# An Interview with Hank Zumbahlen - Zoppa Zumbahlen Zateticism

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2014-02-19
- Length: 1h 23m
- Episode: 185
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/185-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism/

## Summary

Hank Zumbahlen, an application engineer at Analog Devices, discusses the critical importance of grounding, power supply decoupling, and PCB layout in analog design. He explains how digital return currents and high-frequency effects can corrupt sensitive analog signals, emphasizing the need to separate analog and digital grounds and manage impedance. The conversation covers specific technologies like MEMS accelerometers, sigma-delta ADCs, and digital isolators, highlighting how integration and physical layout impact performance. Zumbahlen also shares anecdotes about testing high-power regulators and designing audio DACs, stressing that understanding the underlying physics is essential even with highly integrated chips.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=0) Introduction: Hank Zumbahlen and Analog Devices
- [2:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=143) Hank Zumbahlen's Career at National Semiconductor and Analog Devices
- [5:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=333) The Linear Circuit Design Handbook and Free Resources
- [10:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=602) Grounding, Decoupling, and Power Supply Issues
- [20:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=1210) Analog vs. Digital Grounds and Return Currents
- [28:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=1714) Testing High-Power Linear Regulators and Heat Dissipation
- [33:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=2008) RF, High Frequencies, and PCB Layout Challenges
- [39:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=2385) MEMS Sensors, Accelerometers, and Gyroscopes
- [49:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=2991) ADCs: Sigma-Delta, SAR, Resolution vs. Accuracy
- [1:00:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=3624) PCB Design, Signal Integrity, and Crosstalk
- [1:10:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-19-an-interview-with-hank-zumbahlen-zoppa-zumbahlen-zateticism#t=4248) Digital Isolators and Emerging Analog Technologies

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Analog & power electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/analog-and-power-electronics)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Analog Devices (company)
- National Semiconductor (company)
- Linear Circuit Design Handbook (other)
- ADUCM350 (chip)
- ADUCM360 (chip)
- HackRF (product)
- Sigma-Delta ADC (chip)
- SAR Converter (chip)
- MEMS Accelerometer (chip)
- Digital Isolator (chip)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Spark Gap - Episode 21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2014-11-26-the-spark-gap-episode-21) (The Spark Gap)
- [379: Monstrous Cable Corporation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-07-08-379-monstrous-cable-corporation) (Embedded.fm)
- [EMC Expert Debunks Common PCB Grounding Myths](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-01-27-emc-expert-debunks-common-pcb-grounding-myths) (OnTrack)
- [The State of Analog Design in 2023](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2023-01-20-the-state-of-analog-design-in-2023) (EE Times Current)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2014-08-20-the-spark-gap-episode-10) (The Spark Gap)

## Citing this page

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