A method for evaluating channelsA method for evaluating channels
Charles Moore, Avago TechnologiesAdam Healey LSI CorporationAdam Healey, LSI Corporation
100 Gb/s Backplane and Copper Study Group00 Gb/s ac p a e a d Coppe S udy G oupSingapore, March 2011
Supporters
• Brian Misek, Avago TechnologiesRi h M llit I t l• Rich Mellitz, Intel
2A method for evaluating channels
Background
• IEEE 802.3baTM-2010 introduced new methods for evaluating channelsP lse response amplit de 85 8 3 3– Pulse response amplitude, 85.8.3.3
– Integrated crosstalk noise (ICN), 85.10.7• The influence of channel insertion loss deviation (ILD) and return loss
f fon link performance was recognized by not rigorously quantified
3A method for evaluating channels
Objectives
• Extend the ICN calculations to quantify the impact of channel ILD and return lossreturn loss
• For the study group, provide a method for estimating the suitability of channels for use at some bit rate
J if h bj i– Justify reach objectives• For the (prospective) task force, provide a framework for the definition
of channel performance requirements
4A method for evaluating channels
The basic method consists of 4 steps
1. Predict the available signal at the receiver given the channel and an assumed transmitterassumed transmitter
2. Compute an equivalent noise that represents the interference from nearby channels (crosstalk) and residual inter-symbol interference (ISI)(ISI)
3. Apply an estimate of the additional SNR loss corresponding to “real world” implementations of the receiver and transmitter
4. Compute the SNR and compare it to a target intended to provide a symbol error ratio (SER) better than 10−12
This method is described and justified by text and equations. Equations are derived in Appendix A. Incidental values, which may changed without changing the method, are c de a a ues, c ay c a ged ou c a g g e e od, a etabulated in Appendix B.
5A method for evaluating channels
Signal measure
• The signal measure is the dibit amplitude which is the product of the transmitted amplitude and the dibit gaintransmitted amplitude and the dibit gain
• Considers the influence of pre-cursor ISI from the first following bit– Not correctable by the decision feedback equalizer
0.25
• Includes representations of the transmitter and receiver filters
The dibit gain is the peak of response to the ti l
0.15
0.2
V
+1
stimulus:gdibit
0.05
0.1A
mpl
itude
, V
0 1 UI 2 UI
0 1
-0.05
0
−1
6
88 90 92 94 96 98-0.1
Time, UI
A method for evaluating channels
Sources of noise
Victimtransmitter
2ildH Receiver
Insertion loss deviation
2rrtxH
Transmitter re-reflection4
22
)(1 t
tt ff
AH+
= 82
)(11
rr ff
H+
=
2rrrxH
Receiver re-reflection
2rrtxrxH
Transmitter-receiver re-reflection
22 ftA
H
10/10 lossMDFEXT−
Far-end crosstalk Integrated crosstalk noiseFar-end
aggressor
4)(1 ft
fft ff
H+
=
2
Near-end aggressor
10/10 lossMDNEXT−
Near-end crosstalk
aggressor
4
22
)(1 nt
ntnt ff
AH+
=
7A method for evaluating channels
aggressor
Insertion loss deviation (ILD) noise
• Most cleanly designed channels with low reflections have a transfer function which may be modeled as:y
xeH =2
4210)log( fffxH fit γγγγ +++≅=
• Since most channels will have this basic characteristic, it is reasonableiii jβαγ +=
to expect that transmitters and receivers are designed to equalize it• Deviations from the transfer function model will represent unexpected
perturbations that may be difficult to equalizep y q• The difference between the actual transfer function and the best fit to
the model may be considered to be error term whose power can be added to the total noise
fitild HHH −=added to the total noise
• The best fit is the one that minimizes Hild in the least mean squares
8A method for evaluating channels
sense and this is a fit weighted by H
Best fit calculation
⎥⎥⎤
⎢⎢⎡
22222112
21111111
