Just Ask Happy: Ground Reference Planes

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We asked for you to send in your questions for Happy Holden, and you took us up on it! The questions you've posed run the gamut, covering technology, the worldwide fab market, and everything in between. Enjoy.

Q: How important are GND reference planes in signals that are less than 50MHz, since 1/4 wavelength is about 30 inches?

A: GND is an essential part of the circuit. The return path for DC is the lowest resistance, but for the AC part of the signal, it is the lowest inductance.

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