Design Considerations
AN64846 - Getting Started with CapSense
®
Doc. No. 001-64846 Rev. *X
69
Figure 3-43. Ground Loop Surrounding the Sensor for Improved ESD Performance
Having a ground loop around the sensor reduces noise in the proximity-sensor and provides a discharge path to the
ground during ESD events but reduces the proximity-sensing distance. Therefore, there is a tradeoff between noise
immunity and the proximity-sensing distance. The minimum recommended width for ground loop is 1.5 mm and the
minimum air gap between the proximity loop and ground loop is 1 mm.
Note
Having a ground loop with a small trace width (1.5 mm) around the sensor will not reduce the proximity distance
by a drastic amount unlike a large grounded/floating conductive object.
3.7 Pin Assignments
An effective method to reduce interaction between CapSense sensor traces and communication and non-CapSense
traces is to isolate each by port assignment.
shows a basic version of this isolation for a 32-pin QFN
package. Because each function is isolated, the CapSense controller is oriented such that there is no crossing of
communication, LED, and sensing traces.
Figure 3-44. Recommended: Port Isolation for Communication, CapSense, and LEDs
The CapSense controller architecture imposes a restriction on current budget for even and odd port pin numbers. For
a CapSense controller, if the current budget of an odd port pin is 100 mA, the total current drawn though all odd port
Proximity Loop Sensor
Grounded Loop
CapSense
Controller