Electric Properties of

Dielectrics

R 340,
Rm. 340 D
Department
t t off El
Electrical
t i l Engineering
E i i
E-mail: rbwu@ew.ee.ntu.edu.tw
url: cc.ee.ntu.edu.tw/~rbwu

S. H. Hall et al., High-Speed Digital Designs, Chap.6

What will you learn

How varies with frequency?
Can and be arbitrarily defined?
What is the physical constraint?
How to set suitable model for and ?
How to measure it?

R. B. Wu

1
 Tx-Line Losses
Polarization of Dielectrics
Dielectric losses
Environmental & Localization Effects
Measurements

R. B. Wu

Nonideal Effects in Dielectrics

Dielectric works well for lower frequencies
becomes difficult to design since
Frequency-dependent permittivity and loss tangents
Environmental factors
Localized interactions (fiber weave effect)
Improper model results in inaccurate phase delay
and signal losses, even nonphysical behaviors
Dielectric loss in PCB is significant at >3 GHz.
Simulation-based bus design at >3GHz is possible
only if with suitable model for dielectric material.
R. B. Wu

2
 Freq.-Dependent Dielectric Constants & Losses

Loss tangent

t d =
tan = ;
2f
From R, L, C, then

G= (2fC11 )

Dielectric constant
r = rsn Vrsn + gls Vgls ;

Ref.: S. Mumby, Dielectric properties of FR-4 laminates as a function of thickness and the electrical
R. B.
frequency of measurement (IPC-IP-749), Inst. Interconnect. & Packag. Electron. Wu1988.
Circuits,

Dielectric Loss vs. Conductor Loss

c f ( conductor loss) W. Humann, Proc. ITC 2002
d f ( dielectric loss)
c dominant

1:1
2:1 c

R. B. Wu

3
 Polarization of Dielectrics

Electronic Polarization
When electric field applied,
electron cloud is displaced until
f
force b t
between +/-
+/ charges
h equall
the force of applied field.
Electric inside electron cloud:
G qe r
E = rE
r ; Er =
4 0 re3
Electric dipole moment:
G G
p = qe r p = e Er
electronic polarizability:
e = 4 0 re3
Polarization vector:
G G
P = Np; N : # atoms per unit volume R. B. Wu

4
 Other Polarizations
Orientational (dipole)
polarization
p = o E

Ionic (molecular)
polarization

p = i E

R. B. Wu

Relative Permittivity
Usually measured rather than calculated.
Polarizability
G G
P = N ( e + o + i ) Etot
Electric flux density:
G G G
D = 0 E0 + P
G G G G G G G
Et = E 0 + E s ; E 0 = f ( P ) P E 0
G G G G
D = E0 = 0 r E0 = 0 ((1 + ) E0
: electric susceptibility
r : relative dielectric permittivity

R. B. Wu

5
 Dielectric Loss

Dielectric Losses
9 Classic model of dielectric losses derived from damped
oscillations of electric dipoles in the material aligning with the
applied fields
Dipoles oscillate with the applied time varying field this takes energy
9 Dielectric constant becomes complex with losses
9 PWB board manufacturers specify this was a parameter called
Loss Tangent or Tan
''
= ' j '' Tan =
'
9 The real portion is the typical dielectric constant, imaginary
portion represents losses, or conductivity of the dielectric
1
dielectric = = 2 f ''
dielectric
12 Interconnect: Adv
R. B. Wu

6
 DC Dielectric Losses
Due to conduction electrons in dielectric
G G
J = d E
G G G G G
H = J + j E = d E + j ( j ) E
G
= j 0 r j r j d E
0
Do not confuse d discussed here with dielectric,which is
d e to the energ
due energy it takes to polarize
polari e the electric dipoles in
dielectric.
The term d is small and usually neglected.

