Chapter14.

2:HFSSIEWorkshop
(RCS:PECCube)
14. 0 Release

IntroductiontoANSYSHFSS
forAntennaDesign

HFSS-IE Example: PEC Cubic RCS

Radar Cross Section of a PEC Cube

This example is intended to show you how to create, simulate, and analyze the RCS of a PEC Cube, using the Ansoft
HFSS-IE Design Environment.
This example was taken from the publication, Electromagnetic Code Consortium Benchmarks, compiled by Andrew
Greenwood and published by the Air Force Research Laboratory.

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Background
Background on RCS and PEC Cube problem

As mentioned previously, this problem was taken from a paper illustrating some simple radar targets that can be used
to calibrate electromagnetic simulators. The paper used several different university codes for the different targets.
Also mentioned in the lecture notes are the two measurements of RCS, Monostatic and Bistatic. The measurements
from the paper which we will simulate in HFSS-IE are shown below in the graphs, and represents Monostatic RCS.

From this graph, we can obtain some settings for the HFSS-IE simulation:
Adaptive Frequency: 0.43 GHz Single frequency / no sweep
Azimuth (f) swept with a fixed Elevation
q = 90
f = 0 to 90 since the structure is symmetric about the axis, we wont simulate the remaining quadrants
VV-polarized Excite the vertical polarization (q) and observe the vertical polarization (q)
Ephi = 0 / Etheta = 1
Observe MonostaticRCSTheta

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Getting Started
Ansoft HFSS-IE Design Environment

The following features of the Ansoft HFSS-IE Design Environment will be used to create this passive device model
3D Solid Modeling
Primitives: Boxes
Boundaries/Excitations
Ports: Incident Wave
Boundaries: Default Open Space
Analysis
Adaptive Solution Setup
Results
Far-Field Setup
Cartesian Plotting

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Getting Started
Launching Ansoft HFSS

To access Ansoft HFSS, click the Microsoft Start button, select Programs, and select the Ansoft, HFSS 14.0 program
group, Windows 64-bit. Click HFSS 14.0 (64-bit or 32-bit)

Setting Tool Options

Note: In order to follow the steps outlined in this example, verify that the following tool options are set :
Select the menu item Tools > Options > HFSS-IE Options
Click the General tab
Use Wizards for data input when creating new boundaries: Checked
Duplicate boundaries with geometry: Checked
Click the OK button
Select the menu item Tools > Options > Modeler Options.
Click the Operation tab
Automatically cover closed polylines: Checked
Click the Drawing tab
Edit property of new primitives: Checked
Click the OK button

Opening a New Project

In HFSS Desktop, click the On the Standard toolbar, or
select the menu item File > New.
From the Project menu, select Insert HFSS-IE Design.

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Example RCS of a Cube

Set Model Units

Select the menu item Modeler > Units

Select Units: meter
Click the OK button

Set Default Material

Using the 3D Modeler Materials toolbar, choose Select

Type pec in the Search by Name field
Click the OK button

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Example RCS of a Cube

Creating the Cube
Select the menu item Draw > Box
Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the box origin
X: -0.5, Y: -0.5, Z: -0.5, Press the Enter key
Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the size of the box:
dX: 1, dY: 1, dZ: 1, Press the Enter key
Select the Attribute tab from the Properties window.
For the Value of Name type: cube
Click the OK button
To fit the view:
Select the menu item View > Fit All > Active View. Or press CTRL+D

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Plane Wave Excitation Setup

Creating the Plane Wave Excitation
Select the menu item HFSS-IE > Excitations >Assign > Incident Wave > Plane Incident Wave
Vector Input Format: Spherical
Excitation Location and/or Zero Phase Position
X Coord: 0mm, Y Coord: 0mm, Z Coord: 0mm
Click the Next button
IWavePhi Start: 0 deg, Step: 1 deg, Stop: 90 deg
IWaveTheta Start: 90 deg, Step: 0 deg, Stop: 90 deg
E0 vector Phi: 0V/m, Theta: 1 V/m
Click the Next button
Click the Finish button

Viewing the Plane Wave Excitation

The Incident Plane Wave excitation can be viewed by selecting the

IncPWave1 in the Excitation section of the Project tree

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Analysis Setup
Analysis Setup

Select the menu item HFSS-IE > Analysis Setup > Add Solution Setup
Click the General tab:
Solution Frequency: 0.43 GHz
Maximum Number of Passes: 20
Maximum Delta E per Pass: 0.01
Click the OK button

Create a Radiation Setup

Select the menu item HFSS-IE > Radiation > Insert Far Field Setup > Infinite Sphere
Infinite Sphere Tab
Name: Infinite Sphere1
Phi: (Start: 0, Stop: 0, Step Size: 10)
Theta: (Start: 0, Stop: 0, Step Size: 10)
Click the OK button
NOTE: Since we are going to be creating a plot of Monostatic RCS, HFSS-IE takes
the observation angle from the incident angle definition. It is actually easier in the
plotting stage to only define one observation angle in the far field sphere setup.

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Analyze
Save Project

Select the menu item File > Save As.

Filename: hfssie_rcs_cube
Click the Save button

Model Validation

Select the menu item HFSS-IE > Validation Check

Click the Close button
Note: To view any errors or warning messages, use the
Message Manager.

Analyze

Select the menu item HFSS-IE > Analyze All

Solution Data

Select the menu item HFSS-IE > Results > Solution Data
To view the Profile, Click the Profile Tab.
To view the Convergence, Click the Convergence Tab
Note: The default view is for convergence is Table. Select the Plot button to view a graphical
representations of the convergence data.
To view the Matrix Data, Click the Matrix Data Tab
Note: To view a real-time update of the Matrix Data, set the Simulation to Setup1, Last Adaptive
To view the Mesh Statistics, Click the Mesh Statistics Tab.
Click the Close button

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Results
Create RCS plot
Select the menu item HFSS-IE > Results > Create Far Fields Report > Rectangular Plot
Solution: Setup1: LastAdaptive
Geometry: Infinite Sphere1
Primary Sweep: IWavePhi
Category: MonostaticRCS
Quantity: MonostaticRCSTheta
Function: dB
Click the New Report button
Click the Close button

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