Among various forms of signal degradation, skew is a key contributor to timing errors in systems operating at multi-gigabit data rates. An increasingly important factor at high speeds is material-induced skew due to local differences in dielectric constant arising from the PCB’s woven glass fabric reinforcement. This article aims to unpack the root causes of material-induced skew, particularly focusing on the glass weave effect, and explores mitigation techniques ranging from laminate selection to signal routing strategies.