R. B. Wu

Single-Pole Model
Mechanical spring model analogy
q E0 m k
mx + bx + kx = F x = ; 02 =
+ j (b m )
2
0
2
m
G G P N ( q 2 0m )
P = Nqx = = 2 r
0 E0 0 2 + j ( b m )

N ( q 2 0m ) (02 2 )
r = 1 +
( ) + ( b m )
2 2
2 2
0

N ( q m) (b m )
2
0
=
( ) + ( b m )
2 2
r
2 2
0

R. B. Wu

7
 Multipole Model
Several resonance: n N i ( q 2 0mi )
r = 1 +
i =1 i2 2 + j ( bi mi )
A more pragmatic approach
n
i d
r = + j
1 ( 1,i ) + j ( 2,i ) 0
2
i =1

Damping factor dominant

Debye equation:
n
i
r = +
i =1 1 + j ( 2,i )

R. B. Wu

PCB Example
1 2
r peaks two poles: r = + +
1 + j 1 1 2 + j 3
2
22
2
4

Model can be fit empirically

2 , 4 : 19, 32GHz
= 3.8
variations near peaks
1 = 0.0163, 2 = 0.012
d
damping f matchh
i tunedd for
1 , 3 : 20, 63GHz

Only suitable 15-35GHz

R. B. Wu

8
 Infinite-Pole Model
One freq. only model?

n
i 2
1 dy
r = + r = +
i =1 1 + j ( 2,i ) ln 2 ln 1 1 1 + j ( y ) y
ln [(2 + j ) (1 + j )] ln (2 ) 2
r = + + j
ln (2 1 ) 1 << <<2 ln (2 1 ) ln (2 1 )
Ex. : r / tan = 3.9 / 0.0073@1G
choose 2 = 1011, 1 = 10
= 3.9 0.0073 = 0.028
= 0.417
= 3.9@1G
= 3.85
() 3.85 + 0.0178ln (10 ) 11

tan = = 0.028
(
3.85+0.0178ln 1011 )
R. B. Wu

vs. in Debye Model

decreases with a corresponding increase in losstan.

Debye equation: j = + = +
1 + j ( 0 ) 1 + ( 0 )
2

( 0 )
tan 1
<
0 ++ =
1 + ( 0 )
0 2

0
= +

+
= ( ) 1

R. B. Wu

9
 Causality
Kramers-Kronigs relations,
between real and imaginary parts of any complex function that is
analytic in the upper half
half-plane:
plane: 2 x ( x )
G G
P(t ) = (t ) E0 ( )d
( ) = 1 +
0 x2 2
dx

K.K. relation (t ) = 0 t < 0 2 1 ( x )

( ) =

0 x2 2
dx
Ex.: Debye model:
* Analytic functions:
= +
(r + ji ) = Re ( ) + j Im ( )
1 + j ( 0 )
Re ( ) Im ( ) Re ( ) Im ( )
= +
= ; =
1 + j [( r + ji ) 0 ] r i i r
0+ ( 0 i ) * Reality
Re( )= +
( i ) + r
2 2

( ) = ( )
0

0+ r
Im( )= R. B. Wu
( 0
i ) + r
2 2

Improve 3-dB BW on Lossy Lines

Use more copper

Dont
D go as ffar,
otherwise using
repeaters
Use a higher-
impedance trace
Add equalization
Use a better
dielectric material

R. B. Wu

10
 Environmental & Localization
Effects

Fiber Weaves in FR4

Woven fiberglass bundles in FR4

r , fiber 6;
6 r, resin 33;

Bulk dielectric constant

Resin
r = ( r , fiberVfiber + r, resinVresin ) V Material
Glass
Material

Spatially dependent r, eff will

deteriorate differential lines 9
6 3
0
3 6
9

significantly.

22
R. B. Wu

11
 Fiber-Weave Effects & Mitigation
Worse-case difference
+ r ,eff 0.23

It can be larger for

thinner microstrips.
May cause severe
impact for differential
lines @ 5 to 10 Gb/s
One way to mitigate
thi effect
this ff t is
i to
t routet
the lines 450 to the
direction of weave.

R. B. Wu

Model of Fiber-Weave Effects

2D fiber-weave modeling

Trace between
b bundles
b dl
r ,eff = 3.5 r 4.6

Trace over a bundle

r ,eff = 3.72 r 4.95

R. B. Wu

12
 Humidity & Temperature Effects
Material: FR4-7628
Arizona (15% RH, 60oF)
Effects:
Large increase in losstan
(+50% from 15-95% RH)
Small increase in r Malaysia (95% RH, 95oF)

(+5% from 15-95% RH)

R. B. Wu

Have you learned?

