5kV and 8kV. To investigate the effects of chip shielding and DIMM de-caps on the error probability of DIMM, the experiment is conducted under the several conditions. After confirming the normal operation for each condition, the error type on the DIMM due to the ESD occurred in the circuit is analyzed and the statistics are shown. The results are verified by H-spice simulation, Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and HFSS simulation. In order to obtain the improvement method of the DIMM immunity, experiments are conducted to find out the effective position and number of DIMM de-cap. Accurate measurements of electromagnetic fields are also essential to analyze the radiated noise due to unwanted electrostatic discharge (ESD) events at electronic devices. Usually, to know the radiated noise by ESD events, the voltages induced at field probes are measured, and the fields are obtained from the voltage by de-convolving the probe factor. In section ???, the two probe-factor deconvolution methods are investigated and compared in the measurements of the fields induced by system-level ESD events.ope

Characterization and Modeling of High Power Microwave Effects in CMOS Microelectronics

The intentional use of high power microwave (HPM) signals to disrupt microelectronic systems is a substantial threat to vital infrastructure. Conventional methods to assess HPM threats involve empirical testing of electronic equipment, which provides no insight into fundamental mechanisms of HPM induced upset. The work presented in this dissertation is part of a broad effort to develop more effective means for HPM threat assessment. Comprehensive experimental evaluation of CMOS digital electronics was performed to provide critical information of the elementary mechanisms that govern the dynamics of HPM effects. Results show that electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices play a significant role in the behavior of circuits irradiated by HPM pulses. The PN junctions of the ESD protection devices distort HPM waveforms producing DC voltages at the input of the core logic elements, which produces output bit errors and abnormal circuit power dissipation. The dynamic capacitance of these devices combines with linear parasitic elements to create resonant structures that produce nonlinear circuit dynamics such as spurious oscillations. The insight into the fundamental mechanisms this research has revealed will contribute substantially to the broader effort aimed at identifying and mitigating susceptibilities in critical systems. Also presented in this work is a modeling technique based on scalable analytical circuit models that accounts for the non-quasi-static behavior of the ESD protection PN junctions. The results of circuit simulations employing these device models are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements, and are capable of predicting the threshold of effect for HPM driven non-linear circuit dynamics. For the first time, a deterministic method of evaluating HPM effects based on physical, scalable device parameters has been demonstrated. The modeling presented in this dissertation can be easily integrated into design cycles and will greatly aid the development of electronic systems with improved HPM immunity

Electrical Optimization of a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Hybrid electric vehicles electrification and optimization is a prominent part of today’s automotive industry. GM and the Department of Energy challenge 16 universities across North America to redesign a Chevrolet Camaro into a hybrid electric vehicle. This thesis will address how Embry Riddle Aeronautical University’s EcoCAR team electrified and optimized the vehicle. The objective of the thesis is to optimize the electric portion of the vehicle, particularly the low voltage circuitry. Prior work is discussed in detail on the vehicle communication bus, building the power distribution unit and the approach the electrical team took when building the electric portion of the vehicle. Simulations were done based on manufacturer data and bench tests to create an ideal model. Data was collected from the vehicle and compared to the ideal model to determine errors in the electrical system. An emphasis was placed on critical and high power components to simplify the simulation model. The issues found were alleviated by conducting research, using research analysis, physically changing the system or by implementing control strategies. Most of the issues came from the power distribution unit and implementation techniques such as grounding. The MOSFETs within the power distribution unit was not fully turning on and off, and which was due to a slow RC time constant occurring on the gate of the transistors. By replacing the resistors, this issue was mitigated. Every problem found was properly mitigated to an acceptable industry or research standard

Analog-Digital System Modeling for Electromagnetic Susceptibility Prediction

The thesis is focused on the noise susceptibility of communication networks. These analog-mixed signal systems operate in an electrically noisy environment, in presence of multiple equipments connected by means of long wiring. Every module communicates using a transceiver as an interface between the local digital signaling and the data transmission through the network. Hence, the performance of the IC transceiver when affected by disturbances is one of the main factors that guarantees the EM immunity of the whole equipment. The susceptibility to RF and transient disturbances is addressed at component level on a CAN transceiver as a test case, highlighting the IC features critical for noise immunity. A novel procedure is proposed for the IC modeling for mixed-signal immunity simulations of communication networks. The procedure is based on a gray-box approach, modeling IC ports with a physical circuit and the internal links with a behavioural block. The parameters are estimated from time and frequency domain measurements, allowing accurate and efficient reproduction of non-linear device switching behaviours. The effectiveness of the modeling process is verified by applying the proposed technique to a CAN transceiver, involved in a real immunity test on a data communication link. The obtained model is successfully implemented in a commercial solver to predict both the functional signals and the RF noise immunity at component level. The noise immunity at system level is then evaluated on a complete communication network, analyzing the results of several tests on a realistic CAN bus. After developing models for wires and injection probes, a noise immunity test in avionic environment is carried out in a simulation environment, observing good overall accuracy and efficiency

Contribution to improve the EMI performance of electrical drive systems in vehicles with special consideration of power semiconductor modules

