Analyzing power/ground plane decoupling performance using the partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) simulation technique

Decoupling capacitors are used to provide a local source of charge for ICs requiring a significant amount of supply current in response to internal switching. If sufficient decoupling capacitors are not used, the required supply current is not available, and the device does not operate properly, and signal integrity data errors can result. In addition to the signal integrity requirement, decoupling capacitors serve as EMC filters to prevent high frequency RF signals from propagating throughout the PC board. This requires them to provide a low impedance across the frequencies of interest. PEEC (partial element equivalent circuit) has become a popular alternative to some of the more traditional modeling techniques. One of it´s biggest advantages is the easy ability to add circuit elements into an electromagnetic simulator, making it a preferred choice for printed circuit board simulations which include lumped circuit elements, such as inductance, capacitance, and resistance. A number of examples of PEEC´s usefulness in EMC modeling applications are presented