Power-Net to Net

The rule checks whether two power traces have enough spaces.

The designer has to pay attention to stable power supplying more than coupling problem. To do this, power patterns should be apart enough distance from each other. If they are too close, the designer has to reserve hole to make them apart.
  • Auto Net to Net Combination: Generate combination pair of selected net group.
  • Import Power-net clearance excel table: Import excel table that automatically calculates vertical and horizontal clearance based on the difference in voltage. The user can define the voltage difference and its corresponding clearance value as required. In the figure below, the user has set up to get 0.1mm clearance for every 20 voltage difference. The vertical and horizontal clearance values are automatically calculated and imported based on this setup.

  • Item: Enter item name.
  • 1st Net: Select a reference power net group.
  • 2nd Net: Select a target power net group. The DFE checks the clearance between 1st Net and 2nd Net.
  • Object Selection: Define in detail the object to be tested (All/Copper/Trace/VIA/PAD). This option is applied only during horizontal check.
  • Horizontal check: Setup horizontal check option.
    • Power Net Clearance Check (Horizontal): Assign a reference horizontal clearance value for MS and S/L structure.
    • Hole size check: Define special test conditions when holes exist between nets.
      • Hole Size Factor: If a hole is placed between two nets, assign a hole size factor. If a hole exists between two nets, the effective distance is Distance X Hole Size Factor.
      • Ignore holes smaller than: : If the width of the hole between nets is smaller than this value, the hole size factor is not applied.
      • Check minimum detour length: If there are holes between nets, and if the detour length of both ends of the hole is less than this value, the result is failed.
    • Consider solder resist opened PADs: After assembling the PBA, the top of the PAD is covered with solder, so the size of the PAD is slightly larger. If this option is used, effective PAD size is used during check. You can assign factors differently depending on whether the component is SMD or DIP.
    • Pin Escape: Enter a radius of circular region around pins to be excluded for the rule check.
    • Include Pad: DFE will check net separation including PAD. You can designate the component type to which this option is applied.
    • Exclude segment (width): Make exceptions to the test for segments with a specific width.
  • Vertical Check: Setup vertical check.
    • Power Net Clearance Check (Vertical): Assign a reference vertical clearance value.
      • Minimum vertical clearance: Assign minimum required vertical clearance.
      • Maximum allowable overlapped area size: If the plane overlaps vertically, it is regarded as fail if the overlapped area is larger than this value.
      • Exclude if a distance to other layer is greater than: If the distance between the two layers is farther than this value, vertical clearance is not checked between these two layers.
    • Include Pad: DFE checks net separation including PAD.You can designate the component type to which this option is applied.
    • Exclude segment (width): You can make exceptions to the test for segments with a specific width.

Example

If there is no hole and the distance between Power Net1 and Power Net2 is 1 mm, PollEx DFE reports fail for the case. A is less than 1 mm.
If there is a hole and the distance between Power Net1 and Power Net2 is 1mm and hole-size is 0.1 mm, b(0.2) + c(0.2) = 0.4 mm. If you assume hole size factor=6, the result will be 0.2 + 0.2 + (0.1x6) = 1 mm. PollEx DFE reports “pass”.

In order to reduce power trace coupling, it is best to make wider clearances for trace. However, clearances are restricted by board size and pin pitch as well as power characteristics such as voltage or current. For example, a clearance among high current power is usually wider than that among normal power nets. A clearance between high power and normal power is also wider than that among normal power nets.

Clearances among power nets must be carefully considered on the same layer as well as on adjacent layers.

As an example, the table below shows clearance differences varied by voltages. This sample table is for illustration purposes only and should not be adopted in an actual design.
Table 1. Clearance Differences
Voltage (DC or AC Peak) Minimum distance (uncoated) Minimum distance (uncoated)
~ 15V 15 mil 0.4 mil 5 mil 0.13 mil
15V ~ 30V 15 mil 0.4 mil 10 mil 0.25 mil
30V ~ 50V 15 mil 0.4 mil 15 mil 0.4 mil
50V ~ 100V 25 mil 0.6 mil 20 mil 0.5 mil
100V ~ 150V 25 mil 0.6 mil 30 mil 0.8 mil
150V ~ 300V 50 mil 1.5 mil 30 mil 0.8 mil
300V ~ 500V 100 mil 1.5 mil 60 mil 1.5 mil
500V ~ 0.2 mil/volt 0.005 mil/volt 0.12 mil/volt 0.003 mil

A partial copy of IPC-2221 standard is shown in IPC Material for an additional example.