USING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC SIMULATION TOOL FOR DEMONSTRATIONS IN A COURSE ON ELECTRONICS PACKAGING

This paper presents the experience of using an electromagnetic simulation tool, SPEED97, in a course at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. SPEED97 is a versatile electrical simulation tool for the analysis and design of electronic packages including chip carriers, multi-chip modules and printed circuit boards. SPEED97 integrates circuit and transmission line simulations with a fast, special-purpose electromagnetic field solver that computes electromagnetic interactions within electronic packages. With SPEED97, the simulation of 3D electromagnetic fields in multiple power and ground planes is orders of magnitude faster than conventional algorithms. The speed and accuracy of these simulations make it an ideal instructional tool in the classroom. The reflections of signals from a variety of terminations on transmission lines are readily set up for study. SPEED97 also offers illuminating demonstrations of the behavior of coupled transmission lines that can assist students in understanding forward and reverse crosstalks. The behavior of the voltage waves between conducting planes can be viewed in striking animations. The effectiveness of placing decoupling capacitors is demonstrated by simple "what-if" experiments to converge to optimal placement. The presentation of the paper also includes illustrations of several of these demonstrations with live computer display.