Signal Integrity in Research PCBs
The Challenge: Designing a custom data acquisition (DAQ) board capable of sampling at 5 K/s while maintaining an ultra-low noise floor for mechanics research.
Engineering Approach: We utilized a 10-layer PCB stack-up with Rogers RO4350B high-frequency laminate. Critical high-speed traces were routed as strictly impedance-controlled differential pairs with via-stitching to suppress EMI. Power delivery networks (PDN) were heavily decoupled and separated into distinct digital and analog planes.
Outcome: The final prototype achieved a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) that outperformed commercial off-the-shelf PXIe cards by 15%, giving the research team the precision they needed.