Preview Questions Hardware Engineer | Role Specific Skill

Question 1: How would you improve the signal integrity of a high-frequency signal in a prototype?

Which action should you take?

Choose only one option

By using thicker traces

By increasing the voltage of the signal

By reducing the trace length and adding grounding

By minimizing the use of passive components

Question 2: In a high-speed differential pair design, which factor most critically ensures signal integrity over long traces?

Which action should you take?

Choose only one option

Reduced trace thickness

High dielectric constant substrate

Single-ended routing with ground return

Tight differential impedance matching

Question 3: What is the primary function of a notch filter?

Which action should you take?

Choose only one option

Reduce signal distortion

Remove a specific frequency band

Amplify low frequencies

Enhance dynamic range

Question 4: When optimizing a PCB for power integrity in a system with multiple DC-DC converters, what design step is key?

Which action should you take?

Choose only one option

Relying on thin traces for power distribution

Using just one bulk capacitor at the input to all regulators

Ignoring the placement of bypass caps and focusing only on bulk caps

Placing decoupling capacitors close to device power pins, ensuring proper loop inductance reduction

Question 5: In PCB design, what is the significance of the trace-to-pad ratio?

Which action should you take?

Choose only one option

It reduces power loss in the trace

It defines the trace impedance

It determines the current-carrying capacity of the trace

It ensures reliable solder joint formation

Question 6: How can via inductance be minimized in PCB design?

Which action should you take?

Choose only one option

Increasing via diameter

Reducing via length

Adding more copper layers

Using blind vias