The Engineer’s Guide to
High-Quality PCB Design
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V
irtually every electronic product is while meeting the design requirements. Designers
constructed with one or more printed- just need to mind the essential documentation,
circuit boards (PCBs). The PCBs hold design steps and strategies, and final checks.
the ICs and other components and implement
the interconnections between them. PCBs are The Basic Design Process
created in abundance for portable electronics, The ideal PCB design starts with the discovery
that a PCB is needed and continues through the
computers, and entertainment equipment.
final production boards (Fig. 1). After determining
They are also made for test equipment,
why the PCB is needed, the product’s final concept
manufacturing, and spacecraft.
should be decided. The concept includes the
design’s features, the functions the PCB must have
Eventually, almost every EE must design a PCB,
and perform, interconnection with other circuits,
which isn’t something that’s taught in school. Yet
placement, and the approximate final dimensions.
engineers, technicians, and even novice PCB
designers can create high-quality PCBs for any and
Ambient temperature range and concerns regarding
every purpose with confidence that the outcome will
the operating environment should be addressed
meet or exceed the objective. Also, these designs
and used to specify the materials selected for the
can be completed on schedule and within budget
PCB. Components and PCB materials must be
selected to guarantee operation under all expected
1. The ideal PCB design flow begins when designers and potential forms of duress the board may be
recognize a need that must be fulfilled, and it doesn’t end
until testing verifies that the design can meet those needs. exposed to during its lifetime.
The circuit schematic is drawn based on the
Need Concept Schematic concept. This detailed diagram shows the electrical
implementation of each function of the PCB. With
Board-level block the schematic drawn, a realistic drawing of the
diagram
final PCB dimensions should be completed with
All needs areas designated for each of the circuit’s schematic
Errors Component placement
fulfilled
blocks (groups of components closely connected
for electrical reasons or constraints).
First-pass placement
Bill Of Materials
Routing Verification Simultaneously with the schematic’s creation, the
bill of materials (BOM) should be generated. The
components in the circuit should be selected by
Report Testing Tapeout
analyzing the maximum operating voltages and
current levels of each node of the circuit while
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considering tolerance criteria. With electrically the device), blind/buried vias, surface finish and
satisfactory components chosen, each component leveling, hole tolerances, layer count, and more.1
should be reconsidered based on availability,
budget, and size. Schematic Details
Schematics control the project, so accuracy
The BOM must be kept up-to-date with the and completeness are critical for success. They
schematic at all times. The BOM requires the include information that is necessary for the proper
quantity, reference designators, value (numeric operation of the circuit. A schematic should include
value of ohms, farads, etc.), manufacturer part adequate design details, such as pin numbers,
number, and PCB footprint for each component. names, component values, and ratings (Fig. 2).
These five requirements are critical because they 2. Proper schematics, such as this one for the IDTP9021R
define how many of each part are needed, explain wireless power receiver’s buck regulator block, include pin
numbers, names, component values, ratings, and other
identification and circuit locations while exactly
vital details.
describing each circuit element used for purchasing
and substitution, and explain the size of each part
for area estimations. Additional descriptions may be
added, but it should be a condensed list describing
each circuit element, and too much information
can over-complicate library development and
management.
PCB Documentation
The PCB’s documents should include the hardware
dimensional drawings, schematic, BOM, layout file,
component placement file, assembly drawings and
instructions, and Gerber file set. User guides also Embedded within each schematic symbol is the
are useful but aren’t required. The Gerber file set manufacturer part number used to determine price
is PCB jargon for the output files of the layout that and specifications. The package specification
are used by PCB manufacturers to create the PCB. determines the size of the footprint for each
A complete set of Gerber files includes output files component. The first step should be to make sure
generated from the board layout file: the exposed copper for each pin is in the proper
location and is slightly larger than the component
• Silkscreen top and bottom pins (3 to 20 mils) depending on available area and
• Solder mask top and bottom soldering method.
• All metal layers
• Paste mask top and bottom Consider assembly when designing footprints,
• Component map (X-Y coordinates) and follow the manufacturer’s recommended PCB
• Assembly drawing top and bottom footprint. Some components come in microscopic
• Drill file packages and do not allow room for extra copper.
• Drill legend Even in these cases, a stripe of 2.5 to 3 mils of
• FAB outline (dimensions, special features) solder mask should be applied between every pin
• Netlist file on the board.
The special features included in the FAB outline Follow the rule of 10. Small vias have a finished
include but are not limited to notches, cutouts, hole size of 10 mils with 10 additional mils of pad
bevels, back-filled vias-in-pad (used for BGA-type ring. Traces should be 10 mils or further from the
IC packages that have an array of pins under edge of the board. Trace-to-trace pitch is 10 mils
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3. IC thermal conduction can be achieved through the use of thermal vias and copper planes.
(5-mil air-gap, 5-mil trace width, 1-oz copper). Vias with two to four vias at each layer transition.
with 40-mil diameter holes or larger should have Place multiple vias at layer transitions to increase
a pad ring added for reliability. An additional 15 to reliability, reduce resistive and inductive losses, and
25 mils of clearance beyond the design rule should improve thermal conductivity.
be instated for copper planes on outer layers
from plane to pins. This reduces the risk of solder Thermal Issues
bridging at all solder points. The heat generated by the IC is transferred from
the device to the copper layers of the PCB (Fig.
