An Interview with Eric Bogatin - Tilded Thumb Tenets
Eric Bogatin, Dean of the Teledyne LeCroy Signal Integrity Academy, explains the foundational physics of signal integrity, emphasizing that engineers must understand Maxwell's equations and the concept of 'being the signal' to grasp how voltage waves propagate on transmission lines. He outlines three essential rules of thumb: bandwidth is approximately 0.35 divided by rise time, signals travel at roughly 6 inches per nanosecond in FR4, and a 50-ohm microstrip requires a line-to-dielectric thickness ratio of 2:1. Bogatin discusses the importance of using 2D and 3D field solvers like those from Polar Instruments for accurate impedance calculation, particularly with hatched ground planes, and critiques common misconceptions about inductance and capacitance in power distribution networks.