This document provides practical, common guidelines for incorporating PCI Express interconnect
layouts onto Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) ranging from 4-layer desktop baseboard designs to 10-
layer or more server baseboard designs. Guidelines and constraints in this document are intended
for use on both baseboard and add-in card PCB designs. This includes interconnects between PCI
Express devices located on the same baseboard (chip-to-chip routing) and interconnects between
a PCI Express device located “down” on the baseboard and a device located “up” on an add-in
card attached through a connector.
This document is intended to cover all major components of the physical interconnect including
design guidelines for the PCB traces, vias and AC coupling capacitors, as well as add-in card
edge-finger and connector considerations. The intent of the guidelines and examples is to help
ensure that good high-speed signal design practices are used and that the timing/jitter and
loss/attenuation budgets can also be met from end-to-end across the PCI Express interconnect.
However, while general physical guidelines and suggestions are given, they may not necessarily
guarantee adequate performance of the interconnect for all layouts and implementations.
Therefore, designers should consider modeling and simulation of the interconnect in order to
ensure compliance to all applicable specifications.
The document is composed of two main sections. The first section provides an overview of
general topology and interconnect guidelines. The second section concentrates on physical layout
constraints where bulleted items at the beginning of a topic highlight important constraints, while
the narrative that follows offers additional insight.
Abstract: This application note details a step-by-step design process for the MAX16833 high-voltagehigh-brightness LED driver. This process can speed up prototyping and increase the chance for firstpass
Abstract: This document details the Oceanside (MAXREFDES9#) subsystem reference design, a 3.3V to 15V input,±15V (±12V) output, isolated power supply. The Oceanside design includes a high-efficiency step-up controller, a36V H-bridge transformer driver for isolated supplies, a wide input range, and adjustable output low-dropout linearregulator (LDO). Test results and hardware files are included.
Abstract: Uses the MAX641 switching controller and an external discrete charge pump to step up the input voltage. This circuitcan service low loads and is efficient when the output is two, three, four times the input voltage. Adding the MAX627 MOSdriver can further increase the output current capability.
Abstract: Some types of loads require more current during startup than when running. Other loads can be limited to a lower-powercurrent during startup but require a higher operating current. This article describes an application circuit that automatically adjusts apower circuit’s overcurrent protection level up or down after startup is complete.
The LTC®3414 offers a compact and efficient voltage regulatorsolution for point of load conversion in electronicsystems that require low output voltages (down to 0.8V)from a 2.5V to 5V power bus. Internal power MOSFETswitches, with only 67mW on-resistance, allow theLTC3414 to deliver up to 4A of output current with efficiencyas high as 94%. The LTC3414 saves space by operatingwith switching frequencies as high as 4MHz, enabling theuse of tiny inductors and capacitors.
Many complex systems—such as telecom equipment,memory modules, optical systems, networking equipment,servers and base stations—use FPGAs and otherdigital ICs that require multiple voltage rails that muststart up and shut down in a specific order, otherwise theICs can be damaged. The LTC®2924 is a simple andcompact solution to power supply sequencing in a 16-pinSSOP package (see Figures 1 and 2).
Automotive batteries, industrial power supplies, distributedsupplies and wall transformers are all sources ofwide-ranging high voltage inputs. The easiest way to stepdown these sources is with a high voltage monolithicstep-Down regulator that can directly accept a wide inputrange and produce a well-regulated output. The LT®3493accepts inputs from 3.6V to 36V and LT3481 acceptsinputs from 3.6V to 34V. Both provide excellent lineand load regulation and dynamic response. The LT3481offers a high effi ciency solution over a wide load range andkeeps the output ripple low during Burst Mode® operationwhile the LT3493 provides a tiny solution with minimalexternal components. The LT3493 operates at 750kHzand the LT3481 has adjustable frequency from 300kHzto 2.8MHz. High frequency operation enables the use ofsmall, low cost inductors and ceramic capacitors.
Typical industrial and automotive applications requiremultiple high current, low voltage power supply solutionsto drive everything from disc drives to microprocessors.For many of these applications, particularly thosethat have size constraints, the LT3501® dual step-Downconverter is an attractive solution because it’s compactand inexpensive compared to a 2-chip solution. The dualconverter accommodates a 3V to 25V input voltage rangeand is capable of supplying up to 3A per channel. Thecircuit in Figure 1 produces 3.3V and 1.8V.
