Xilinx announced the first web site dedicated to signal integrity and the challenges engineers face as they design high speed logic. The Xilinx Signal Integrity Central site provides information on the fundamentals of signal integrity; PC board design and power supply considerations, simulation tools; and thermal characteristics. 

Signal integrity issues in high performance designs have become a major concern in many companies. With frequencies above 300 MHz and rise times of a few hundred picoseconds, noise and signal reflections complicate PC board design. These challenges affect performance, system development, and product introduction schedules.

Xilinx created Signal Integrity Central provides the necessary information to make the right design choices. In addition a background can be obtained to develop a cost-effective design with the minimum number of components. Previously, a system could be over-designed. For example, to achieve acceptable levels of power supply noise, designers could use an excessive number of capacitors, which needlessly increases cost and board complexity. Conversely, high performance designs that work in the lab could become problematic when stressed by changing environmental conditions. In those instances, system marginality could mean a product that ultimately doesn’t work and requires re-design. To avoid those types of problems, designers can now refer to Signal Integrity Central to get the help they need at this Xilinx web site.

Xilinx is the leading supplier of complete programmable logic solutions, including advanced integrated circuits, software design tools, predefined system functions delivered as cores, and unparalleled field engineering support. Founded in 1984 and headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Xilinx invented the field programmable gate array (FPGA) and fulfills more than half of the world demand for these devices today.

October.2001