12.1.3 Traces, Vias, and Other PCB Components

A right angle in a trace can cause more radiation. The capacitance increases in the region of the corner, and the characteristic impedance changes. This impedance change causes reflections.

• Avoid right-angle bends in a trace and try to route them at least with two 45° corners. To minimize any impedance change, the best routing would be a round bend (see Figure 20).
• Separate high-speed signals (for example, clock signals) from low-speed signals and digital from analog signals; again, placement is important.
• To minimize crosstalk not only between two signals on one layer but also between adjacent layers, route them with 90° to each other.

Figure 20. Poor and Good Right-Angle Bends