Recommendations for the Design of Differential Thin-Film Microstrip Lines

Reliable high-speed data transmission and high-speed electronic components require a high level of Signal Integrity (SI) to handle hundreds of channels and thousands of input/output connections on a single chip. Due to the increasing demand for high-density layouts on a single chip, crosstalk effects are becoming critical for the system performance. This paper investigates crosstalk effects for coupled thin-film microstrip lines (TFMSL) in the frequency range up to 50 GHz. Neighborhood effects on the propagation characteristics of the common and the differential modes and mode conversion losses are discussed, and furthermore recommendations for the mitigation of unwanted effects are provided.