The Effect of Loss-Tangent on Laddering Behavior in Delay Lines

Abstract

Abstract-Delay lines come in varying topologies such as the simple meander line or the spiral delay lines. The major characteristic of these delay lines is their introduction of a laddering behavior at the output. Such laddering behavior can render the predictability of the delay very difficult unless time-consuming full-wave simulation is used. In previous works, delay lines were considered with minimal attention to the effect of the loss tangent. In this paper we have studied the effect of loss-tangent on the laddering behavior in delay lines and found that by considering the loss-tangent of the dielectric of the host medium, the laddering behavior is no longer present, thus eliminating the possibility of over-or under shooting logic levels at the output.

Mitigating Time Interval Error (TIE) in High-Speed Baseband Digital Transports: Design for Delay Compensation at Baseband Infrastructure of Smart-Phones Using Fractal Dispersive Delay-Lines

“…The adjacent line interaction and related skew on the digital waveform is also decided by the loss-tangent of the circuit-board material implicating the associated mutual capacitive and inductive effects on the signal. In order to avoid such laddering effects [4], a tangible pursuit is to have some planar geometry laid out in sections over a permissible area. For example, using typical circular and square spiral-lines, a few of such geometries can be interconnected into a fractal forms as illustrated earlier in Figure 2.…”

“…Therefore, relevant option is not conducive for applications in systems like smart-phones and other handheld devices encountering restricted space. Alternative to bulk solenoidal inductors, advocated in practice for space-constrained circuit-board applications is planar geometry of copper-traces (such as spiral traces) designed to emulate the desired inductance values [3] [4].…”