Highly Efficient Design of

Microwave Circuits
Brad Brim
Applications Engineer, Ansoft Corp.
 Highly Efficient Design of
Microwave Circuits :

Application of EM/Circuit Codesign

Techniques
 Objectives

1. Introduce and provide an intuitive understanding

of an Efficient Design Flow for Microwave Circuits,
“EM/Circuit Codesign”.

2. Demonstrate and explain through a set of

easy-to-understand and realistic examples.

3. Provide motivation to consider application of

EM/Circuit Codesign for microwave circuits
based on a clear understanding of the benefits.
 EM/Circuit Codesign Examples
1. obvious MDL monopulse comparator
2. straight forward RS Microwave iris filter
3. more difficult couplers & filters

1
3

Ch.1
Ch.2
2

Input
 Design Flows

Z EM-only Design
Z Benefit: accuracy, generality
Z like using only one hand

Z Circuit-only Design
Z Benefit: speed, higher level analyses
Z like using the other hand

Z EM/Circuit Codesign
Z Benefit: efficiency, accuracy, re-use
Z like using both hands together
 EM/Circuit Codesign Flow
EM Circuit user-directed loop
automated loop

Analyze Analyze, Tune

Synthesize Plot Circuit
Parametric and Optimize
Circuit Results
Components Circuit

automated loop

Materials
Draw
Boundaries Analyze and Plot Results
Composite
Ports Optimize Examine Fields
Geometry
Analysis Setup
 Enabling Concepts
1. Definition of S-parameters
Z There is a definitional difference in S-parameters between
circuit and EM analyses.
2. Parametric Component Models
Z Automated schematic-level circuit design requires access to
parametric component models or libraries
3. Arbitrary Transmission Lines
Z Circuit design requires TL components
Z Circuit tools support only: coax, MS, SL, RWG
4. Matched Ports
Z Microwave design applies matched ports,
which are not 50 ohms and are typically frequency dependent
 Definition of S-parameters
Z Circuit Analysis
Z Y-parameter based modified nodal analysis
Z S-parameter data is converted to Y using Zo
Z Y-parameter results are converted to S using port reference

Z Electromagnetic Analysis
Z variations exist amongst tools but S-parameters are mostly
wave based as amplitudes of incident and reflected modes

Z To summarize
Z Circuit Analysis defines S11 = 0 for a conjugate match
Z EM Analysis applies S11 = 0 for a matched load
Z A difference not easily overcome
 S-parameter Definition
an example
a trick you can apply to extract Zo from a built-in TL component:
Zo = sqrt(Zin_open*Zin_short)

NOTE:
very lossy line,
with complex Zo
 S-parameter Definition
an example
unexpected results for EM designers!
(expected loss, unexpected reflection)

NOTE: re_Zo & im_Zo from previous slide

 S-parameter Definition
a simple solution
Ansoft Designer optionally uses the EM definition for Circuit analysis,
which enables results to be viewed and optimization goals to be defined
in a more familiar manner
 S-parameter Definition
the same example
more familiar results for EM designers!

“matched ports”:
no reflection, transmission loss
 S-parameter Definition
the implications
If you always use real Zref you are not affected by
this issue if (and only if)
Z your renormalize all EM data in the EM tool to a
real Zref for lossy lines and cutoff modes
Z internal and external ports must be renormalized
implying a complication of optimization goals

This issue is “rediscovered” periodically and may well

be the basis of industry-wide under utilization of
EM/Circuit codesign techniques, especially for
circuits involving cutoff modes.
 Parametric Component Models
Z Parametric EM data models are required in circuit
analysis to perform “design”

Z Ansoft Designer can access parametric HFSS

sub-circuit components directly from HFSS projects

tuner gap parameter

H1
G1

tap height parameter

 Inserting an HFSS Component
from Ansoft Designer
1. menu item “Circuit Æ Add SubCircuit Æ Add HFSS NPort Design”
2. select HFSS project, design and analysis/sweep
3. click mouse to place component in the schematic

1 2 3
 Arbitrary Transmission Lines
Z Arbitrary Transmission Lines are required to enable
circuit analysis of many microwave devices

Z Ansoft Designer can access parametric HFSS port

data to provide arbitrary multi-moded T-Lines

“S1” is Line length

Inserting an HFSS TL Component
from Ansoft Designer
exactly the same as shown for a 3D HFSS component
Z specify “Transmission line model” and select HFSS port
Z multiple modes are accommodated automatically (3 in this case)
 Port Reference Impedance

Z Circuit Analysis uses 50 ohm ports by default

Z no concept of “matched” ports,
which yield “generalized S-parameters”
the default behavior for HFSS wave-ports

Z Tedious to apply Circuit frequency dependent Zref

Z equations, circuit file or subcircuit based
Z potential issues with parameterization
Z many circuit tools fail with imaginary Zref
Z (i.e. cutoff modes)
Z desire intuitive design specifications
Z difficult to specify RWG coupler or filter goals in 50 ohms
 Matched Ports for
Arbitrary Transmission Line
TL and Zref from HFSS:
completely automated and general
even across cutoff! (at 10 GHz)

NOTE: correspondence of component ID “23” in the

matched port reference impedance specification.
 Enabling Concepts Wrap-Up
1. Definition of S-parameters
2. Parametric Component Models
3. Arbitrary Transmission Lines
4. Matched Ports

