DECOUPLING

Decoupling: An ideal decoupling element is a lossless path for direct

current and an infinite impedance for alternating current ... this allows
devices to be powered with no loss and prevents any noise from
moving from one load to the next.

Bypassing and Decoupling are subjects that are rarely, if ever,

covered in the classroom; but are emphasized in nearly ALL Data
Sheets & Application Notes!

The legacy of this is that many new engineers and some

technicians ignore it, but they do so at their peril!

It is the single greatest reason for hardware debugging

problems!

WHAT IS DECOUPLING?
Decoupling is a refinement of bypassing. Because of bypassing's finite limitations in
creating the ideal voltage source," the decoupling, or isolation of adjacent NOISE
sources is often required.
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WHY DO WE DECOUPLE?
As with bypassing, the reason for decoupling is to prevent unwanted communications
between different devices (or different stages of the same device) that share the
same power rail. Also, implicit in this requirement, is the reduction of NOISE present
on that power rail­­at all frequencies.
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HOW DO WE DECOUPLE?
Where as in the case of bypassing a shunt capacitor was placed across the power
rail,decoupling completes the implied "RC" (LC) part of the network: the series
element­­as in a lowpass filter.
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 Ideal Voltage Source:
Furnishes a constant voltage output, regardless of the load or load
Definition variations; the output Impedance = zero ohms at all frequencies and all
conditions.
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Classic Decoupling using a "LC" Network, A.K.A. a Lowpass Filter.

Not­so Classic method of Decoupling, using a Voltage Regulator in

place of the LC network.

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Something
The "ideal" decoupling device is a lossless path for DC,
to and an open circuit to AC.
Remember

Series Resonant R L C Circuit NOISE Attenuation of Decoupling & Bypassing

(Notice the effect of increased R, red & blue plot)
 Parallel Resonant R L C Circuit Low Pass Filter = Decoupling & Bypassing
(Notice the effect of increased R, red & blue plot)

RLC Filter Refresher

­­­Discussion:

There are instances where the power distribution between stages cannot be
sufficientlybypassed. In this case, the designer might be tempted to use several
different power supplies. However, by supplying the DC power to each stage through a
separate inductor or "RF choke," while also bypassing that stage to ground, the effect
can be nearly the same. That is to say, the choke offers a high impedance path to any
errant signals or noise between stages, while offering a very low resistance path to the
DC power: this is known as decoupling. Active devices such as voltage regulators can
also be used for decoupling stages.

In fact, considering the size of inductors as compared to surface­mount voltage

regulators: regulators might be the better choice. One might better understand this by
recognizing the fact that a choke or inductor is one of the two needed components for a
Resonant circuit. Therefore, the combination of decoupling inductor
and bypass capacitor could just happen to resonate at the wrong frequency. Having
said that, it might be obvious that the inductor needs to be as small a value as is
reasonable, and the bypass capacitor as large as practical. This is essentially correct,
however, there is still the possibility that the resonant frequency of this combination
could cause mischief. And, if that weren't enough, the inductor can be self resonant.
This is caused by the distributed capacitance between windings, i.e., one turn of wire to
the adjacent turn of wire, etc...

Powering both Analog and Digital

As in the figure, there are instances where both types of Decoupling are appropriate.
(Especially when powering both Analog and Digital from the same Power Supply)

RC Amplifier with various degrees of Power Supply Stabalization

in the form of Bypass & Decoupling
 Sans Bypass Capacitor With One Bypass Capacitor

With Two Bypass Capacitors Two Bypass Capacitors & Decoupling Resistor
Note: in low current stages and devices, designers often
replace the decoupling choke with a cheaper decoupling
resistor to save money.

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­­­More Discussion:
Bypassing, decoupling, shielding and groundplanes are the elements that allow circuits
­­analog and digital­­ to function properly. The reason is simple: let's say you have a
cascade of amplifier stages (see figure below) that are boosting or amplifying an
otherwise weak signal. The input is very sensitive to small signals, and successive
stages are drawing progressively more current in order to produce the larger replica of
this weak input signal. In doing so, the output stage draws large amounts of current at
varying rates. This large varying current is seen by the more sensitive input stages
through the common power supply rail, which serves all stages. This can happen if the
power rail, be it wire or PCB traces, is of sufficiently high impedance. Even if the power
supply were "ideal," (zero ohms) this can still happen: as the frequencies go higher, the
inductive reactance, of the leads or PCB traces, increases. For example, if some fast
transitions of the input signal caused a resulting perturbation on the power supply rail
to propagate down that rail to all of the other circuits, the resulting effect can be
oscillations or some sort of instability which could cause distortion or even render the
circuit inoperative. One can think of it as inappropriate feedback between stages,
facilitated by the power rail not appearing as a Virtual AC Ground.
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Bypassed & Decoupled Distributed Power to Cascaded Amplifier Stages

(In essence is a "n" order Lowpass Filter)

RECAP: Intrinsic Inductive Reactance (XL) in Power Distribution

The Ideal Voltage Source furnishes a constant voltage regardless of the load, or load
variations; the output impedance = zero ohms at all frequencies and all conditions.

Power Rails
Notice how the "Intrinsic" inductive reactance (XL) of the finite length conductors
effects this zero ohms impedance.

Adding bypass capacitors to the intrinsic inductive reactance helps to restore the
(virtual voltage source) zero ohms impedance.
Adding even more Inductance in the form of a "Decoupling Inductor" isolates
the bypasseddevice(s), further helping to restore the (virtual voltage source) zero
ohms impedance.

­­ Even More Discussion

One more thing to consider about chokes: the "Q" or quality of the inductor has an
effect on its efficiency. As previously stated, the inductor should appear as a perfect
path to the DC power it is carrying, and a high impedance to any AC, i.e., no series
"R." In the practical world this isn't feasible. However, if heavy current carrying
chokes are required, then the choke must have higher "Q," i.e., less wire which
means lower "R." This can be achieved by using chokes with ferrite cores, which need
considerably less wire for the same value of inductance. The core can be viewed as a
multiplier of "Q."
Small donut or tubular shaped ferrites called "beads" are regularly slipped over leads
to act as decouplers. One popular use for ferrite beads is to suppress parasitic high­
frequency oscillations in circuits where the gain device (such as a transistor) has
significant high­frequency gain.

1) One of the most efficient inductors is the ferrite toroid. It has high "Q" ­­ low "R" ­­
and because of its toroidal shape its fields are confined which minimizes its
interaction with other circuit elements.

2) There is always some decoupling built into any circuit. The power conductors act
as decoupling inductors. Although short trace lengths are usually desirable, longer
ones sometimes actually improve decoupling. However, don't forget that
long ground traces or conductors never help ... they make effective bypassing
impossible!

3) The down­side of ferrite, is that it will change inductance as the current or flux
changes. In the case of large currents, it can saturate. However, by correct
component choice ­­ frequency, AC and DC current, etc. ­­ ferrite is a great tool for the
designer.
1) LC decoupling is used where the supply voltage cannot be
lowered, i.e., if one needed a noise­free +12 volts on a PC bus,
say. One could get a "clean" +12 volts with a voltage regulator...
if only there was +15 volts or higher to start with. But such is not
the case. So you use a high "Q" inductor (RFC choke) along with
the proper bypass capacitors to effectively lowpass filter the +12
volt supply rail.
For a very noisy supply you can use more than one network,
i.e., one or more "pi" networks.

2) One of the most efficient inductors is the ferrite toroid. It has high "Q" ­­ low "R" ­­
and because of its toroidal shape its fields are confined, and therefore has less stray
fields. The super star of high "Q" inductors or transformers is the pot core. And of
course, don't forget the ferrite bead. Thread the wire through the bead once or several
passes and it may be just what the doctor ordered.

3) Decoupling is only as good as the components that you use. The capacitor part of
the network should be high "Q" and minimum inductance: the noise is dropped across
the inductor, and the capacitor must exclude the remaining noise. Another way of
saying it: in a perfect world the inductor is an open circuit to noise (AC) and the
capacitor is a dead short ­­ Zero, Nada, Caput, Zilch; "This here parrot is dead." The
slightest inductance in series with that capacitor, and some very high frequency noise
will come through like Gang Busters!

4) SMT or chip capacitors made of ceramic are best.

Sometimes in critical circuits, several size caps in parallel are
appropriate, e.g., 1ufd || .1ufd || .001ufd, etc. The reason for
this is as the capacitors become smaller in value, they also
get physically smaller, hence less inductance. However this is
less the case with SMT caps: consult your capacitor data
sheets for the impedance verses frequency plots.
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See impedance verses frequency plots.

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Linear Voltage Regulators as Decoupling Devices

Simple Shunt Regulator Simple Pass Regulator Pass Regulator with Gain
Linear Regulators

The use of three terminal linear voltage regulators, like the 78xx and 79xx devices, is
fairly straightforward. However, there are a few things to remember: always bypass ­­
there's that word again! ­­ the input pin to the common pin with a ceramic capacitor
no smaller than 0.33 ufd, and use absolutely the shortest leads possible (there are
some transistors with pretty high ft in that regulator, and if you furnish enough
reactance of the wrong kind, Mr. Oscillationwill visit).

Points to Ponder:

1) Unlike bypassing, decoupling is not always used; in fact, it is typically used as a last
resort if bypassing fails to give the wanted power supply stabilization.

2) There is always some decoupling built into any circuit: the very inductive reactance
bypassing is meant to overcome­­the power conductors­­in essence act as decoupling
inductors.
a_ Although short trace lengths are desirable, the power lead being long can,
sometimes, actually improve decoupling.

3) The simple addition of ferrite to these conductors enhance this natural decoupling
inductance; sometimes eliminating the need for a special decoupling inductor.

4) The best all­round decoupling device is in fact not an inductor, but a voltage
regulator­­especially LDOs (low drop out regulators).

"Decoupling" Power Distribution Bus Bars