Component Placement 3). The ideal thermal design will result in the entire
Component placement is next in the process board being the same temperature. The copper
and determined based on thermal management, thickness, number of layers, continuity of thermal
function, and electrical noise considerations. A first- paths, and board area will have a direct impact on
pass component placement step commences after the operating temperature of components.
the outline of component and interconnect position
has been assigned. Immediately after the individual To reduce operating temperatures easily, use more
components are placed, a placement review should layers of solid ground or power planes connected
be held and adjustments made to facilitate routing directly to heat sources with multiple vias.
and optimize performance. Establishing effective heat and high-current routes
will optimize heat transfer by means of convection.
Placement and package sizes are often The use of thermally conductive planes to spread
reconsidered and changes are made at this point the heat evenly dramatically lowers the temperature
based on size and cost. Components absorbing by maximizing the area used for heat transfer to the
greater than 10 mW or conducting more than 10 atmosphere (Fig. 4).2
mA should be considered powerful enough for
additional thermal and electrical considerations. With even heat distribution, the following formula
Sensitive signals should be shielded from noise can be used to estimate surface temperatures:
sources with planes and be kept impedance- P = (heatConvection) x area x (ΔT)
controlled. where:
P = power dissipated on the board
Power management components should utilize Area = board (X axis x Y axis)
ground planes or power planes for heat flow. ΔT = surface temperature – ambient temperature
Make high-current connections according to the HeatConvection = convection constant based on
acceptable voltage drop for the connection. Layer ambient conditions
transitions for high current paths should be made
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4. Effective heat spreading can distribute the heat
Final inspections should involve verification that
uniformly from a heat source to all of the PCB’s sensitive nodes and circuits are properly shielded
exposed surfaces. from noise sources, solder mask exists between
pins and vias, and the silkscreen is clear and
concise. When determining layer stack-up, use
the first inner layer below the component sides as
ground and assign power planes to other layers.
Stack-ups are created in a manner that balances
the board relative to the midpoint of the Z axis.
Consider any concerns the PCB designer has
during the reviews, and correct the PCB based on
feedback generated by the reviews. Create and
verify lists of changes during each review iteration
until the board is finalized. During all stages of
the layout, keep the design error free by using the
design rule checker (DRC).
Fine-Tuning The Component The DRC can only catch errors that it has been
Placement programmed to monitor, and DRC rule sets
Components should be placed in the following often change based on individual designs. At the
order: connectors, power circuits, sensitive and minimum, the design rule checking should cover
precision circuits, critical circuit components, and package-to-package spacing, unconnected nets (a
then the rest. The schematic is built around each unique name identifying each node of the circuit),
part on the PCB and completely interconnected. shorted nets, air-gap violations, if vias are too close
Routing priority for the circuit is chosen based on to solder pads, if vias are too close to each other,
power levels, noise susceptibility, or generation and and vertical clearance violations.
routing capability.
Many other important DRC rules can be set
In general, trace widths of 10 to 20 mils are to ensure a robust design, and they should be
used for traces carrying 10 to 20 mA and 5 to 8 researched and understood. For example, keep
mils for traces carrying less current than 10 mA. clearances at or above 5 mils. Vias should not be
High-frequency (greater than 3 MHz) and rapidly located within surface-mount pads (unless back-
changing signals should be carefully considered filled). And, solder mask should be between all
when routed along with high-impedance nodes. solder points.
The lead engineer/designer should review the Cost is often a driving influence behind PCB
layout, and physical locations and routing paths design, so it is good to understand the cost adders
should be adjusted iteratively until the circuit is in PCB manufacturing. A typical board is two to
optimized for all design constraints. The number four layers, with no drill holes less than 10 mils
of layers depends on power levels and complexity. in diameter and 5-mil minimum air gaps and
Add layers in pairs since the copper cladding is trace widths. It also should be 0.062 in. thick with
produced that way. The routing of power signals standard FR-4 and a copper foil weight of 1 oz.
and planes, the grounding scheme, and the Additional layers, extra thick or thin boards, vias-in-
board’s ability to be used as intended all influence pad, back-filled vias (non-conductive preferred due
operation. to conductivity limitations and thermal expansion
differences), blind/buried vias, and lead time all
substantially add to the overall cost.
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Manufacturer capabilities should be understood About the Author
when the PCB design commences. PCB fabs are Nicholaus Smith is an applications
routinely contacted about capabilities and cost engineer at Integrated Device
reduction techniques when designing PCBs for Technology with more than 10 years of
manufacturability. experience working on printed-circuit
boards (PCBs) and in semiconductor
Summary engineering. He was educated at the University
PCB design may be complex, but it is quite possible of Arizona and San Jose State University while
to design good boards with a little technique working as a technician and PCB designer. During
and practice. Using these guidelines and adding his career, he has designed and used PCBs for
research when needed, seasoned veterans may engineering evaluation, customer demonstration, IC
continue honing their skills and novice designers qualification, and automatic test equipment.
may learn to create high-quality PCBs that exceed
expectations.
References
1. Cohen, Patricio, Concepts and terminology used
in Printed Circuit Boards (PCB), Electrosoft
Engineering, Web, May 25, 2013.
2. Mauney, Charles, Thermal Considerations for
Surface Mount Layouts, Texas Instruments, Web,
May 13, 2013.
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