Problem
| Cause
| Effect
|
LNA/tank circuit arrangement (receiver)
| Inductor orientation
| RF feedthrough
|
Degeneration/π-network arrangement (transmitter)
| Inductor orientation
| RF feedthrough
|
Shared ground vias between legs of π network
| Via parasitics
| Feedthrough, RF leakage
|
Shared ground vias between receiver blocks
| Via parasitics
| Crosstalk, RF feedthrough, RF leakage
|
Long traces for decoupling capacitors
| Higher-impedance connections
| Reduced decoupling
|
Wide component placement
| Increased parasitics, ground loops
| Detuning, crosstalk, feedthrough
|
Colinear traces in the transmitter circuit
| Filter bypassing, i.e., power amplifier (PA) directly to antenna
| Harmonics radiation
|
Top-layer copper pours
| Parasitic coupling
| RF leakage, RF interference
|
Discontinuous ground plane
| Return current concentration
| Crosstalk, feedthrough
|
Crystal connection trace length
| Excess capacitance
| LO frequency pulling
|
Crystal connection trace separation
| Excess capacitance
| LO frequency pulling
|
Ground plane under crystal pads
| Excess capacitance
| LO frequency pulling
|
Planar PCB trace inductors
| Poor inductance control
|
|