Inductance

and Partial
Inductance
What's it all
mean?
Bruce Archambeault, PhD

IEEE Fellow, IBM Distinguished

Engineer

[email protected]
 Inductance
• Probably the most misunderstood concept in
electrical engineering
– Do not confuse ‘inductance’ with ‘inductors’
• Common Usage
– Self inductance
– Loop inductance
– Mutual inductance
– Equivalent inductance
– Partial inductance
– Partial self inductance
– Partial mutual inductance
– Apparent inductance
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 2
 Inductance
• Current flow through metal =
inductance!
• Fundamental element in EVERYTHING
• Loop area first order concern
• Inductive impedance increases with
frequency and is MAJOR concern at
high frequencies

X L = 2πfL
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 3
Current Loop = Inductance

Courtesy of Elya Joffe

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 4

 Inductance Definition

• Faraday’s Law ∂B
∫ E ⋅ dl = − ∫∫ ∂t ⋅ dS
• For a simple rectangular loop
Area = A

∂B
V = −A
∂t
V
B

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 5

 Given the Definition of Inductance
• Do these have inductance?

SMT Capacitor PCB Via

“Ground Strap”
Not until return path for current is identified!
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 6
 Self Inductance
• Isolated circular loop ⎛ 8a ⎞
L ≈ μ0 a ln⎜⎜ − 2 ⎟⎟
⎝ r0 ⎠
• Isolated rectangular loop

2μ0 a ⎜ ⎛ p + 1 + p 2
1 1 ⎞
2 ⎟
L= ln + −1 + 2 − 1+ p
π ⎜ 1+ 2 p p ⎟
⎝ ⎠
Note that inductance is directly influenced length of side
p=
by loop AREA and less influenced by wire radius
conductor size!
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 7
 Mutual Inductance
Φ 2 = M 21 I1 How much magnetic flux is
induced in loop #2 from a
Φ2
M 21 = current in loop #1?
I1

Loop #2 r
Φ2 = ∫ B1 (r ) ⋅ nˆ dS2
Loop #1
S2

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 8

Flux from Current in Loop #1

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 9

Flux from Current in Loop #1

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 10

 Change in mutual inductance with spacing
2

X: 24
Y: 1.835

1.5
Mutual Inductance (nH)

The magnetic field drops

off rapidly, so then does
1
the mutual inductance
X: 100
Y: 0.7312

0.5

X: 500 X: 1000
Y: 0.02507 Y: 0.01955

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Spacing between the coils(mils)
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 11
 Mutual Inductance

Loop #2 Less loop area in loop #2

Loop #1
means less magnetic flux in
loop #2 and less mutual
inductance

Loop #2 Less loop area perpendicular to

Loop #1 the magnetic field in loop #2
means less magnetic flux in loop
#2 and less mutual inductance

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 12

 Partial Inductance
• We now know that a loop of current has
inductance
• We now know that there must be a
complete loop to have inductance
• But where do we place this inductance in a
circuit?

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 13

 Zero-to-One Transition
Where’s the Inductance Go??

Power
Supply

And how could you possibly calculate it?

Courtesy of Dr. Clayton Paul

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 14

Total Loop Inductance from Partial Inductance
L total=Lp1+ Lp2 + Lp3 + Lp4 – 2Mp1-3 – 2Mp2-4
Lp2

Mp2-4
Mp1-3

Lp1 Lp3

Lp4
Courtesy of Dr. Clayton Paul

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 15

 Partial Inductance
• Simply a way to break the overall loop
into pieces in order to find total
inductance

L2

L1 L3

L4 L total=Lp11+ Lp22 + Lp33 + Lp44 - 2Lp13 - 2Lp24

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 16

 Important Points About
Inductance

• Inductance is everywhere
• Loop area most important
• Inductance is everywhere

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 17

 Example
Decoupling Capacitor Mounting

• Keep vias as close to capacitor pads as

possible!

Via Separation

Inductance Depends
on Loop AREA
Height above Planes

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 18

Via Configuration Can Change
Inductance
SMT Capacitor

Via
The “Good” Best
Capacitor Pads

The “Bad”
Better
The “Ugly”

Really “Ugly”

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 19

 High Frequency Capacitors
• Myth or Fact?

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 20

 What is Capacitance?

