High-speed (HS) bypass capacitors are critical for proper DDR interface operation. It is particularly important to minimize the parasitic series inductance of the HS bypass capacitors to VDDS_DDR and the associated ground connections. Table 1-3 contains the specification for the HS bypass capacitors and for the power connections on the PCB. Generally speaking, TI recommends:
- Fitting as many HS bypass capacitors as possible.
- Minimizing the distance from the bypass capacitor to the pins and balls being bypassed.
- Using the smallest physical sized ceramic capacitors possible with the highest capacitance readily available.
- Connecting the bypass capacitor pads to their vias using the widest traces possible and using the largest via hole size possible.
- Minimizing via sharing. Note the limits on via sharing shown in Table 1-3.
- Using three-terminal capacitors instead of two terminal capacitors.
Three-terminal capacitors provide lower loop inductance, and one three-terminal
capacitor could take the place of multiple two-terminal capacitors, further
optimizing loop inductance.
For any additional SDRAM requirements, see the manufacturer's data sheet.
Table 1-3 High-Speed Bypass
Capacitors
Parameter |
MIN |
TYP |
MAX |
UNIT |
HS bypass capacitor package size (1) |
|
0201 |
0402 |
Mils |
Distance, HS bypass capacitor to processor being bypassed (2)(3)(4) |
|
|
150 |
Mils |
Processor HS bypass capacitor count and total capacitance per
VDDS_DDR rail(5) |
see notes below |
Number of connection vias for each device power/ground
ball |
1 |
|
|
Vias |
Trace length from processor power/ground ball to connection via
(2) |
|
35 |
70 |
Mils |
Distance, HS bypass capacitor to DDR device being bypassed (6) |
|
|
150 |
Mils |
DDR device HS bypass capacitor count |
Refer to DDR manufacturer
guidelines |
Number of connection vias for each HS capacitor (7)(8) |
2 |
|
|
Vias |
Trace length from bypass capacitor to connection via (2)(8) |
|
35 |
100 |
Mils |
Number of connection vias for each DDR device power/ground
ball |
1 |
|
|
Vias |
Trace length from DDR device power/ground ball to connection via
(2) |
|
35 |
60 |
Mils |
(1) LxW, 10-mil units, that is, a 0402 is a 40x20-mil surface-mount capacitor.
(2) Closer/shorter is preferable.
(3) Measured from the nearest processor power or ground ball to the center of the capacitor package.
(4) Three of these capacitors should be located underneath the processor, among the cluster of VDDS_DDR balls.
(5) Decoupling capacitor counts and/or capacitor values should be derived from power
aware PCB simulations. It is the responsibility of the PCB designer to ensure
that any design meets the provided PDN targets.
(6) Measured from the DDR device power or ground ball to the center of the capacitor package. Refer to the guidance from the SDRAM manufacturer.
(7) An additional HS bypass capacitor can share the connection vias only if it is mounted on the opposite side of the board. No sharing of vias is permitted on the same side of the board.
(8) An HS bypass capacitor may share a via with a DDR device mounted on the same side of the PCB. A wide trace should be used for the connection, and the length from the capacitor pad to the DDR device pad should be less than 150 mils.