How to get started with high speed PCB design

[Fuuton]

Hi all,

I am interested in transitioning into high speed digital PCB design like memory interfacing, DDR level routing etc. I have been googling on where to get started but I am still confused. I would love to hear from seasoned experts on whats the best way to get into this domain.

I am fascinated with PCB design and would like to make this my full time career. I have come across job postings which require multiple years of experience in high speed design, DDR2, DDR4, FPGA, memory interface layout etc.

I have about 5 years of experience in PCB design so I have the basics covered and now want to level up. Any suggestions and guidance would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[free_electron]

https://speedingedge.com/products/right-first-time/

https://www.amazon.com/High-Speed-Digital-Design-Handbook/dp/0133957241/ref=asc_df_0133957241/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312202813865&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3010561408584394818&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031827&hvtargid=pla-523771269299&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Printed-Circuit-Design-Techniques-Compliance/dp/0780353765/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2U3DRFRQM3ICN&keywords=mark+montrose&qid=1650639622&s=books&sprefix=mark+montros%2Cstripbooks%2C132&sr=1-2

Anything by Eric Bogatin

video courses by Robert Feranec

Find the video presentations made on Altium Live https://www.altium.com/summit/ over the past years.

[SpacedCowboy]

Just to add to @free_electron's post, if you have an O'Reilly subscription (my work gives me it for free), there are 3 video-lecture series by Howard Johnson available there (unfortunately the books aren't available though):

• High-Speed Digital Design (Video Lectures): Introduction to Black Magic
• High-Speed Noise and Grounding (Video Lectures): Dr. Johnson's Signal Integrity Lab
• Advanced High-Speed Signal Propagation (Video Lectures): More Black Magic

... as well (of course) as about a thousand other books / videos on the subject. It's not cheap if you're paying yourself (~$50/month IIRC) but if you work for a large company, it might be a freebie.

[update]

So I was browsing around (actually looking for recommendations for LVDS trace-length matching guidelines) and I found that the 'right first time' book is actually online and downloadable at the cost of your email address - just FYI. The website is just summary content, but the download link works

[jonpaul]

book by Dr Howard Johnson

[Feynman]

There are many good books out there but I think Eric Bogatins "Signal and Power Integrity - Simplified" is an excellent starting point. It's right in the sweet spot for teaching the basic concepts without being to theoretical. And the basic concepts are important. For high speed design you'll find a lot of rules on the Internet about what to do and what not to do. But without a solid foundation on the basic concepts you cannot distinguish the bad ones from the good ones. And there is certainly no shortage on bad rules

Another resource I found very helpful when I started where Prof. Greg Durgin's lectures on transmission lines (search youtube).

[tepalia02]

I think besides eev blog, you can subscribe to PCBway.

https://www.pcbway.com/blog/

Many experienced PCB designers and professionals come to this group. Here you can post your designs to get expert opinions. Also, you can look for PCB related job opportunities and sponsorships.