An Introduction to HFSS v9

Brad Brim
Product Marketing, HFSS
Ansoft Corporation
bbrim@ansoft.com
February 20, 2003
 Topics

w Ansoft and HFSS

w the first revolution in 3D EM-based Analysis and Design

w HFSS v9 Overview
w a continuing revolution in 3D EM-based Design Automation

w HFSS v9 Status
w when it will be available to you
 Ansoft
Much More than HFSS
w Ansoft Addresses “Physical Design”
w Many design application areas
w high-frequency 3D EM
w signal integrity
w high-frequency or high-speed system/circuit/planarEM
w automotive, aerospace, low-frequency EM

w Physical Design is More than Analysis

w Design Automation
w greatly enhanced with the Ansoft Desktop
w Links to external design flows
w links on both the front-end and the back-end
w EM/circuit co-design to be discussed later
 HFSS Applications

ICs

Microwave Packaging

HFSS

Antenna PCB
 HFSS v9
A High-Level Description
w A significant step forward for Physical Design
w a next logical step enabled by the most trusted
EM analysis engines
w what Ansoft has discussed as our vision for many years

w Focused on Design Automation

w Provides engineering “productivity”
w assured accuracy
w minimize engineering time investment
w provide easy access to many common tools and utilities

w An environment to support an efficient 3D EM design flow

Design Post
Analysis
Capture Processing
 HFSS v9
A Continued Tradition of Accuracy
w Continuation of Analysis Technology Access
w adaptive refinement, PMLs, linked boundary conditions, ports and
excitations, eigen-solutions, vector calculator, ferrites, multiprocessor
solutions, discrete/fast/interpolating sweeps, Optimetrics, Full-Wave Spice
w Enhanced Analysis Technology
w boundary conditions, meshing algorithms,
solution convergence
w Migration of Designs (projects) to HFSS v9
w File à Open the CLS file in an existing project
w everything migrates but the field solutions; ready to analyze
 HFSS v9
Upgrade with Confidence
w Migrating your Designs (projects) to HFSS v9
w Analyses will yield nearly identical results
in the same or less time.
w Initial testing shows minor speed and memory
improvements
w Suggested Strategy for Migration to HFSS v9
w Use HFSS v9 as the reference
w bring a design forward for comparison
w “Jump In”
w Intuitive use model
w Getting Started Guides
w HTML-based help
w Special Cases
w macros, Optimetrics projects
 HFSS v9
3D EM Design Flow
Design Post
Analysis
Capture Processing

w Ansoft Desktop
w An “environment” for 3D EM-based design

1. Design Capture
w 2D/3D solid model import, parametric drawing, materials, boundary
conditions and excitations, analysis setup
2. Analysis
w 2D/3D analysis engines, adaptive refinement, sweeps, optimization
3. Post Processing
w 2D/3D reports, field visualization, links to circuit analysis
The Ansoft Desktop - 1
 The Ansoft Desktop - 2

w Project Tree
w a familiar mechanism to access
projects and designs
w much more intuitive and visual
w allows for free-form access
w supports access to multiple
designs
w a selection mechanism
w Hierarchy
w allows simultaneous access to
multiple entities
w projects, designs, drawings,
setups, sweeps, variables, etc.
w supports local and global
concept
 The Ansoft Desktop - 3
w Parametric Design
w a very big deal
w variables are supported for
everything at every level
w greatly reduces the need for
macros
w Solution Management
w save multiple solutions
w track validity of solutions,
displays
w access to more data and insight
w Animation
w animate parameterized
geometries
w any sweep
w frequency or variable
 The Ansoft Desktop - 4
w Familiar look and feel
w Microsoft Windows look and feel
w use model is intuitive
w MFC code ported to Unix
w Copy and Paste
w through menus or CTRL-C / CTRL-V
w copies variables, port definitions,
materials, etc.
w within or between designs/projects
w can copy to paste in other
applications
w a huge time savings
w Undo/Redo
w all the way back to the last SAVE
w can even be configured to operate
across analyses
 The Ansoft Desktop - 5
w Customizations of the
Ansoft Desktop
w display of windows
w location and docking of windows
w dialog or window behavior
w you choose !
w Configuration and Control
w change behavior of capabilities
w set defaults for your designs
w Standard Scripting
w non-proprietary
w powerful and general,
complete control of all of HFSS
w third party tool support
 Design Capture - 1

w Solid Model Import Improved

w STEP/IGES import significantly
improved
w supported with more robust
meshing algorithms
w better overall like to ME-CAD
w Links from EE-CAD expanded
w APD, Allegro, Virtuoso,
BoardStation, CR5000, Encore
w Graphical Capabilities of
Drawing Environment
w translucency, colors, spin, true 3D
w lighting, perspective
w much more visually intuitive
 Design Capture - 2

