Physics-based simulation joins EDA environment

Now available in Europe, Ansoft Designer is the industry's first design environment to integrate full electromagnetic (EM) and circuit/system cosimulation.

Now available in Europe, Ansoft Designer is the industry's first design environment to integrate full electromagnetic (EM) and circuit/system cosimulation.

The tool leverages Ansoft's core competencies in physics-based, high-performance EM simulation across component, circuit and system design and includes bidirectional links with other leading EDA tools for the import and export of projects.

The inherent accuracy of Ansoft Designer's physics-based models and a 'Solver on Demand' technology have introduced a new, efficient means of bridging conceptual design to end product.

Brieuc Turluche, Ansoft Corporation Europe's European Director, comments: "Ansoft Designer is the first EDA tool available that allows engineers to design high-frequency components, circuits and systems with a high degree of confidence that their prototypes will meet specification.

The tool's Solver on Demand technology allows the designer to select the complexity, depth and type of simulation performed on different physical areas of a design".

Traditional design entry tools have either limited or no EM simulation capability, which means the final product or prototype - be it an antenna, IC, PCB or system - will seldom exhibit the same performance as the circuit schematic due to parasitic and EM effects.

Many high frequency components, for example a Bluetooth amplifier, have extremely tight specifications, tolerances and power budgets.

Whilst circuit simulation is often performed on an amplifier, the gain or return loss may be 'out' by several decibels or the bandwidth centred incorrectly.

"Ansoft Designer takes designers about as close as it is possible to get to true virtual prototyping", continues Turluche.

"By cosimulating circuit and EM effects, the number of component, circuit or system prototypes can be dramatically reduced.

Furthermore, the level of detail Ansoft Designer affords, and the confidence it provides, means future variations of the product may be developed without producing physical prototypes".

As the operating frequencies of electronic components, circuits and systems continue to creep higher and higher, the effects of EM must be taken into account.

Components cannot be simulated in isolation without understanding and simulating the true interaction of adjacent components or structures.

Turluche adds: "EM effects must increasingly be taken into account when designing today's and tomorrow's circuits.

Ansoft Designer is great for pinpointing the effects of EM within the design, and allows designers to adopt an iterative approach to their product development.

Not only does Ansoft Designer take EM into account but it also allows the designer to develop a product that either avoids unwanted EM effects or, for some RF components, exploits the effects".

Ansoft Designer has an extremely attractive price/performance ratio, costing far less than the multiple point solutions that would otherwise be required to perform full EM and circuit/system simulation throughout the design and development of a product.

In addition, the availability of Ansoft Designer in Northern Europe is complemented by support from a team of experienced application engineers.

"Ansoft Designer, as a design entry solution, makes microwave, RF, high-speed component, board and system design simultaneously easier and more accurate", concludes Turluche.

"By linking physical attributes to electrical performance, and with the Solver on Demand technology, Ansoft Designer eliminates design risk and uncertainty by providing the information designers need to make correct decisions during all stages of the design process.

Productivity is further increased thanks to direct bi-directional links with Cadence, Mentor, Zuken and the leading 3D EM solver Ansoft HFSS.

The tool effectively replaces measurement in the design cycle to reduce the number of iterative design steps, prototypes and costs".

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