CHAPTER 3 HIGH FREQUENCY STRUCTURE SIMULATOR

CHAPTER-3

HIGH FREQUENCY STRUCTURE SIMULATOR

3.1 Introduction:

Ansoft HFSS (High Frequency Structural Simulator) is an interactive software

package for calculating the electromagnetic (EM) behaviour of a 3D structure. The
software also includes post-processing commands for analysing the electromagnetic
behaviour of a 3D structure in more detail. Ansoft HFSS software contains the
technology, solvers and capabilities needed to model RF and microwave as well as
signal- and power-integrity issues.

Using Ansoft HFSS, you can compute:

 It integrates simulation, visualization; solid modelling and automation in a stress

free situation which gives solutions to your 3D EM difficulties are fast and exactly
found.
 Basic electromagnetic field quantities and, for open boundary problems, radiated
near and far fields.
 Generalized S-parameters and S-parameters renormalized to specific port
impedances.
 Characteristic port impedances and propagation constants.

You are expected to draw the structure, specify material characteristics for
each object and identify ports and special surface characteristics. The system then
generates the necessary field solutions, resonant frequency and associated port
characteristics and S-parameters. It employs the Finite Element Method (FEM),
adaptive meshing and brilliant graphics that give you unparalleled performance and
insight to all your 3D EM problems.

3.2 HFSS Capabilities:

HFSS stands for “High frequency structure simulator”, it is a Finite element

code capable of solving a variety of EM problems:

 IC packages, PCB interconnects, and high-frequency components such as

Antennas, RF/microwave components.

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 Material properties such as ferrites as well as surface properties can be readily

modelled.
 Tangential vector basis functions enabled the highly accurate finite element
method for electromagnetic field solution.
 Transfinite element method for fast and accurate multimode.
 S-parameter extractions.
 Automatic mesh generation and adaptive refinement for reliable, repeatable and
efficient results.
 Typically HFSS is used for the simulation of Antenna's and circuit boards.
However it can and is used by several laboratories around the world for cavity
design (CERN, FNAL, DESY to name a few).
HFSS is a cooperative simulation system whose mesh element is a
tetrahedron. It will permit you to solve any arbitrary 3D geometry, mainly for those
with complex curves and shapes, in a fraction of the time it would take using other
techniques. Ansoft founded the use of the FEM (finite element method) for EM
(electromagnetic) simulator by implementing technologies such as tangential vector
finite elements, adaptive meshing, and adaptive lanczos-pade sweep (ALPS). Ongoing
process of HFSS to lead the industry with improvements such as Modesto-nodes and
full wave spice. Ansoft HFSS have changed over a period of choice for high-
productivity research, development and virtual prototyping.

3.3 Helping Procedure:

If you are facing any problem or having any questions while using Ansoft
HFSS then you can have the solution in such ways:

3.3.1 Online Help:

It will provide guidelines while you are working:

 To get the help of specific active dialog box, click the help option in the dialog
box or press F1 key.
 Select the menu item help > contents to have the online help system.
 Options are available there to provide information about every tool on the toolbars
or dialog boxes. You have to hold the pointer over a tool for a brief time; a tool
trip will display the name of the tool.

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 If you click a menu item the status bar at the bottom of the Ansoft HFSS window
will provide a brief description of the function of the menu item or tool.
 Ansoft HFSS getting started guide provides detailed information and solution of
problems that faced through using it to create and solve 3D EM projects.

3.3.2 Ansoft Web Site Visit:

If you are connected through the internet then you can easily visit Ansoft web
site to learn more about the Ansoft Company and products.

 From the Ansoft desktop select the menu item > Ansoft corporate website to
access the Online Technical Support (OTS) system.
 Now from your internet browser visit ansoft.com .

3.3.3 HFSS Main Portions:

Ansoft HFSS window has several optional panels:

 Project Manager.
 Message Manager.
 Property Window.
 Progress Window.
 3D Modeller Window.

Above Managers and windows are shown in fig 3.1 and their details are given in
approaching sections.

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Figure-3.1: Ansoft HFSS window

3.3.4 Project Manager:

The Project Manager window displays the open project’s structure, which is
referred to as the project tree.
The Project Manager window displays details about all open HFSS projects
as in Figure 3.2. Each project ultimately includes a geometric model, its boundary
conditions and material assignments, and field solution and post-processing
information.
The top node listed in the project tree is the project name. It is named Project n
by default, where n is the order in which the project was added to the current session
of HFSS. Expand the project icon to view all the project’s HFSS design information
and material definitions as shown in the figure 3.2.

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Figure-3.2: Ansoft HFSS project Manager

3.3.5 Message Manager:

After creating the project the message manager will give you the information
about you project like you have an error or any warnings it will mention on the
message manager that occur before simulation and after simulation it will deliver the
project report on screen of it that is shown by Figure 3.3.

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Figure-3.3: Ansoft HFSS Massage Manager

3.3.6 Properties window:

Properties window will show u the command or the value you put on your
design will provide on this window is given below by the Figure 3.4.