w Parameterization
w anything that takes a numerical value
w dialog based via properties/attributes
w instant design changes
w much more control of design flow
w Free-form Access to all Steps
w Materials, Boundaries and Ports,
Solution Setups, Frequency Sweeps,
output variables, Optimetrics Setups
w design check provides feedback
w allows more flexible design flow
w Selection Improvements
w dynamic highlighting, static highlighting,
object/face modes, multiple select,
drawing-based or history tree-based
w common attribute changes
w improved ease of use in many respects
 Design Capture - 3

w History Tree
w visual history and
dependency tree
w selection mechanism
w easy access to lines, planes,
sets
w Object Dependencies
w cloned objects versus copied
objects
w ability to break dependencies
w Face Coordinate Systems
w automatic and user-specified
w allows for trivial drawing of
stacked geometries
 Design Capture - 4

w True Surfaces
w preferred drawing mode
w robust meshing support
w minimizes topology changes
w easier drawing and boundary
condition setup
w Snapping Modes
w improved modes and indicators
w eases and speeds drawing
w Dynamic Preview of
Operations
w helps to avoid mistakes
w saves time repeating unclear
steps
 Analysis - 1

w Frequency Dependence
w everything … including boundary
conditions
w thin layer approximations now
broadband applicable

w Mesh Control
w Access is trivial
w Specification and control improved

w Mesh Algorithms
w robustness and speed greatly
improved
 Analysis - 2

w Analysis Control
w centralized configuration
w generalized control
w priority control

w Remote Analysis
w easily applied

w Solution Convergence
w based upon results being
generated
w deembedding and renormalization
considered
 Analysis - 3
w Optimetrics Improvements
w Implicitly Part of the Ansoft
Desktop
w hierarchy and other concepts
apply
w hugely reduced need for scripting
w Supported by an inherently
parametric design flow
w Access to “output variables”
w trivially use calculated
expressions of results as goals
w Common postprocessing
capabilities
w Expanded Functionality
w sensitivity and statistical analyses
 Post Processing - 1

w Powerful and General

Report Generation
w 2D and 3D plotting
w table-based output
w implicit parametric support
w arbitrary data plotting
w dynamic updating of results

w Output Variables
w general expressions capability
 Post Processing - 2
w Generalized Field
Visualizations
w 0D through 4D
visualization
w points, lines, surfaces,
volumes, animated
w Animation of anything and
everything
w with respect to any swept
variable
w Full 3D graphics
w with quad-buffered
graphics card and
accessory glasses

w SAR
w a built-in quantity as
familiar as “magE”
 Post Processing - 3

w Parameterized Model
Data Support
w industry standard links to circuit
simulation for parametric
EM-based models

w Robust SPICE Model Support

w convolution, HSpice, lumped,
Partial Fraction Equivalent
HFSS v9 … In Total
 HFSS v9
Supporting External Design Flows
w Links on the front-end
w ME-CAD solid model import
w EE-CAD import at both high and low levels
w Virtuoso or APD and DXF or GDSII

w Customization and external control

w support standard scripting language control
w external control of every aspect of HFSS v9

w Links on the back end

w model export for: convolution, HSpice, pole-zero, lumped
w support of parametric model links

w significance best described with an example

 Typical Design Objective
w High Level Design
w A well matched, high performance antenna element
w Present Design Task
w Design a matching circuit for the element,
assume the radiating element has already been designed.
w Design Challenges
w Rapid design process which supports investigation of
design tradeoffs for the matching circuit
(e.g. performance versus size)
w Rapidly repeat this design process to account for future
changes to the radiating element design.
 EM/Circuit co-Design Flow
with EM-based Models, Verification
and Automated Design Refinement
user-directed loop

automated loop

Analyze Element
Synthesize Matching Tune and Optimize
Analyze Element
Form Parameterized Plot S-parameters
Circuit Matching Circuit
Models for Matching
Circuit Components

automated loop

Define Materials
Draw Element and Define Boundaries
Plot S-parameters
Parameterized Define Ports Perform Optimization
Examine Fields
Matching Geometry Setup Analysis
Setup Optimization
 HFSS v9 Status
w Development of HFSS v9 for well over a year
w described briefly at last year’s event
w A team of AEs have been working with development
for several months
w providing customer perspective and very early feedback
w Internal alpha release thee months ago

w Beta release just under way

w both internal and external

w Commercial availability calendar Q2 2003

 HFSS v9
w A significant and exciting contribution to Physical Design
w no surprises, this has been Ansoft’s vision for many years
w A Continuing Revolution in 3D EM design
w A safe path forward from where you are today
w Design Automation resulting in unparalleled Productivity

w HFSS v9 …
put the power of power of EM-based Design Automation in your hands