The successful analysis of high-frequency electromagnetic (EM) circuits is critical to a whole host of wireless applications. Such analysis is needed for the design of microstrip and stripline circuits, planar spiral inductors, RFIC and MMIC devices, the multilayer circuits in printed-circuit-board (PCB) systems, and more. Typically, these high-frequency wireless structures are categorized as planar or fully three dimensional. Sonnet Software, Inc. offers the Sonnet Suites of 3D Planar EM analysis tools for predominantly planar structures. For full 3D high-frequency EM analysis, the company provides the CST Microwave Studio.
The Sonnet Suites develop precise RF models (S-, Y-, Z-parameters or extracted SPICE model) for 3D planar circuits and antennas. For operation, the software requires a physical description of the circuit. This description must include both an arbitrary layout and material properties for metal and dielectrics. It uses this information to employ a rigorous Method-of-Moments EM analysis, which is based on Maxwell's equations. The analysis then offers results pertaining to all parasitic, cross-coupling, enclosure, and package-resonance effects.
For North American customers, the company offers a full 3D EM analysis capability for 3D structures in CST Microwave Studio. This program comes with a simulator that combines the following: fast and accurate high-frequency 3D EM analysis, simulation in the time domain, and an intuitive solid modeling interface. The interface provides visual insight into the EM behavior of any high-frequency design. The common applications for the software include the analysis of coaxial bends, circular waveguide horns, dual patch antennas, and waveguide bandpass filters. CST also has been used in the analysis of cell-phone and human-body interactions. This analysis was used to demonstrate the program's new human-body mesh interface, which provides a very detailed human-body-tissue mesh model.
Together, Sonnet EM Suite and CST Microwave Studio provide a complete set of analysis tools for the high-frequency problems that require surface- or volume-meshing modeling. For a fully-functional, 30-day evaluation copy of either application, contact the company.
Sonnet Software, Inc.100 Elwood Davis Rd., North Syracuse, NY 13212; (315) 453-3096, FAX: (315) 451-1694, www.sonnetusa.com.