CPU Layout

Reading time : 2 minutes
Published on 28 Apr 2020 - Updated on 05 Dec 2020

Power supply

  • Capacitors via are routed as follow

Capacitor routing

  • Bulk capacitors : 22uF every square inch per power plane
  • Decoupling capacitors : 1x100nF per power ball
  • CPU core low voltages power planes are as large as possible
  • CPU analog power planes are as large as possible

Clock

  • Crystal are as close as possible to the device
  • Crystal trace width is 12 mils
  • There is a ground ring around crystals

Crystal Groundring

DRAM

  • Check length of all signals
  • Clock are routed as differential pairs
  • DQS signals are routed as differential pairs
  • There is no reference plane change on the same layer
  • When there is a reference plane change, add bypass capacitors

PCI Express

  • Signals are routed as differential pairs
  • If signal escape from BGA without a VIA, add a plane void under

BGA Plane void

  • Connector : Place serial capacitors close to the connector on transmitter side
  • Onboard : Place serial capacitor near receiver device pin
  • Check clock termination resistor placement
  • Check calibration resistor placement
  • Add plane void under SMT PCIe connector
  • Check that there is no reference plane change
  • Add plane void under serial capacitors

RGMII

  • Check that maximum signal length is less than 6 inches
  • Check if there is a need for an external delay
  • Maximum skew for any signal group is +/- 0.1 inch (TX or RX)
  • Check that there is no reference plane change
  • When there is a reference plane change, add bypass capacitors

SGMII

  • SGMII signals are routed as differential pairs
  • If signal escape from BGA without a VIA, add a plane void under

BGA Plane void

  • Add reference plane void under serial capacitors
  • Maximum length is 16 inch
  • Check calibration resistor placement
  • Check that there is no reference plane change

SATA

  • SATA signals are routed as differential pairs
  • If signal escape from BGA without a VIA, add a plane void under

BGA Plane void

  • Add reference plane void under serial capacitors
  • Maximum length is 4 inch
  • Check calibration resistor placement
  • Add plane void under SMT SATA connector
  • Check that there is no reference plane change

USB

  • USB signals are routed as differential pairs
  • If signal escape from BGA without a VIA, add a plane void unde

BGA Plane void

  • Maximum length is 5 inch
  • Maximum skew is 150 mils
  • Check calibration resistor placement
  • Check that EMI/ESD protection is close to connector (max 0.6 inch)
  • Check that VBUS capacitor is close to the connector
  • Check that there is no reference plane change