FPGA power design can involve very high currents like 5A, 10A, or more flowing in the traces of the PCB. When these larger currents are present and change over time in a switching pattern with sharp edges, it is easy to understand that noise, induced voltages, and EMI may be present and may cause undesirable behavior in the power supply. Rapid switching currents associated with wiring inductance can also generate voltage transients which may cause additional problems. For minimal inductance and ground loops, the PCB traces conducting high current should be kept as short as possible. For best results, external components should be located as close to the DC/DC converter as possible, using ground-plane construction or single-point grounding. When using open core inductors, special care must be taken as to the location and positioning of this type of inductor to avoid the inductor flux intersecting with sensitive feedback ground paths and COUT wiring. When using a switching regulator or controller with an adjustable output, locate the feedback resistors and the associated wiring physically near the IC and route the wiring away from the inductor, especially on an open core type of inductor. Ferrite bobbin or stick inductors have magnetic lines of flux flowing through the air from one end of the bobbin to the other end. These magnetic lines of flux will induce a voltage into any wire or PC board copper trace that comes within the inductor's magnetic field. The strength of the magnetic field, the orientation and location of the PC copper trace to the magnetic field, and the distance between the copper trace and the inductor determine the amount of voltage generated in the copper trace. Thermal issues determine reliability for both the FPGA and the regulator. The items that control the temperature of these devices include standby-power and total-power dissipation, external capacitive loading (FPGA only), thermal resistance, ambient temperature, and airflow. These items must be managed to maintain junction temperature (Tj) below the manufacturer’s specified maximum.