Q Q = CV
C=
V • Amount of charge
• Capacitance is the stored is dependant
ability of a structure to on the size of the
hold charge capacitance (and
(electrons) for a given voltage)
voltage
Consider a capacitor as a bucket holding lot’s of electrons!
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 21
 Comparison of Decoupling Capacitor Impedance
100 mil Between Vias & 10 mil to Planes
1000

1000pF
100
0.01uF
0.1uF
1.0uF
Impedance (ohms)

10

0.1

0.01
1.0E+06 1.0E+07 1.0E+08 1.0E+09 1.0E+10
Frequency (Hz)

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 22

0603 Size Cap Typical Mounting
9 mils 9 mils 20 mils

10 mils* 10 mils* Via Barrel 10 mils

60 mils

108 mils minimum

128 mils typical
*Note: Minimum
distance is 10 mils but
more typical distance is
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 20 mils 23
0402 Size Cap Typical Mounting
8 mils 8 mils 20 mils

10 mils* 10 mils* Via Barrel 10 mils

40 mils

86 mils minimum
106 mils typical
*Note: Minimum
distance is 10 mils but
more typical distance is
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 20 mils 24
Connection Inductance for Typical Capacitor Configurations

Distance into 0805 0603 0402

board typical/minimum typical/minimu typical/minimum
to planes (mils) (148 mils m (106 mils
between via (128 mils between via
barrels) between via barrels)
barrels)
10 1.2 nH 1.1 nH 0.9 nH
20 1.8 nH 1.6 nH 1.3 nH
30 2.2 nH 1.9 nH 1.6 nH
40 2.5 nH 2.2 nH 1.9 nH
50 2.8 nH 2.5 nH 2.1 nH
60 3.1 nH 2.7 nH 2.3 nH
70 3.4 nH 3.0 nH 2.6 nH
80 3.6 nH 3.2 nH 2.8 nH
90 3.9 nH 3.5 nH 3.0 nH
100 4.2 nH 3.7 nH 3.2 nH
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 25
Connection Inductance for Typical Capacitor
Configurations with 50 mils from Capacitor Pad to Via Pad

0805 0603 0402

Distance into (208 mils (188 mils (166 mils
board between via between via between via
to planes (mils) barrels) barrels) barrels)
10 1.7 nH 1.6 nH 1.4 nH
20 2.5 nH 2.3 nH 2.0 nH
30 3.0 nH 2.8 nH 2.5 nH
40 3.5 nH 3.2 nH 2.8 nH
50 3.9 nH 3.5 nH 3.1 nH
60 4.2 nH 3.9 nH 3.5 nH
70 4.5 nH 4.2 nH 3.7 nH
80 4.9 nH 4.5 nH 4.0 nH
90 5.2 nH 4.7 nH 4.3 nH
100 5.5 nH 5.0 nH 4.6 nH

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 26

 PCB Example for Return Current
Impedance
Trace

GND Plane

22” trace
10 mils wide, 1 mil thick, 10 mils above GND plane
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 27
PCB Example for Return Current
Impedance
Trace

GND Plane

Shortest DC path

For longest DC path, current returns under trace

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 28
MoM Results for Current Density
Frequency = 1 KHz

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 29

MoM Results for Current Density
Frequency = 1 MHz

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 30

 U-shaped Trace Inductance
PowerPEEC Results

0.6

0.55

0.5

0.45
inductance (uH)

0.4

0.35

0.3

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1
1.0E+03 1.0E+04 1.0E+05 1.0E+06 1.0E+07 1.0E+08
Frequency (Hz)

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 31

 Two Wires in Parallel
• Reduce inductance by factor of two? NO!

L p1 L p 2 − M 2

LParallel =
p

L p1 + L p 2 − 2 M p
L p1 = L p 2 = L p
Lp + M p
LParallel =
2
Only if parallel wires are FAR APART!
Courtesy of Dr. Clayton Paul
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 32
 Let’s Apply this to Decoupling
Capacitors

• Equivalent inductance
– Two capacitors vs one capacitor
– Relative location of two capacitors
– Use via between planes as ideal capacitor

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 33

What Happens if a 2nd Decoupling
Capacitor is placed near the First
Capacitor?
Via #2 Moved in arc
Via #1 around Observation
point while
distance maintaining 500 mil
distance to
observation point
Observation
Point 500
mils

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 34

 Second Via Around a circle
Port 3 ( x, y )
R: distance between Port 1 and Port 2 in
d1 mil
Port 1
θ r: radius for all ports in mil
d2 R d: thickness of dielectric layer in mil
d1: distance between Port 3 and Port 1
in mil
d1 = R Port 2 d2: distance between Port 2 and Port 3
θ
d 2 = 2 R sin in mil
2
theta: angle as shown in the figure in
⎛d +r⎞ degree
ln 2 ⎜ 1 ⎟
μd ⎛⎜ (R + r )2 (d1 + r )2 ⎞ μd
⎟− ⎝ R + r ⎠ Courtesy of Jingook Kim, Jun
ln
4π ⎜⎝ r 3 (d 2 + r ) ⎟ 4π
⎠ ⎛d +r⎞
ln ⎜ 2 ⎟ Fan, Jim Drewniak
⎝ r ⎠
Missouri University of Science
=
μd ⎛⎜
ln ⎜
(R + r ) 4
⎞
⎟
and Technology
Lequiv 4π ⎝ (2 R sin(θ / 2) + r )r ⎠
3 ⎟

