2 November 2012

AWR introduces Analyst, integrating 3D FEM EM simulation within Microwave Office circuit design software

AWR Corp of El Segundo, CA, USA, a supplier of electronic design automation (EDA) software for designing RF and high-frequency components and systems, has announced the commercial release and immediate availability of Analyst 2012.

Analyst is a full-featured, 3D electromagnetic (EM) industry-standard finite-element method (FEM) simulator that is completely integrated into AWR’s Microwave Office circuit simulation environment, effectively making 3D FEM EM analysis as straightforward as a mouse click, the firm says.

The ability to perform 3D EM analysis on interconnects commonly found within high-frequency ICs such as monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), RF integrated circuits (RFICs) and microwave integrated circuits (MICs) as well as packages, boards and modules is the driving force behind Analyst being tightly and fully integrated into the AWR Design Environment.

AWR says that Analyst benefits circuit designers who need to rely on 3D FEM EM analysis for both the design and verification of their circuits prior to manufacture. It is now possible to seamlessly include 3D EM simulation in critical circuit simulations such as optimization, tuning, sensitivity and yield analysis, and even non-linear circuit simulation using harmonic balance. Analyst’s ease-of-use and minimal simulation setup time, coupled with the elimination of manual drawing, leads to maximum EM accuracy with minimal overhead, claims AWR.

Typical applications for Analyst include: MMIC, RFIC and MIC on-chip passive components; RF PCB, module, and packaging interconnects; finite dielectrics (IC packaging/PCB edges/inhomogeneous boards); and hierarchical designs (SoC, SiP).

Key features include:

• Integrated layout environment: The Microwave Office layout environment has been enhanced to support 3D parameter controlled layout cells (Pcells) for common 3D objects like bond wires, BGA balls, tapered vias and bond straps.

• Pre-configured for circuit designers’ typical technologies: Analyst has been set up to work seamlessly with Microwave Office for chip, board, and module layouts.

• Visualization features: Analyst supports standard 3D simulation visualization features, including 3D mesh viewing and animated field viewing.

• Configurable solver technology: Analyst’s simulation engine uses a state-of-the-art finite-element simulation algorithm. The default settings have been developed as optimal for the above class of problems.

AWR is demonstrating Analyst in booth #416 at European Microwave Week (EuMW 2012) in
Amsterdam, The Netherlands (28 October– 2 November).

Tags: AWR EDA

Visit: www.awrcorp.com/Analyst