IPC 2141 Trace Impedance Calculator
The IPC-2141 trace Impedance calculator will help make initial design easier by allowing the user to input basic parameters and get a calculated impedance according to the IPC-2141 standard. While this calculator will provide a baseline, any final design considerations should be made towards loss, dispersion, copper roughness, phase shift, etc. A field solver may be required for final circuit analysis.
Trace Type
Ω
Warning - (w/h) only valid from 0.1 to 2.0
Warning - trace thickness t is invalid!
Warning - substrate height h is invalid!
Warning - trace width w is invalid!
Warning - dielectric constant εr is invalid!
Warning - invalid values!
Ω
Warning - (w/h) only valid from 0.1 to 2.0
Warning - trace thickness t is invalid!
Warning - substrate height h is invalid!
Warning - impedance Zo is invalid!
Warning - dielectric constant εr is invalid!
Warning - invalid values!
Ω
Warning - (w/h) only valid from 0.1 to 2.0
Warning - trace thickness t is invalid!
Warning - substrate height h is invalid!
Warning - trace width w is invalid!
Warning - trace spacing s is invalid!
Warning - dielectric constant εr is invalid!
Warning - invalid values!
Ω
Warning - (w/h) only valid from 0.1 to 2.0
Warning - trace thickness t is invalid!
Warning - impedance Zd is invalid!
Warning - substrate height h is invalid!
Warning - trace spacing s is invalid!
Warning - dielectric constant εr is invalid!
Warning - invalid values!
Ω
Warning - (t/h) only valid up to 0.25
Warning - (w/h) only valid from 0.1 to 2.0
Warning - trace thickness t is invalid!
Warning - substrate height h is invalid!
Warning - trace width w is invalid!
Warning - dielectric constant εr is invalid!
Warning - invalid values!
Ω
Warning - (t/ha) only valid up to 0.25
Warning - (t/hb) only valid up to 0.25
Warning - (w/ha) only valid from 0.1 to 2.0
Warning - (w/hb) only valid from 0.1 to 2.0
Warning - trace thickness t is invalid!
Warning - height above trace ha is invalid!
Warning - height below trace hb is invalid!
Warning - trace width w is invalid!
Warning - dielectric constant εr is invalid!
Warning - invalid values!
Ω
Warning - (t/hp) only valid up to 0.25
Warning - (w/hp) only valid from 0.1 to 2.0
Warning - trace thickness t is invalid!
Warning - height to plane hp is invalid!
Warning - height between traces ht is invalid!
Warning - trace width w is invalid!
Warning - dielectric constant εr is invalid!
Warning - invalid values!
Ω
Warning - (w/h) only valid from 0.1 to 2.0
Warning - trace thickness t is invalid!
Warning - substrate height h is invalid!
Warning - trace width w is invalid!
Warning - dielectric constant εr is invalid!
Warning - invalid values!
Stripline vs Microstrip
Stripline and Microstrips are used as transmission lines in PCBs. They are used to carry DC, Slow and High Frequency signals. While Microstrips will only have one side shielded, Striplines are housed between reference layers. Careful consideration must be paid to the trace impedance. This IPC-2141 trace impedance calculator can simplify inputs and provide a reference point to start from as you refine your circuit and layout.
Common variations of Stripline include: Symmetric Stripline (the signal is routed between equally spaced planes), Edge-Coupled Stripline (the short side of two traces are electrically coupled), Asymmetric Stripline (the signal is routed unequally spaced between planes) and Broadside Coupled Stripline (the wide parts of two lines are coupled by being stacked vertically over each other).
Microstrip is similar to the Stripline variations with the exception that there is only a single reference plane.
In comparing Microstrips to Striplines we find that Microstrips have a lower propagation constant which lets the waves move faster. The tradeoff is having higher radiation losses compared to Striplines. Striplines can be thinner and have better shielding.
Microstrips are easier (and less expensive) to fabricate. Stripline gives more isolation between neighboring traces. The structure of stripline gives better isolation between layers.