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 35

 Effective Inductance for Various Distances to Decoupling Capacitor
With Second Capacitor (Via) Equal Distance Around Circle
Plane Seperation = 35 mil -- Via Diameter = 20 mil
2100
2000
1900
1800
1700
250 mil
1600
500mil
1500
Inductnace (pH)

750 mil
1400
1000 mil
1300
1200

1100
1000
900
800

700
600
500
0 50 100 150 200
Angle (degrees)

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 36

 Effective Inductance for Various Distances to Decoupling Capacitor
With Second Capacitor (Via) Equal Distance Around Circle
Plane Seperation = 10 mil -- Via Diameter = 20 mil
500

450

400

350
Inductnace (pH)

300

250

200
500mil
150 250 mil
750 mil
100 1000 mil

50

0
0 50 100 150 200
Angle (degrees)
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 37
 Effective Inductance for Various Distances to Decoupling Capacitor
With Second Capacitor (Via) Equal Distance Around Circle
Plane Seperation = 5 mil -- Via Diameter = 20 mil
400

350

300
500mil
250 mil
250
Inductnace (pH)

750 mil
1000 mil
200

150

100

50

0
0 50 100 150 200
Angle (degrees)
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 38
Understanding Inductance Effects and
Proximity
1 via 2 via with degree 30°

10cm
10mm

20cm

10cm
2 via with degree 90° 2 via with degree 180°

20cm

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 39

 Current Density
[m] [m]
A/m2 A/m2

[m] [m]
[m] [m]
A/m2 A/m2

[m] [m]

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 40

 Current Density in Planes
0.12
0.12 8 8
0.115
0.115 8 16 16
24

40 324

8
48 16
24 16

8
5468 204

6546

2
64 0.11 564736422
40

16 16
0.11 80
32
16

430

6754468

32
80
820
8
48

2
80 72

24
0.105
0.105 64 6840

56

24
64

6
4
16
0.1 7820 0

16
0.1 80 72 56448
72 50648
8

80

8
4 24 32
32 0.095

8
0.095 16 24 8 16

0.09 8 0.09 8

0.085 0.085

0.08 0.08
0.08 0.0850.09 0.095 0.1 0.1050.11 0.1150.12 0.08 0.085 0.09 0.095 0.1 0.105 0.11 0.115 0.12

0.12 0.12

0.115 0.115 8
8 21
56344206
8

24
0.11 0.11 56408
48

5766244
4042

6
5664

16
44302
6

16 1
48
7
16

8
8
0.105 0.105

8
241 8 48

3240
68450468 56

56

24
32
4782 60
546

40
6840
6
48
4032

0.1 0 0.1

40
782 6 7 564
24

324
2
8
7248 5 432 6472

808
0 2 16

4
8

16
0.095 24 0.095
16 8
0.09 6744208 2

8
0.09
8 16 55664 42304

48
0.085 0.085 8

0.08 0.08
0.08 0.0850.09 0.095 0.1 0.1050.11 0.1150.12
0.08 0.085 0.09 0.095 0.1 0.105 0.11 0.115 0.12

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 41

Effect of Plane width on Inductance

Case1 : 10 inches

Case2 : 5 inches

Port1 Port2
Case3 : 2 inches
1 inch

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 42

Loop Inductance is Affected by Plane Width
Case2 : 5 inches

Case1 : 10 inches

~ 330pH

Case2 : 2 inches

~ 250pH
~ 560pH

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 43

Current Spreads in a Plane

Narrower planes means the multiple current paths are

limited therefore effect of mutual inductance between
parallel paths increases!
Bruce Archambeault, PhD 44
 Observations
• Added via (capacitor) does not lower
effective inductance to 70-75% of original
single via case
• Thicker dielectric results in higher
inductance
• Normalizing inductance to single via case
gives same curve for all dielectric
thicknesses

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 45

 Summary
• Inductance has meaning only for current
loops
• Size of the loop has the most impact on
amount of inductance
• Current density also impact inductance
• Partial inductance is a very useful concept
to understand which portions of the loop
have the largest impact on loop
inductance

Bruce Archambeault, PhD 46