Modeling and Characterization of Cable Bundles and Interconnects

Multiconductor transmission lines are widely used in several engineering applications for data communication. Their technology ranges from complex and densely packed cable bundles (possibly shielded and/or twisted) in the automotive and aerospace sector, to printed circuit board traces inside integrated systems. The presence of transmission lines gives rise to a number of critical effects that needs to be investigated, including crosstalk, ringing, dispersion, and attenuation, but also susceptibility to external disturbances. These phenomena lead to signal integrity concerns and electromagnetic compatibility issues. Therefore, accurate models for the transmission line parameters and field-to-line coupling, as well as efficient and rigorous analysis tools, are required. Most recent activities include:  - analysis of nonuniform lines: these are very common structures (e.g., tapers or twisted cables) in which line position and/or geometry vary along the length. Since there is no closed-form solution, numerical approximations are required.  - modeling of realistic cable harnesses: the prediction of crosstalk and radiation in complex cable bundles requires a realistic description of the wire locations inside the harness. State-of-the-art approaches are based on basic models and simplistic assumptions, thus likely yielding inaccurate results. A novel approach employs 3D tools, commonly used in mechanical engineering, to create physically-consistent representations of the bundle.

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ERC Sector:

  • PE7_3 Simulation engineering and modelling
  • PE7_4 (Micro and nano) systems engineering
  • PE7_6 Communication technology, high-frequency technology

Keywords:

  • Signal integrity
  • Transmission lines
  • Cable bundles
  • Electromagnetic compatibility

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