Ground Plane question

Log in or register to post comments
Go To Last Post
6 posts / 0 new
Author
Message
Lennart
Lennart's picture
Level: Raving Lunatic
Joined: Sun. Oct 29, 2006
Posts: 2757 View posts
Location: Sweden
#1
Posted by Lennart: Thu. Mar 8, 2012 - 03:51 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

Hi,

I'm drawing a 2-sided PCB. First time.
How to treat the space between traces on the side of PCB where signals are routed?

Is it an advantage or disaster to fill the empty space with ground plane(s)?

There is a ground plane on the other side of the board, only interrupted by some power lines and some short signal traces.
Will weird things happen if there are ground planes on both sides of PCB (like a sandwich)?

Tags:

Learning and Information, General Electronics
Top
leon_heller
leon_heller's picture
Level: Raving Lunatic
Joined: Fri. Jul 27, 2001
Posts: 7680 View posts
Location: St. Leonards-on-Sea (UK)
Posted by leon_heller: Thu. Mar 8, 2012 - 03:56 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

That isn't a "ground plane", but copper pour. Ground and power planes are used with multi-layer boards and don't have any components on them.

Properly done, such copper areas can help with unwanted emissions and so on. Having them on both sides shouldn't cause problems.

Leon Heller G1HSM

Top
Lennart
Lennart's picture
Level: Raving Lunatic
Joined: Sun. Oct 29, 2006
Posts: 2757 View posts
Location: Sweden
Posted by Lennart: Thu. Mar 8, 2012 - 04:13 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

Quote:
Having them on both sides shouldn't cause problems.
Thanks!

Top
leon_heller
leon_heller's picture
Level: Raving Lunatic
Joined: Fri. Jul 27, 2001
Posts: 7680 View posts
Location: St. Leonards-on-Sea (UK)
Posted by leon_heller: Thu. Mar 8, 2012 - 05:14 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

You should stitch them together where they overlap with plenty of vias.

Leon Heller G1HSM

Top
bobgardner
bobgardner's picture
Level: 10k+ Postman
Joined: Wed. Sep 4, 2002
Posts: 26669 View posts
Location: Orlando Florida
Posted by bobgardner: Thu. Mar 8, 2012 - 06:13 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

SAT analogy question: ground plane is to air car as led zeppelin is to ??
(I'll start: hydrogen tank?)

Imagecraft compiler user

Top
ka7ehk
ka7ehk's picture
Level: 10k+ Postman
Joined: Fri. Nov 22, 2002
Posts: 19285 View posts
Location: Tangent, OR, USA
Posted by ka7ehk: Thu. Mar 8, 2012 - 08:50 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

Well, bypassing Bob's little question...

Pour between traces is just fine IF THEY ARE NOT FLOATING. If traces are sensitive to coupling from adjacent lines, then adjacent pour can help. On the other hand, trace capacitance will be increased.

So, its a resounding "it depends"...

Jim

Jim Wagner Oregon Research Electronics, Consulting Div. Tangent, OR, USA http://www.orelectronics.net

Top