PCB design question

[chris p]

What are the pros and cons of using a ground plane (or copper flood) in a design, vs just making a ground trace?

I can ditch all my wire links if I'm game to go the flood route, and most modern boards seem to use the idea. But being a novice at this game, I thought I should ask.

[rob]

the answer isn't easy, there are many pros and cons. Things to consider - current loops - you want to avoid these and "star grounding" is the best way. You don't get star grounding if you use a ground plane, however you do get larger slabs of copper and so issues of voltage drop are minimised and you might get away without star grounding. There isn't a universal call on this, each layout needs to be assessed individually. Are you talking single or double sided? Also, capacitive coupling between signal lines and the ground plane - usually only an issue with high impedance circuits ( or very high frequency circuits ).

Rob