Discrete Wiring: A Systems Approach To High Speed DesignProblems

Increasing speeds combined with the level of integration that can be obtained with advanced IC technology has dramatically changed the interconnection requirements for high performance electronic systems. With much of today's circuitry being implemented in custom silicon, IC technology has allowed both a dramatic reduction in size and a tremendous increase in performance. However, in terms of the interconnection problem, the by‐product of advanced IC technology is a new generation of IC s that often require several hundred I/OS, exhibit rise times of 150 ps to 300 ps, and dissipate several watts per device. As demanding requirements are placed upon circuit boards, the complexity of the design task increases dramatically, since a working solution must simultaneously address interconnection density, signal integrity and thermal performance. This paper examines embedded discrete wiring technology as a high density solution that meets the requirements necessary for transporting high speed digital signals.