X-Authentication-Warning: delorie.com: mail set sender to geda-user-bounces using -f X-Recipient: geda-user AT delorie DOT com DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:date:message-id:subject:from:to:content-type; bh=NQmEupsYSeQHr82Jf0rrv4IDfZORgQjWC4g0cLAT2XQ=; b=t6RyXyExEtp8/m+1Rqn+hPopyITpeMu17t4SkyNuCurfg5Db3F2M5W9L1Xt/xAZ5yu Tkvi+b3rgTmmezdPvCNv+7C9ceZHxNy6zmd2s23vRZRkHamrHd3Lafid8x8As+dt/2YV BjvPfgG5vt7RRWtSnQSIdqBMNEqS8qD/fFlTUG8vfkJhe6GoU8QNAoy/zqG/P0KdQ3Ij 1j7I7RtnNetWWu6Y5GF8K+oJofqFaHi043DNbhblXM9hTInMvD7jcIynHdGwG81SIGxh DI5OUz6asB0YPDREanXzai5ANajR4sDklE1ovoHZo8kMhjqDKuiHMMSQlaUnJ6ZKxYNX QE0w== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.50.87.98 with SMTP id w2mr17030214igz.34.1406037179383; Tue, 22 Jul 2014 06:52:59 -0700 (PDT) Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 09:52:59 -0400 Message-ID: Subject: [geda-user] Do you put ground planes under inductors? From: Bob Paddock To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Reply-To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com Filippo's question about inductor footprints raised a question in my mind about inductor layout placement. I've read conflicting design advice on if a ground plane should be placed under the inductor used in switching power supplies. One school of though says the ground plane acts as a shield, doesn't put slots into the plane to interfere with return currents etc., this seems to be the most common approach. This seems to assume everything is perfect in the real world. The other school of thought is not to put the plane under the inductor because the magnetic flux could introduce currents into the ground plane modulating 'ground', a type of ground pulling. This seems to assume the real world is not perfect, ie. there are real world effects that we don't really want. Comments?