)()()()()()()()(
ffHffHffHfHffHffHffHfH
F ⎥⎥⎤
⎢⎢⎡
))(log()())(log()(
22
11
fHfHfHfH
⎥⎥⎥⎥
⎦⎢⎢⎢⎢
⎣
=
2
2222112
)()()()(
)()()()(
NNNNNNN
w
ffHffHffHfH
fffffffF
MMMM⎥⎥⎥
⎦⎢⎢⎢
⎣
=
))(log()(
))(g()(
NN fHfH
ffy
M
⎥⎥⎥⎤
⎢⎢⎢⎡
= 1
0
γγ
γyFFF T
wwT
wlms 1)( −=γ
T id d i fl f i l hi h t ib t littl i th
⎥⎥
⎦⎢⎢
⎣ 4
2
γγ
γ2
4210 fffx lmslmslmslmslms γγγγ +++=lmsx
fit eH =
• To avoid undue influence from signals which contribute little noise, the range of the fit is limited such that fN < fmax
• The value of log(H( f )) is ambiguous but the form used here “unwraps” h hthe phase– The magnitude may be fit independently from the phase by substituting the
magnitude of H( f ) for H( f ) in the expressions above to yield α lms
9
– The unwrapped phase may then be fit directly to yield β lms
A method for evaluating channels
ILD noise example
0.8fci_cc_short_2to10
SDD21
0fci_cc_short_2to10
0.5
0.6
0.7 Fit
-20
-10
B
0.2
0.3
0.4
Am
plitu
de, V
-40
-30
Mag
nitu
de, d
B
0
0.1-50 SDD21
FitILD
ILD
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75-0.1
Time, UI at 25.7813 GBd0 5 10 15 20 25 30
-60
Frequency, GHz
10A method for evaluating channels
Re-reflection interference (noise)
• Transmitter, receiver, and channel return loss influence the transfer function of the assembled link
1 2
⎥⎦
⎤⎢⎣
⎡=
2221
1211
ssss
S
Transmitter Channel Receiver1 2
1Γ 2Γ
Transmitter re-reflection
1Γ11s
21s21111 ssHrrtx Γ=
s
Transmitter re-reflection
2Γ22s
21s
22221 ssHrrrx Γ=Receiver re-reflection
2Γ21112221 sssHrrtxrx ΓΓ=1Γ
21s12s
21sTransmitter-receiver re-reflection
11A method for evaluating channels
Re-reflection noise example
0.1fci_cc_short_15to7
RRTX
0fci_cc_short_15to7
RRTX
0.04
0.06
0.08 RRRXRRTXRXSDD21
-20
-10
B
RRRXRRTXRX
-0.02
0
0.02
Am
plitu
de, V
-40
-30
Mag
nitu
de, d
B
RRTXRX
-0.08
-0.06
-0.04
-50 RRTX, RRRX
RRTXRX
30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110-0.1
Time, UI at 25.7813 GBd0 5 10 15 20 25 30
-60
Frequency, GHz
12A method for evaluating channels
Calculating and combining noise
• Calculate the power of each noise term using the ICN integral• Assume noise sources are statistically independent
2222222rrtxrxrrrxrrtxildnxfxch σσσσσσσ +++++=
2 ∑Δ MDFEXTfWf 10/2 10)(2 Weighting functions:2fxσ ∑ −Δ=
n
MDFEXTnftfx
lossfWf 10/2 10)(2σ
2nxσ ∑ −Δ= MDNEXT
nntnxlossfWf 10/2 10)(2σ
)()(1
1)(1
)( 84
2
nrntn
tnt fP
ffffAfW ⎥
⎦
⎤⎢⎣
⎡+⎥
⎦
⎤⎢⎣
⎡+
=
Weighting functions:
nx ∑n
nntnx ff )(
2ildσ ∑Δ=
nnildntild fHfWf 22 )()(2σ )(
)(11
)(1)( 84
2
nrnftn
ftnft fP
ffffA
fW ⎥⎦
⎤⎢⎣
⎡+⎥
⎦
⎤⎢⎣
⎡
+=
n
2rrtxσ ∑Δ=
nnrrtxntrrtx fHfWf 22 )()(2σ )(
)(11
)(1)( 84
2
nrnntn
ntnnt fP
ffffAfW ⎥
⎦
⎤⎢⎣
⎡+⎥
⎦
⎤⎢⎣
⎡+
=
2rrrxσ ∑Δ=
nnrrrxntrrtx fHfWf 22 )()(2σ
2 ∑Δ fHfWf 22 )()(2
2)sin(1)( ⎥⎦
⎤⎢⎣
⎡=
b
b
b ffff
ffP
ππ
13A method for evaluating channels
2rrtxrxσ ∑Δ=
nnrrtxrxntrrtxrx fHfWf 22 )()(2σ ⎦⎣ bb fff
Implementation penalty
• Numerous other effects will limit the achievable SNR but are difficult to predict without detailed simulationpredict without detailed simulation
• These effects include but are not limited to:– Transmitter jitter– Clock recovery error and jitter– Minimum slicer overdrive– Thermal noise and receiver noise figure– Baseline wander– Limitations on the accuracy of practical equalizers– “Real world” limitations on bandwidth, linearity, etc. of components, y, p
• Margin needs to built into the SNR estimate to allow for these effects
Amplitude penalty Noise penaltyAmplitude penalty Noise penalty
ipdibits gAA = 222ipchn σσσ +=
14A method for evaluating channels
Target SNR
• The SNR may now be computed as As / σn
• The SNR that is required for NRZ to provide a SER better than 10−12
b l l d i h i f imay be calculated using the inverse error function• SNR2 is approximately 7.03