What is physical model for dielectric loss?
Do you know dielectric polarization,
polarization
oriental polarization, and ionic polarization?
Do you know the common models: signal-
pole model, multi-pole model, infinite-pole
model, and Debye model?

R. B. Wu

13
 Measurement of Dielectric Constants

Student: Chia-Hao Chang

Adviser: Ruey
Ruey-Beei
Beei Wu
Date : 06/27 2009

27

Waveguides
Measuring S-parameters of filled waveguides to derive
propagation constant
Costly, available above fcutoff

c
f cutoff =
2a r

2 r
k=
0

W. B. Weir, Automatic measurement of complex dielectric constant and permeability

at microwave frequencies, Proc. IEEE, vol. 62 no. 1 pp. 33-36, Jan 1974. R. B. Wu
28

14
 Substrate-Integrated Waveguide
Two SIW (Substrate-Integrated Waveguide) to calculate
FDEW (Freq.-Dependent Equivalent Width)
a
Unknown conductive attenuation ain
Available above fcutoff

s
Wave Propagation
1 2 4 r
+ = 2
a 2 2 0
1 2 4 r
+ = 2 a a =
a2 2 0
C. H. Tseng and T. H. Chu, Measurement of frequency-dependent equivalent width of substrate
integrated waveguide, T-MTT, pp. 1431-1437, Apr. 2006. R. B. Wu 29

Cavity Resonance
Observing resonant frequencies and Q factors a
Edge effect
b
Bad resolution at higher modes

2 2
c m n
f mn = +
r 2 a 2b
2
c m n
2 2

r = +
f mn 2a 2b
A. Namba, et al., and T. Watanabe, A simple method for measuring the relative
R. B. Wu
30
permittivity of printed circuit board materials, T--EMCpp. 515-519, Nov. 2001.

15
 Ring Resonator
Periodical resonance
Difficult feeding and coupling loss

c n
fn =
r ,eff 2 a 2
c n
2

r ,eff =
f n 2 a

P. A. Bernard and J. M. Gautray, Measurement of dielectric constant using

microstrip ring resonator, T-MTT, Mar. 1991
R. B. Wu
31

T-stub
Periodical resonance
Acquiring
q g attenuation constant from ||S21|
Drawbacks of resonance method:
Limited by the fixture dimension
Sensitive to determination of resonant freq.

Z in ,res = Z 0 P
(2n + 1)c
f res =
4 P eff ( f ) Z0 Zin Z0 2Z in
S 21 =
2Z in + Z 0

J.-H. Liu, Y.-C. Lin, J.-T. Lue, and C.-J. Wu, Resistivity measurements of
layered metallic films at various microwave frequencies and
R. B. Wu
32
temperatures using the micro-strip T-junction method, Meas. Sci.
Technol. 13, pp.1132-1137, Apr. 2002.

16
 Time-Domain Tx-Line Measurement
Observing the TDT pulse response
q
Require perfect
p match
Microstrip Line
Probe Dielectric Probe
Delay Ground
TDT

Incident Attenuation
Pulse Transmitted
P l
Pulse

Time

A. Deutsch, G. Arjavalingam, G. V. Kopcsay, M.J. Degerstrom, Short-pulse

propagation technique for characterizing resistivepackage
interconnections, T-CHMT, pp. 1034-1037 , Dec. 1992 R. B. Wu
33

Freq.-Domain Tx-Line Measurement

Applying transmission line property

Measuring
i S-parameters to derive i constant = + j
d i propagation

Microstrip Line [S ] [T ] el
Probe Dielectric Probe = + j
Ground
2

= c + d r,eff =

0 0

= 0 0 r,eff 2 d
tan eff =

M. Cauwe and J. De Baets, Broadband material parameter characterization for
practical high-speed interconnects on printed circuit board, T-AdvP, R. B. Wu
34
pp.649-656 Aug 2008

