25 Gbps backplane links frequency and time domain characterization - correlation study between test and full-wave 3D EM simulation

Designing backplane links at such high data rates requires the consideration of the interaction between active and passive components. The degree of interaction at 25 Gbps data rates requires a co-design approach with respect to active and passive blocks. In this paper, we start with modelling a 25 Gbps backplane channel in frequency domain and establish the correlation between results obtained from passive channel model and measurement. We further extend this analysis to establish correlation between chip test and chip-based simulation. In this study, we focus on the transmission performance of a 0.6-meter backplane channel operating at 25 Gbps, and expect similar performance in the presence of crosstalk with sufficiently isolated TX/RX grouping within the multi-lane backplane system.