• For a fixed differential output voltage, multi-level modulation (L-PAM):For a fixed differential output voltage, multi level modulation (L PAM):• yields a reduction in the spacing between adjacent levels• yields somewhat smaller RMS interference amplitude• allows more bits per symbol hence lower symbol rates
Symbol rate Target SNR
)(log2 LRfb =1
322 −
=L
SNRSNRL
• Note that inner signal levels have a higher propensity for error and in the limit of large L this effectively doubles the SER
• For an SER of 10−12 this could increase the target SNR by 0 1 dB
15A method for evaluating channels
• For an SER of 10 , this could increase the target SNR by 0.1 dB
Comparison to Salz SNR
• Salz SNR represents an upper bound on the performance of decision feedback equalizersfeedback equalizers– Readily computed from the channel insertion loss to crosstalk ratio (ICR)– However, practical equalizers will not perform as wellS S S f• Salz SNR is not very sensitive to pre-cursor ISI, ILD, and re-reflection– These can be significant error terms in this analysis– 10GBASE-KR ICR limit assumes a 3 dB SNR penalty due to ILD (and re-
reflection?)– When considered in detail using this method, the penalty may actually be
much greater• Salz SNR should also be adjusted by an implementation penalty
– Implementation penalty is explicitly included by this method
16A method for evaluating channels
Conclusions
• Link operation at less than a given symbol error ratio can be estimated from a determination of the SNRfrom a determination of the SNR
• The SNR can be derived from characteristics which are represented by collections of scattering parameters
• Reasonable suggestions for these calculations have been shown• The authors recommend:
– The Study Group use this method, including reasonable refinements, as partThe Study Group use this method, including reasonable refinements, as part of the process to determine channel reach objectives
– Should a Task Force be formed, use this method (and refinements) as the framework for defining channel performance requirements
17A method for evaluating channels
Appendix AAppendix A
Derivation of formulae
Dibit amplitude
The signal measure is dibit amplitude which is the product of the peak-to peak transmitted amplitude and the dibit gainto-peak transmitted amplitude and the dibit gain.
A.1dibittdibit gAA =
A dibit is a signal which consists of a unit positive pulse 1 unit interval(UI) long followed by a unit negative pulse 1 UI long. The dibit gain is thepeak of the response of a system to a dibit. In this case, the systemp p y , yconsists of the transmitter low pass filter, which accounts for thetransmitter rise time, the channel, and the receiver low pass filter. Dibitgain can be calculated with a time domain simulator or in the frequencydomain by performing the integral:
A.2dfefHfSDDfHf
ffjdibit fjrt
b τππτ 22
)()(21)()(sin22)( ∫∞
⎥⎦
⎤⎢⎣
⎡=
fπ0∫ ⎥
⎦⎢⎣
19A method for evaluating channels
Dibit amplitude, continued
If the transmitter and receiver low pass filters are real, i.e. zero phase,then the peak of the dibit will occur near:then the peak of the dibit will occur near:
A.35.0)38.0(238.02
imag 421 +
⎥⎥⎦
⎤
⎢⎢⎣
⎡++= b
be f
fγγγτ
The coefficients γ i are derived as shown on slide 9. The units of τe areunit intervals.
⎥⎦⎢⎣ bf
When computed this way, the dibit gain will usually be accurate to betterthan 0.5 dB. For better accuracy, values at τe ± 0.2 UI can be computedand the peak found by quadratic fitting.
20A method for evaluating channels
Insertion loss deviation (ILD) noise
The objective is to find the set of coefficients γ lms that minimize the meansquared error between H and e xsquared error between H and e x.
A.4)()( nfxnn efH −=ε
A 52fff lmslmslmslmslms +++
Begin by linearizing e x around γ lms.
A.524210 fffx lmslmslmslmslms γγγγ +++=
A.6lms
lms
i
x
i
lmsii
xx eeeγγ
γγ∂∂
−+≅ ∑ )(
E i f E ti A 6 i ld E ti A 7 d E ti A 8Expansion of Equation A.6 yields Equation A.7 and Equation A.8.