17
 Pros & Cons of Tx-Line Method

Pros: Microstrip Line

Broadband
B db d Probe Probe
Dielectric
Easy fabrication Ground
Conductor effect can be calculated
Cons:
Inhomogeneous microstrip line
requires data conversion
Accuracy of empirical formula and
manufacturing tolerance is
uncertain
Adapt stripline structure to avoid data conversion

M.N.O. Sadiku, S.M. Musa, S.R. Nelatury, Comparison of dispersion formulas

for microstrip lines, 2004 IEEE SoutheastCon. Proc., pp. 378-382, Mar. 2004.
R. B. Wu
35

1. S-parameter Measurement
Use VNA built-in TRL calibration to capture scattering
parameters of an ideal tx-line
All connectors are assumed identical

G. F. Engen, and C. A. Hoer, Thru-Reflect-Line: An improved technique

for calibrating the dual six-port automatic network analyzer, T-MTT, R. B. Wu
36
pp. 987-993, Dec. 1979.

18
 TRL calibration
TRL works well except
when q ~ /2,
1
,
2 sin
P is chosen /4 of max.
freq. to minimize higher
order wave

Reference Plane

VNA VNA
L port 1
||=0 ||=0
port 2

p q
R. B. Marks, A multiline method of network analyzer calibration, T-MTT,
pp. 1205-1215, Jul. 1991.
R. B. Wu
37

2. Transmission Matrix
The S-parameters can be transformed to ABCD
transmission matrix
1 (1 + S11 )(1 S 22 ) + S12 S 21 (1 + S11 )(1 + S 22 ) S12 S 21
[T ] =
2 S 21 (1 S11 )(1 S 22 ) S12 S 21 (1 S11 )(1 + S 22 ) + S12 S 21

It describes the cascading relation of voltage and current

V1 V2
I = [T ] I
1 2

Theoretically, [T] satisfies:

cosh l Z 0 sinh l
[T ] = 1 sinh l cosh l


Z0 R. B. Wu

19
 3. Propagation Constant Solution
Solving complex eigenvalue for [T], they are
fx. of propagation constant & line length:
cosh l Z 0 sinh l
[T ] = 1 1 , 2 = e l
sinh l cosh l
Z0
1 1
let = 1 + = e +l
2 2

B
By selecting
l ti correctt roott andd phase,
h
propagation constant is obtained:
= + j
+ 2n
= ln = 39
l
R. B. Wu

Substrate Parameters
Because , satisfy
= c + d = 0 0 r,eff
From reverse operation:
2
1
r ,eff =
0 0
2 d
d = c tan eff =

The
h conductive
d i attenuation i can be
b calculated
l l d by b
simulating the same structure with no loss substrate

R. B. Wu
40

20
 Simulation: Parallel Plate Cavity
Simulating a parallel plate PCB with feeding port at center,
default relative dielectric constant=4, loss tangent=0.02

R. B. Wu
41
Simulation software: Ansoft HFSS v11

Simulation -Ring Resonator

Simulating a ring resonator with radius a=13mm, default
relative dielectric constant=4, loss tangent=0.02

R. B. Wu
42
Simulation software: Ansoft HFSS v11

21
 Simulation -Stripline
Results fit with each other but suffer from
plate mode and finite conductivity

R. B. Wu
43
Abnormal ripple due to plate resonance

Stripline with Via Fence

In order to suppress plate mode,
use g
ground via fence to force the
two ground layers of zero
potential difference

R. B. Wu
44

22
 Stripline with Via Fence
D

The S-parameters of a 1mm txline on S

a 45mm square board z

H
y

W x

Freq limit of via

Freq.
protection D=4mm,
f~17GHz

R. B. Wu
45
Simulation software: Ansoft SIwave v3.0

Via Fence Design Guide

Calibration standards and DUT
should be surrounded by ground vias: D

Ground layers and vias form a SIW

structure. To avoid SIW mode, D shall H
z

satisfy D < m = 1 c
y

2 2 fm r W x

1 c
f cutoff =
2 D r

R. B. Wu
46

23
 Via Fence Design Guide (2/3)
Small D lowering characteristic impedance is
unfavorable in transmission
80% ground current are concentrated in 3h region
below signal line, H=2h, it is better choose that:
D > 3H D > 3W D