Figure-3.4: Ansoft HFSS Properties Window.

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3.3.7 Progress Window:

Progress window shows the solution progress is shown below in Fig 3.5. To
run the simulation, click the green exclamation point in the toolbar (located next to
the green validation check mark). This will run all simulation setups associated with
the current design. Alternatively, you may right-click on an individual solution setup
(such as Setup1) in the Project Manager and select 'Analyse'. This will start the
simulation and you should see the red progress bar in the bottom part of the screen.
To see more information about the simulation, click on the icon in the toolbar that
says 'Solution Data' when you hover over it.

Figure-3.5: Ansoft HFSS Progress Window.

3.3.8 3D Modeller Window:

3D Modeller Window in this is area where you can create the model geometry.
This window consists of the model view area (or grid) and the history tree as shown in
Figure 3.6, 3.7, 3.8. The history tree documents the actions that have been taken in the
model view area, and provides an alternative way to select objects in the model view
area. A 3D Modeller window contains the model and the model tree for the active
design is give below in Figure 3.6 and 3.7, 3.8.

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Figure-3.6: Ansoft HFSS 3D Modeller Window with Model.

Figure-3.7: Coordinate System (CS).

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Figure-3.8: 3D Modeller design tree

3.4 Toolbars:

The toolbar buttons are shortcuts for frequently used commands. Most of the
available toolbar are displayed in this illustration of the Ansoft HFSS initial screen,
but your Ansoft HFSS window probably will not be arranged this way.

You can customize your toolbar display in a way that is convenient for you.
Some toolbars are always displayed; other toolbars display automatically when you
select a document of the related type. For example, when you select a 2D report from
the project tree, the 2D report toolbar displays, as shown in Figure 3.9.

Figure-3.9: Ansoft HFSS Toolbars

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3.4.1 To display or hide individual toolbars:

Right-click the Ansoft HFSS window frame, A list of all the toolbars is
displayed. The toolbars with a check mark beside them are visible; the toolbars
without a check mark are hidden. Click the toolbar name to turn its display mood on
or off. To make changes to the toolbars, select the menu item Tools > Customize.

Figure-3.10: toolbar

3.4.2 Viewing HFSS Design Details:

Once you insert an HFSS design into a project, it is listed as the second node
in the project tree. It is named HFSS Model n by default, where n is the order in
which the design was added to the project. Expand the design icon in the project tree
to view all of the specific data about the model, including its boundary conditions and
material assignments, and field solution and post-processing information.

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The HFSS Model n node contains the following project details:

3.4.3 Viewing the Design List:

To use the HFSS>Design List command or the Design List icon to view a
dialog with tables of the design properties. The Design list is a dialog that with tabs to
let you view the following:
 Boundaries: Displays the boundary conditions assigned to an HFSS design,
which specify the field behaviour at the edges of the problem region and object
interfaces.
 Excitations: Displays the excitations assigned to an HFSS design, which are used
to Specify the sources of electromagnetic fields and charges, currents, or voltages
on objects or surfaces in the design.
 Mesh Operations: Displays the mesh operations specified for objects or object
faces. Mesh Operations are optional mesh refinement settings that are specified
before a mesh is generated.
 Analysis: Displays the solution setups for an HFSS design. A solution setup
specifies how HFSS will compute the solution.
 Optimetrics: Displays any Optimetrics setups added to an HFSS design.
 Results: Displays any post-processing reports generated.
 Port Field Display: Displays all port fields in the active model.
 Field Overlays: Displays field overlay plots, which are representations of basic or
derived. Field quantities on surfaces or objects. Plot folders are listed under Field
Overlays. These folders store the project’s plots and can be customized. See
Setting Field Plot Defaults for Information on how to customize the plot folders.
 Radiation: Displays far- and near-field setups added to an HFSS design

3.4.4 Viewing Material Definitions:

The definitions node is listed at the bottom of the project tree and displays all
of the material definitions that are assigned to the objects in the active model .
Materials are added using the View/Edit Material dialog box, which can be opened
from either the Select Definition dialog box or the Edit Libraries dialog box.
 To open the Select Definition dialog box:
Click Modeler>Assign Material.
Then Select Definition dialog box appears.

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 To open the Edit Libraries dialog box:

Click Tools>Edit Configured Libraries>Materials. (In the project tree, you can
also right click Materials, and select Edit All Libraries.)
Then Edit Libraries dialog box appears.
3.5 Ansoft HFSS Process:

The Ansoft HFSS Desktop Provides an easy way of interfacing to develop

passive RF device models. Creating designs, involves following:

 Parametric Model generation: producing the geometry, boundaries and

excitations.
 Analysis setup: Creating solution Setup and frequency sweeps.
 Results: Creating 2D reports and field plots.
 Solve Loop: The solution process is fully automated by analysing it.

How this Process exists is given below:

Figure-3.11 Ansoft HFSS Procedure Flow Chart

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