A.7244221100 )()()()( fefefeeee
lmslmslmslmslms xlmsxlmsxlmsxlmsxx γγγγγγγγ −+−+−+−+≅
A.8lmslmslms xlmslmslmslmsxxx efffefffee )()( 2
42102
4210 γγγγγγγγ +++−++++≅
21A method for evaluating channels
Insertion loss deviation (ILD) noise, continued
If the model is a good representation of the channel over the frequencyrange of interest and the error is small it can be assumed that:range of interest and the error is small, it can be assumed that:
A.9lmsxeH ≅
A 10lmsH ≅)l (
Substituting Equations A.9 and A.10 into Equation A.8:
A.10lmsxH ≅)log(
A.11
Substituting A.11 into the expression for the fit error Equation A.4 yields:
)())(log()()()( 24210 fHfHfHffffHex −++++≅ γγγγ
A.12)()()())(log( 24210 nnnnnnn fHffffHfH γγγγε +++−≅
Equation A 12 is the basis for determining the best fit coefficients γ lms asEquation A.12 is the basis for determining the best fit coefficients γ asshown on slide 9.
22A method for evaluating channels
Re-reflection noise
So far, the channel transfer function has been assumed to be SDD21which is measured under the condition of the transmitter and receiverwhich is measured under the condition of the transmitter and receiverare terminated by the reference impedance. When terminated with atransmitter with output reflection coefficient Γ1 and a receiver with inputreflection coefficient Γ the transfer function from port 1 to port 2reflection coefficient Γ2, the transfer function from port 1 to port 2becomes:
A 132112
sH = A.13( )22112112212122211112 1 ssssss
HΓΓ−ΓΓ+Γ+Γ−
=
1 2
⎥⎦
⎤⎢⎣
⎡=
2221
1211
ssss
S
Transmitter Channel Receiver1 2
1Γ 2Γ
23A method for evaluating channels
Re-reflection noise, continued
Given that 1/(1−x) is approximately 1+x when |x| << 1, the transferfunction is approximately:function is approximately:
A.14( )2211211221212221112112 1 sssssssH ΓΓ−ΓΓ+Γ+Γ+≅
Under this assumption, the magnitude of the denominator is close to 1so these reflection terms have negligible effect on the dibit gain. Notethat the last term in Equation A 14 is the product of the of second andthat the last term in Equation A.14 is the product of the of second andthird terms, which are assumed to be small, and may be safely ignored.In addition, knowing that s21 = s21 yields:
A.152132122221121112112 ΓΓ+Γ+Γ+≅ ssssssH
The last three terms are called the transmitter re-reflection receiver re-The last three terms are called the transmitter re-reflection, receiver re-reflection, and transmitter-receiver re-reflection respectively. An intuitiveinterpretation of these terms is given on slide 11.
24A method for evaluating channels
Re-reflection noise computation
It would be possible to compute the true transfer function if all of the S-parameters for the channel and the complex reflection coefficients of theparameters for the channel and the complex reflection coefficients of thetransmitter and receiver were known. In general, the provider of thechannel will only have access to limits on the magnitude of the reflectioncoefficientscoefficients.
25A method for evaluating channels
Appendix BAppendix B
Parameters for calculations
General parameters
Parameter Symbol Value
Symbol rate, GHz fb Variabley , fb
Victim differential output amplitude, mV peak At 400
Victim transmitter 3 dB bandwidth, GHz ft 0.55 x fb
Far-end disturber differential output amplitude, mV peak Aft 400
Far-end disturber 3 dB bandwidth, GHz fft 0.55 x fb
N d di t b diff ti l t t lit d V k A 600Near-end disturber differential output amplitude, mV peak Ant 600
Near-end disturber 3 dB bandwidth, GHz fnt 1.00 x fb
Receiver 3 dB bandwidth GHz f 0 75 x fbReceiver 3 dB bandwidth, GHz fr 0.75 x fb
Maximum frequency for transfer function fit, GHz fmax 0.75 x fb
Implementation amplitude penalty, V/V gip 0.667
Implementation noise penalty, mV σip dibitt gA024.0
27A method for evaluating channels
Transmitter and receiver reflection coefficients
Parameter Symbol Value
Transmitter DC reflection coefficient, V/V g01 0.161Transmitter DC reflection coefficient, V/V g01 0.161Transmitter return loss reference frequency, GHz f1 1.25 x fb
Receiver DC reflection coefficient, V/V g02 0.161Receiver return loss reference frequency, GHz f2 1.25 x fb
222 )( ffg +
-2
B.12
1
10121 )(1
)(ffffg
++
=Γ
22 )( ff 8
-6
-4
, dB
B.22
2
22
2022
2 )(1)(
ffffg
++
=Γ
-12
-10
-8
Mag
nitu
de,
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1-16
-14
Frequency/(Symbol rate)
28A method for evaluating channels