The reduction of broadband crosstalk interference between multiple conductors in a backplane interconnect and its performance impact on gigabit digital communication signals

Crosstalk interference from signal transmission between transmission line conductors limits channel throughput as amplitude distortion in an experimental backplane connector. Shared return conductor microstrip connectors arranged in stacks have resonant frequencies that are determined largely by cavity dimensions of the return conductor geometries. If an input waveform to the connector excites these resonant frequencies, the resonant energy will couple to other signal conductors in the connector and will result in crosstalk interference. Lossy materials can be used to reduce the resonant crosstalk interference in connectors.;Quasi-conductor and magnetic absorber materials were used to reduce the resonant crosstalk in an experimental connector. Full-wave computer simulation was used to calculate connector S-parameters and was compared with measurement. Empirical equations were developed to relate experimental S-parameters of connector lossy material configurations with system bit-error-rate, channel Q, and eye pattern height at the data rate of 10.6Gbps.