1
I gs 2
z
D H
1+ y
h
W x

47
S. H. Hall, G. W. Hall, and J. A. McCall, High-Speed Digital System Design,
New York: Wiley, 2000. R. B. Wu

Via Fence Design Guide (3/3)

To form a effective wall for avoiding resonance,
S shall satisfy
m 1 c
S< =
4 4 fm r

z
H
y

W x

H. Uchimura, T. Takenoshita and M. Fujii, Development of a laminated

waveguide T-MTT, pp.2438-2443, Dec. 1998. R. B. Wu
48

24
 Conductor Internal Inductance
The current flowing inside the conductor contributes to
inductance effect
= LC

Determined by W
rather than H

0t
Lint low freq
4w
Rac
Lint

49
R. B. Wu

Modified Tx-Line Model

the transmission line model should be modified as
L = Lext + Lint R L GZ 0 L L
1 int + 1 + int + j Lext C 1 + int
2 Lext 2 2 Lext 2 Lext
2Z 0
R L Lint C
c = 1 int Lint
2 Lext 2 Lext = LextC 1 +
2Z 0
2 Lext

d =
GZ 0 L
1 + int L
2
Z 0 = ext
2 Lext C
The p
phase constant without Lint effect is
= 0 0 r = Lext C
Lint C

2 Lext 50
2
= c 1
r = R. B. Wu
0 0

25
 Internal Inductance Effect

R. B. Wu
51

Attenuation Ratio (1/2)

Si
Simulating
l ti for
f loss
l ratio
ti
rather than exact loss value
Two sets of tx-line made with
different conductive
attenuation
W1 W2

1 = c1 + d 2 = c2 + d
Simulate for the attenuation
ratio:
c1
=
c2

R. B. Wu
52

26
 Attenuation Ratio (2/2)
Then acquire dielectric attenuation:
1 = c1 + d 1 2 2 d
d = tan =
2 = c2 + d 1

The drawback is that it amplifies error

1 = 1 (1 r ) 1+
d = d (1 r )
2 = 2 (1 r ) 1

should be kept away from 1 by increasing difference in

line resistance or impedance
R. B. Wu
53

Experiment Setting Vias

Striplines on typical FR4 PCB, NP-140

Two sets of line T1,, T2 D = 4mm Stripline

p=25.4mm (~0.25@1.48GHz)
q=30.48mm(~0.5@2.46GHz) S = 2 mm

D=4mm, S=2mm (~0.25@18GHz)

VNA: Agilent 8510B

Reference Plane

VNA VNA
L port 1
||=0 ||=0
port 2

p q
R. B. Wu
54

27
 Measured S-parameters
Resonance suppressing is design to 18 GHz but the
results stay valid only until 14GHz

R. B. Wu
55

Measured Phase and Attenuation

Conductive
Use loss ratio to split
p conductive attenuation
att. =1.2 and
dielectric attenuation
Kappa=1.67,
error amp. =4

Conductive
att. =2

R. B. Wu
56

28
 Experimental Result

Th
The slight
li ht difference
diff in
i
dielectric constant
attributes to error of
internal inductance
estimation
Increase in loss tangent
implies loss growth with
frequency more than 1
degree, making it
unsuitable at high
frequencies

R. B. Wu
57

Conclusions (1/2)
A characterization method using stripline with via fence is
presented. It is suitable for investigate
p g multi-layer
y PCBs
properties
Via fence design should satisfy D

m
1
D< =
c
but D > 3W
2 2 fm r z
D > 3H H
y

while S is as small as possible W x

Internal inductance effect in phase constant can be eliminated

as 2
= c 1
r =
0 0
R. B. Wu
58

29
 Conclusions (2/2)
The smaller substrate thickness and line width, the lager
internal inductance and corresponding effect in dielectric
constant. It is small, but may be no longer negligible in
advanced process
Calculating attenuation by simulating loss ratio is
applicable in material under special process or treatment
c1
1 = c1 + d =
c2 1 2 2 d
d = tan =
2 = c2 + d 1

59
R. B. Wu

30