Agilent Technologies' Integrated 3D Electromagnetic Simulation and Advanced Design System EDA Platform Speeds Design, Verification

Agilent Technologies Inc. has announced the integration of its full-wave 3D simulator Electromagnetic Design System (EMDS) into its Advanced Design System (ADS) EDA software platform. The Agilent EMDS-for-ADS speeds up the design and verification process by reducing the steps necessary for accurate design of high-frequency RF/microwave design of modules, RF boards and planar antennas.

"Designers lose a lot of time translating a layout structure into another drawing environment, redefining the layer stacks and dielectric properties, assigning port numbers and reconnecting an S-parameter black box for co-simulation with active elements," said Bart Van Hecke, product manager with Agilent's EEsof EDA division. "Integrating our full-wave 3D EM simulator with the ADS circuit and system design environment eliminates the need for layout translation. It provides a 3D EM layout previewer that allows designers to check for drawing parameterization or errors before launching full-wave 3D EM simulations or optimization from the ADS circuit design environment."

At a price comparable to that of typical circuit simulators, EMDS-for-ADS makes full 3D EM simulation accessible to the entire ADS community of users, rather than just serve as a tool for EM experts.

ADS offers a complete set of front-to-back simulation and layout tools and instrument links for RF and microwave IC design in a single, integrated design flow. The Agilent EMDS-for-ADS allows designers to make informed design decisions and adjustments before physical prototyping begins, eliminating costly design iterations and saving months in a typical product-development cycle. It is part of Agilent EEsof EDA's overall strategy to address the growing needs of today's RF and microwave circuit and system designers.

EMDS-for-ADS is especially useful when simulating circuits built with non-homogenous planar dielectrics, such as DRO (dielectric resonator oscillator); cavities under spiral inductors; multi-chip modules and their wire bonds to substrates; circuits mounted in QFN (Quad Flat No Lead) packages; and PIFA (Printed Inverted F Antenna) antennas with their matching circuit elements in cell phones. It is also useful for verifying the results of planar EM simulations before beginning hardware fabrication.

The Agilent EMDS-for-ADS can also be used standalone as a full-wave 3D EM software platform, with its own complete 3D drawing and visualization environment for non-planar structures such as connectors, packages, machined parts and antennas.

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