Measuring the Performance of Equalized Serial Data Links Across the Design Flow

For advanced signaling over high-loss channels, designs today are using equalization and several new measurement methods to evaluate the performance of the link. Both simulation and measurement tools support equalization and the new measurement methods, but correlation of results throughout the design flow is unclear. In this paper a high performance equalizing serial data link is measured and the performance is compared to that predicted by simulation. Then, the differences between simulation and measurements are discussed as well as methods to correlate the two.