Analog and mixed-signal designers frequently balance simulation speed with physical accuracy. To meet project timelines, engineering teams often use compact models, averaged behaviors, and linearized solvers. While these models serve as useful approximations, they can introduce specific limitations. This technical FAQ examines three modeling gaps identified in engineering literature and outlines algorithmic methods to address […]
FAQ
AI’s demand for faster, more reliable IC testing
Artificial intelligence (AI) models are being applied to almost everything, from helping people write emails to microcontrollers understanding the meaning of IoT sensor data at the edge of the network. This is creating massive demand for AI computing resources, particularly CPUs, GPUs, and xPUs used in data centers to train and run large language models. […]
Avoid ground loops in mixed-signal circuits, part 2
Picking up where we left off in Part 1, we need to explore some methods to mitigate problems caused by unpredictable ground currents. Let’s start with some simplification, although we may need to first complicate things to then simplify them. First, let’s arrange a massive ground plane around the analog circuitry on the PC board. […]
Is your power supply noise an analog issue?
Mixed-signal electronic systems combine analog circuitry with high-speed digital logic, potentially allowing power rail disturbances to couple into sensitive analog measurements. Common anomalies span analog-to-digital (ADC) output spurs, sensor reading drift, and timing circuit jitter. To resolve these issues, engineers must determine whether the disturbance originates in the signal path or from noise coupled through […]
What are attention mechanisms, and how do they work in speech and audio processing?
Attention mechanisms are very useful innovations in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) for processing sequential data, especially in speech and audio applications. This FAQ talks about how attention mechanisms work at their core, how they are used in automatic speech recognition systems, and how transformer architectures can handle advanced audio processing. What are the […]
Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 5
ENOB describes an analog-to-digital converter’s performance with respect to total noise and distortion. In the earlier parts of this series on analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), we looked at the basics (part 1); gain error, offset error, and differential nonlinearity (part 2); integral nonlinearity (part 3); and then we looked at some ADC topologies and introduced AC […]
Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 4
The AC performance of an analog-to-digital converter depends on its architecture. In part 3 of this series, we discussed the integral nonlinearity (INL) error of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), noting that gain, offset, and INL error all contribute to the total unadjusted error. This metric provides an overall view of an ADC’s DC performance. Q: What about the AC […]
Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 2
Specifications such as gain error, offset error, and differential nonlinearity help define an analog-to-digital converter’s performance. In part 1 of this series, we discussed an ideal analog-to-digital converter (ADC), noting that it would have infinite resolution and bandwidth. Then we looked at the real world of practical inverters and how their resolution, expressed in a […]
How op amps work and why you should use them: part 3
Operational amplifiers (op amps) are almost the perfect amplifier. As long as you keep a few important details in mind, their imperfections will seem invisible. In part 1, Equations 2 and 3 used the term AV for the voltage gain of the simple noninverting amplifier shown in Figure 1. The equations use α for the […]
What are the best practices for PCB-to-harness transitions?
Transition points between PCB traces and wire harnesses impact signal integrity, system-level reliability, and manufacturability. Improperly calibrated transition points can introduce impedance discontinuities, signal loss, or thermal stress. Mechanical strain and layout constraints also restrict routing flexibility, complicate manufacturing, and may contribute to long-term system failures. This article outlines best practices for optimizing PCB-to-harness transition […]
