Getting a Handle on Power-Rail Measurements (.PDF Download)

Most of today’s electronic designs require many different supply voltages to function properly. Even within the same circuit, many components require multiple voltage levels. This is especially true with highly integrated system-on-chip and microprocessor designs in which multiple technologies interface together.

As systems become faster and more complex, engineers must take the time to thoroughly test power rails to ensure that each part of the system is receiving the correct power to meet its needs. A number of trends are conspiring to make this more challenging, including:

• Power-efficiency features such as power gating and dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS)
• Dynamic loads with fast transients
• Increased crosstalk and coupling
• Switching regulators with faster rise times