Diese Arbeit dient als Beitrag zur Verbesserung des EMV-Verhaltens elektrischer Antriebssysteme in Fahrzeugen, wobei der Fokus auf dem Leistungshalbleitermodul für die Automobilanwendung liegt. Für ein besseres und tieferes Verständnis der Quelle von leitungsgebundenen Störungen werden die EMV-Mechanismen und -Effekte im Zusammenhang mit dem Leistungsmodul im Antriebssystem durch Simulationen und Messungen untersucht. Der Einfluss der Diode Reverse Recovery Effekte auf das EMV-Verhalten wird quantitativ mit verschiedenen Lastströmen sowie mit verschiedenen Diodentypen, wie z.B. SiC-Schottky-Dioden, analysiert. Durch Simulationen wird der Einfluss des Leistungsmoduls auf das System untersucht; auf dieser Basis wird die Bedeutung verschiedener Faktoren innerhalb und außerhalb des Leistungsmoduls für das EMV-Verhalten bewertet. Zur Validierung der Simulationsergebnisse wird der Messaufbau für eine konventionelle EMV-Messung für die Automobilanwendung vorgestellt. Die Messergebnisse belegen, dass die Simulationsmodelle unter bestimmten Randbedingungen für zukünftige Leistungsmodulkonstruktionen zur EMV-Vorhersage verwendbar sind. Basierend auf dem Verständnis, wie es aus den Simulationen und Messergebnissen hergeleitet wurde, werden konkrete Optimierungskonzepte für ein inhärent störungsarmes Leistungsmodul entwickelt und realisiert. Dessen EMV-Verhalten sowie der Aufwand des Musterbaus aus Sicht des Leistungsmodulherstellers werden anhand verschiedenen Kriterien verglichen und bewertet. Außerdem wird das dynamische und Kurzschlussverhalten der Prototypen einschließlich der Stromverteilung zwischen den Halbleiterchips charakterisiert. In dieser Arbeit wird ein neuartiges Testverfahren vorgestellt, mit dem es möglich ist, das leitungsgebundene EMV-Verhalten von Leistungsmodulen abzuschätzen, ohne den gesamten Testaufbau wie bei einer konventionellen EMV-Messung zu erstellen. Diese Charakterisierung kann anschließend in der Phase der Inverterentwicklung verwendet werden, um ein geeignetes Modul auszuwählen und den erwarteten Aufwand zur Einhaltung der EMV Standards zu bewerten.This work serves as a contribution to improve the EMI performance of electrical drive systems in vehicles; the focus is on the power semiconductor module for automotive application. For a better and deeper understanding of the conducted EMI source, the conducted EMI mechanisms and effects in the drive system are investigated through simulations as well as measurements with special consideration of power modules: The influence of the diode recovery effects on the EMI performance is quantitatively analyzed with different load currents, as well as with different types of diodes, e.g. SiC Schottky barrier diode. Through the simulation, the influence coming from the power module to the system is clarified; the importance of different factors inside and outside of the power module regarding EMI performance are therefore evaluated. To validate the simulation results, the setup and test bench for a conventional EMI measurement for the typical automotive application are presented. Through the measurement results it is proven that the simulation models are usable under certain boundary conditions for future power module designs with regard to the EMI prediction. Based on the understanding and the conclusions from the simulation and measurement results, concrete EMI optimization concepts for an inherently low-interference power module are developed and realized. The EMI performance as well as the feasibility of the sample modules are compared and evaluated under different criteria from the power module manufacturer’s point of view. Besides, the dynamic and short-circuit performances of the sample modules, regarding to the current distribution on the semiconductor chips, are characterized. A novel test procedure is introduced in this work, by which it is possible to estimate the conducted EMI performance of power modules without building the whole test setup like in a conventional EMI measurement. This characterization can subsequently be used in the phase of converter development to select a suitable device and evaluate the expected effort to comply with EMI standards

COMMON MODE VOLTAGE ELIMINATION IN THREE-PHASE FOUR-LEG INVERTERS UTILIZING PULSE DENSITY MODULATION

Common mode (CM) electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a phenomenon that negatively affects power electronics to include voltage source inverters. Typically, CM EMI reduction is achieved through passive measures such as CM chokes and passive filters. This thesis research explores removing the need for these passive devices in three-phase, four-leg grid-following inverters by eliminating CM EMI using pulse density modulation (PDM) in conjunction with model predictive control (MPC) and delta modulation. A physics-based model of the equipment under test (EUT), utilizing state-space modeling, was analyzed using computer simulations and a laboratory prototype, utilizing SiC switching devices, was designed to validate the model. The physics-based model of the proposed control system was converted to Verilog, a hardware description language (HDL) utilizing MATLAB HDL coder in order to control the laboratory prototype via a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Simulated and experimental results demonstrate that both the unbalanced load requirements in MIL-STD-1399 and the conducted emission limits in MIL-STD-461G are met with the proposed controller, while the grid-following converter supplies a desired current to the load.Office of Naval Research, Arlington VA 22203-1995Outstanding ThesisLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited