Short course
Advanced Printed Circuit Board Design for EMI and Signal Integrity
Course status:
Course ended
Dates:
13/04/2026 - 16/04/2026
Study format:
Short intensive
Fees:
£1,260.00
This course provides a unique blend of theory, applications and numerous hardware demonstrations to describe effective PCB design strategies to eliminate EMC problems such as radiated emissions & immunity, and ESD, and to improve low and high frequency signal integrity of analog and digital sensors.
The real-time hardware demonstrations use a spectrum analyser, oscilloscope and signal generators to illustrate inductance, common-impedance coupling, and ground loops in PCBs, cables and systems. Specific examples of single-point, multi-point, “good” and “bad” grounds will be discussed. We will also apply the course learning by discussing and examining actual SILENT client case histories as well as examples of integrated circuit application notes that give bad EMC design advice.
This course comprises Day 1 (PM only), Day 2 and Day 4 of a week-long programme:
- Days 1-2, Day 4: Advanced Printed Circuit Board Design for EMI & Signal Integrity
- Optional Day 3: Applying Practical EMI Design and Troubleshooting Techniques
- Optional Day 5: Mechanical Topics (Shielding of Enclosures and Cables) for EMC
At checkout, you may choose to add either or both of Day 3 and Day 5 to your enrolment.
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Accommodation
Although not included in the course fee, accommodation may be available at our on-site Rewley House Residential Centre. All bedrooms are en suite and decorated to a high standard, and come with tea- and coffee-making facilities, free Wi-Fi access and Freeview TV. Guests can take advantage of the excellent dining facilities and common room bar, where they may relax and network with others on the programme.
To check prices, availability and to book rooms please visit the Rewley House Residential Centre website.
Enrolled students are entitled to discounted accommodation rates for the purpose of study, at Rewley House, and can contact the administration team for the promotional code to use for making online accommodation bookings via the website.
Programme details
Day 1 – Monday 13 April. 1:00pm – 5:30pm
Section 1: Measuring and Inducing noise
- The electrical noise model
- Distinguishing the four noise paths by name, electrical driving function, necessary physical features and impact of source to victim distance
- Troubleshooting techniques based on the noise model
- Far-field versus Near-field coupling + DEMONSTRATION
- Practical antenna theory for radiated emissions and immunity + DEMONSTRATION
- Conducted emissions—mode separation, LISNs, troubleshooting
- Practical applications
Day 2 – Tuesday 14 April, 9:00am – 5:30pm
Section 2: Understanding the Physics and Root Causes of Noise Problems
- Capacitance—in ESD, PC boards, decoupling networks, filter networks, cables + DEMONSTRATION
- Electrostatic discharge (ESD). IC and system ESD tests. Problems with test repeatability. Design techniques to improve PCB ESD immunity + DEMONSTRATION
- Inductance—in PC boards, connectors, ICs, high speed signal paths, decoupling networks
- How to use connectors for improved signal quality, reduced emissions and improved immunity
- Behaviour of current paths at low and high frequencies + DEMONSTRATION
Day 4 – Thursday 16 April, 9:00am – 5:30pm
Section 3: Printed Circuit Board Design for EMC and Signal Integrity
- Top EMC Problems created by PCB design
- Review of the four noise coupling paths
- Near-field versus Far-field coupling + DEMONSTRATION
Section 4: Physical & Parasitic Capacitance, Inductance
- Good and bad capacitance
- Good and bad inductance
- Case History – radiated emissions
- Mutual Inductance
- The correct way to model and conceptualize “ground” plane inductance
- “Ground” plane splits – appropriate and inappropriate uses
- Current and voltage-driven processes that create common-mode current
- How to assign signals at interface connectors + SIMULATION RESULTS + CASE HISTORY
Section 5: Return Currents and Connections to Conductive Enclosure
- Where are signal currents actually located at “low” and “high” frequencies?
- Do I create zero, one, or multiple connections to a conductive enclosure?
Section 6: High Frequency PCB Decoupling Networks
- Characteristics of ideal digital PCB decoupling
- Power distribution on power traces and power planes
- Impact of choice of decoupling capacitor value and location
- Optimum decoupling capacitor locations and connections
- Simple tests to verify proper LOW frequency DC power delivery
- References concerning advanced topics
Section 7: Assorted PCB Design Topics for EMC and Signal Integrity
- Component placement
- Signal routing + stackup
- Examining past SILENT PCB design review findings
- CASE HISTORY of client radiated emissions problem
- CASE HISOTRY of client radiated immunity problem
- Examining integrated circuit datasheets & applications notes that give bad EMC advice for PCB design + CASE HISTORY
Test and measurement equipment for this course is supplied by Rohde & Schwarz 
Attending Your Course
Further details will be emailed to you two weeks ahead of your course, which will include registration information.
If you have not received your joining instructions five working days before the course start date, please get in touch.
In the meantime, you may wish to plan your travel: Travel information
Learning outcomes
After attending this course, you will be able to:
- Place decoupling capacitors to obtain best performance for a given layer stackup, based on the latest university research
- Explain the pros and cons of different PCB stackups, and know where to route and not to route high frequency noise sources
- Control trace inductance for signal integrity and low noise design
- Correctly identify the possible noise paths that can disrupt PCB operation and choose appropriate solutions
- Explain the problems that split ground planes cause and how to use them correctly
- Choose and place connectors and assign signals for lowest crosstalk, best signal integrity and lowest EMI
- How to identify mutual inductance and improve the effectiveness of filter capacitors
- Identify good and bad design practices when viewing actual PCB layout screenshots
Lee Hill
SILENT Solutions LLC & GmbH, USA & Germany
Lee Hill is Founding Partner of SILENT, an independent EMC and RF design firm established in 1992 that specializes in EMC and RF design, troubleshooting and training.
Lee received his MSEE from the Missouri University of Science & Technology EMC Laboratory, emclab.mst.edu.
He teaches a graduate course in EMC as a member of adjunct faculty at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and is also an EMC course instructor for Texas Instruments, the University of Oxford and the IEEE EMC Society’s Global University, which he currently chairs. He is a past EMC instructor for UC Berkeley, Agilent and Hewlett Packard.
With over 30 years of EMC design and troubleshooting experience, Lee consults and teaches world-wide, and has presented courses in Taiwan, China, Poland, Singapore, Mexico, Norway, Canada, South Korea, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Lee is a past member of the IEEE EMC Society’s Board of Directors (2004-2007).
Certification
In order to be eligible for a certificate of attendance, you will need to attend the whole course. Participants who meet this criterion will be emailed after the end of the course with a link, and instructions on how to access their University of Oxford digital certificate.
The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate, as well as share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Days 1 (PM only), 2 and 4 (standard course fee) | £1260.00 |
| Day 3 – Applying Practical EMI Design (optional) | £625.00 |
| Day 5 – Mechanical Topics for EMC (optional) | £625.00 |
Payment
Fees include course materials, tuition, refreshments, and lunch on Tuesday and Thursday. The price does not include accommodation.
All courses are VAT exempt.
Register immediately online
Click the ‘Book now’ button on this webpage. Payment by credit or debit card is required.
Request an invoice
If you require an invoice for your company or personal records, please complete an online application form. The Course Administrator will then email you an invoice. Payment is accepted online, by credit/debit card, or by bank transfer.
If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying, please click ‘Ask a question’ at the top of this page.
The next course dates are not yet confirmed. Add your name to the waiting list for a priority update on this course.
You can sign up for course news to receive updates on future courses.