274

SIMPLE ELECTROMAGNETICS

LABS

Lab 5. Coupling
Background:

between
~.

signal lines
~

Circuits, Chapt~rs 6, 8, 15 and 16 in Introductory Electromagnetics

A printed circuit board has a large number of signal lines that often run parallel to each other and have a common ground plane at some other layer of the board. When there is a voltage on one of the lines, there are charges on it, which induce charges on other lines (especially neighboring ones). In other words, there are mutual capacitances between these lines and the signal on one line will couple to the other lines through these capacitances. Similarly, if currents are flowing in two adjacent lines, their mutual inductance makes a signal -in one of them couple to the other. Unwanted coupling of signals is a common problem, and in this lab we learn how to recognize it from measured waveforms. Purpose: to measure and quantify capacitive (electric) and inductive (magnetiC) coupling on the example of a simple 3-trace model of a printed circuit board. We will do the experiments so that we observe capacitive and inductive coupling separately, with a goal of being able to recognize them in other more complex circuits.
Source line

E
Coupled vert) line

+ vs(t)

(b)

ie(t)

Rc

1
(a)

Fig. L5.1. (a) Electric (capacitive) coupling between two lines on a printed circuit board, and (b) equivalent circuit model.

Pre-lab

problems:

PL5.1. A simple model of two lines on a printed circuit board, with a common ground plane underneath, is shown in Fig. L5.1a. A voltage generator of voltage vs(t) is connected to one of the lines, called the source line. The source line produces an electric filed, which induces charges and current in the other line. A voltage can therefore be measured across the resistor connected to the other line, called the coupled line. A circuit model is shown in Fig. L5.1b. Find an approximate expression for the coupled current ic(t) as a function ofthe source voltage vs(t), assuming that the capacitance is small so that most of the voltage drop occurs across the capacitor that models the coupling. For a 2.5-MHz triangular voltage vs(t) with 10V peakto-peak, a capacitance of 2 pF between the lines and the coupled-line load Rc = 50 f2, find the coupled voltage vc(t). Sketch the voltage waveforms of vs(t) and vc(t). Is the assumption that the voltage drop across the coupling capacitor is much larger than the voltage drop across Rc a good one in this case?

LAB 5: COUPLING BETWEEN SIGNAL LINES

275

PL5.2. The signal line is next connected to the ground through a resistor, so a current can flow through it, Fig. L5.2. In addition, we ground the end of the coupled line that was floating in PL5.1. The current in the signal line causes a magnetic field and an induced electric field, which will induce a voltage on the coupled line, dictated by Faraday's law. In an equivalent circuit this type of coupling is -represented by a mutual inductance, M, between the lines.
The induced voltage is given by Vm(t)

M dis(t)jdt,

where is(t) is the source line current.

Assume the same triangular wave for the generator voltage as in PL5.1, a mutual inductance of M = 50 nH, source load Rs = 50 n, and find the inductively coupled voltage Vm(t). ....
Source line

I H
+ Vg(t) vc{t) Coupled line

is(t) +
Rs

:? vs(t)

Fig. L5.2. Magnetic (inductive) coupling between two lines on a printed circuit board.

Lab: Equipment and parts:

- a signal generator; a 2-channel scope (as in Labs 1 and 2);

- 3 metal traces on a board, or a standard breadboard and 3 wires that model the signal, coupled and ground traces;

- 2 Tees with 50-n resistors that can change the input impedance of the scope, an additional
50-n resistor. Part 1: Capacitive coupling

Set up the experiment as in Fig. L5.3, with 50-n terminations on both scope channels. If you do not have the capability to etch a board with traces with mounted connectors, use a breadboard and parallel pieces of wire. In order to measure just capacitive coupling, leave the coupled line open at one end, so that there can be no inductively induced current th'rough resistor Re. Externally trigger the scope, and use a 10-V peak-to-peak 2.5-MHz triangular generator waveform. L5.1. Sketch the waveform of the capacitively coupled voltage, Ve(t), along with the waveform of the source voltage, vs( t). Based on results from your prelab problem PL5.1, calculate the value C of the coupling (mutual) capacitance between the lines. If your are using a breadboard, measure also the internal capacitance between the breadboard lines.
Part 2: Inductive coupling is

Next observe inductive coupling alone by shorting the end of the coupled line. The current now allowed to flow, so we see inductive (magnetic) coupling. ,

276

SIMPLE ELECTROMAGNETICS

LABS

L5.2. Are we still observing the capacitively coupled voltage across Rc? What happened to the capacitively-coupled current? L5.3. Sketch the magnetically coupled voltage, along with the signal voltage. Based on the results from your prelab problem PL5.2, calculate the value M of the mutual inductance between the lines. Part 3: Capacitive and inductive coupling when loading is varied

Now observe the effect of different resistor loadings at the ends of the two lines. First, change the coupled line resistance (channel 2 of the scope) to 1 Mn, and leave the source resistance (channell) at 50 n. L5.4. Is the capacitively coupled signal larger or smaller than in Part I? What about the shape of the waveform? Explain. (Hint: is the assumption you made in PL5.1 valid in this case?)

~
+ Signal generator Fig. L5.3.

Coupled line
Ch.2 Source Ground line Ch.l line (1 M{1 or 50 (1 ) (50 (1)

Oscilloscope

Setup for measuring

capacitive

and inductive

coupling.

L5.5. Now observe the inductive coupling (short the end of the coupled line). Sketch the resulting coupled waveform. What do you think is going on? (Hint: there is also a selfinductance in the loop, which changes the equivalent circuit.)
In the last part, change the coupled line resistance (channel 2 of the scope) to 50 n, and the
~

source resistance (channell)

to 1 Mft

L5.6. Sketch the capacitively coupled voltage. Explain. L5.7. Sketch the inductively coupled voltage. This one will be confusing. To explain it, think of what the current along the length of the source line looks like. L5.8. Imagine now you had a digital signal on the signal line, consisting of a train of rectangular pulses. What would the capacitively and inductively coupled signals look like in this case? Sketch the digital pulse and the two coupled signals.
Conclusions: 1. Voltages (charges) give rise to capacitive coupling, and currents give rise to inductive coupling, for example, between signal lines on a pc board. This coupling can dramatically change the signal waveforms. 2. A signal can appear on a line even if the line is not connected to a source or a load. of

3. In general, capacitively and inductively coupled signals have the forms of derivatives the original signal that they are taking energy out of.