Z Ansoft Designer to HFSS Dynamic Link

Z HFSS and Ansoft Designer have both been augmented to
address all these issues
Z A unique contribution unmatched by any other
combination of tools from any vendor(s)
Z EM/Circuit Codesign is uniquely enabled and
completely automated
 Efficient Coupler Design

Z Couplers to be examined
Z 2-hole (narrowband), 16-hole (broadband)

Z Discussion
Z EM-based design
Z Circuit based design
Z EM/Circuit Codesign
 An Isolated Coupling Hole
the ‘one’ HFSS component
Coupling Hole HFSS simulation time ≈ 60 sec
(includes refinement and frequency sweep time for each unique hole radius)
2-hole RWG Coupler

Design Objectives
Z -30dB forward coupling at 15GHz (S41)
Z no reflection & reverse coupling (S11, S31)
Initial Design Parameters (quick approximations)
Z R1 half power from each hole (3mm)
Z S1 quarter wavelength separation (7mm)
 2-hole RWG Coupler
Circuit optimization in only seconds in Ansoft Designer
by applying Dynamic Link HFSS components and TLs.

Optimization Goals
 2-hole RWG Coupler
Circuit-level design parameters
R1 = 2.89254 mm
S1 = 6.57886 mm
HFSS verification performed
simulation time ≈ 2.5 min

GOOD: Coupling within 1.3 dB while nearlymeeting

bothreflection and reverse coupling isolation goals!
 2-hole RWG Coupler

HFSS optimization performed with new SNLP optimizer

same optimization goals, desired response after 6 steps
HFSS verification and optimization in less than 15 minutes

R1 = 3.0059 mm
S1 = 6.6275 mm

BETTER: -30dB forward coupling while meeting both

reflection and reverse coupling isolation specs!!!
 16-hole Coupler Design
Z broad bandwidth objective
Z symmetry implies: 8 hole radii, 8 separations
 16-hole Coupler Design
Z circuit analysis time of seconds despite much larger circuit
Z first perform circuit-level random optimization
Z then gradient optimization from best case result
 16-hole Coupler Design
HFSS design with
circuit-optimized parameter values
top
view

3D view

end view

side view
 16-hole Coupler Design
HFSS analysis results

Circuit
Prediction
EM
AWESOME!!! Verification
Design is Completed!
 Cutoff Mode S-parameters
an EM/Circuit Codesign Example
an evanescent mode attenuator
and its step-in-height/width “component”
top top

side
step side
attenuator
 Cutoff Mode Attenuator

HFSS results for step component

deembedded to common face where waveguides meet
i =n

∑ Sij ≠ 1
2
NOTE:
i =1

Port 2 cutoff (im_Zo) transmission phase 45 deg

 Cutoff Mode Attenuator
EM and Circuit analysis yield the same results for the attenuator
using HFSS Dynamic Link step component and TLs.
 Cutoff Mode S-parameters

You can perform circuit-level design with cutoff modes!!!

(despite what you might read in literature or hear at conferences)

There is confusion concerning S-parameters for cutoff modes

Z stems from EM vs. Circuit S-parameter definitional difference

i =n

∑S ≠1
2
Z For cutoff mode loss free devices: ij
if ‘n’ includes only loss free i =1
propagating modes/devices,
then the sum is 1.0
 Resonator Filter Design

Z Comb-Line Resonator Filters

Z capacitively loaded resonators
Z in a cutoff rectangular waveguide
 HFSS Parametric Components
Z 3D components
Z round-to-square coax, tap-fed resonator, isolated resonator
Z Transmission Lines (not shown) from 3D component ports
Z round coax, rectangular coax, multi-moded cutoff waveguide
 2-resonator Filter
Circuit-level Verification
Z Ansoft Designer
Z circuit analysis of two back-to-back HFSS components,
each half-filter with multi-moded cutoff rectangular waveguide
 Only 3 Modes Required
Accumulated dB(S11) plot for {5,4,3} modes
Z HFSS effectively shorts modes
not specified, as emulated here
using Ansoft Designer

5 modes, 4 modes

3 modes
 3-resonator Filter Design

High Level Filter Goal

Z -20dB bandwidth of 10%
Z center frequency of 10.0 GHz
Detailed Filter Behavior (as tuned during manufacturing)
Z bandwidth controlled mostly by S2, partially by S1
Z center frequency controlled by G2
Z passband match controlled by G1
 3-resonator Filter Design
Z Ansoft Designer Tune capability applied to quickly find
Z S1 = 200 mil
Z S2 = 234 mil
Z G1 = 12.5 mil
Z G2 = 19.5 mil
 3-resonator Filter Design
AMAZING CORRESPONDENCE !!!
HFSS verification of circuit-level filter design
Z Bandwidth 10%
Z Center frequency 10.03 GHz
 Wrap-up
Z Ansoft Designer and HFSS have been augmented
to uniquely support an EM/Circuit Codesign flow.
Z flow is applicable to a broad class of microwave designs
Z each of four “Enabling Concepts” must be addressed to
implement such an efficient design flow

Z Impressive correspondence between Circuit level

design and full EM analysis.
Z even for cutoff modes

Z Benefits
Z huge savings for total design time
Z tuning, optimization and synthesis techniques available
 Stated Objectives Were

1. Introduce and provide an intuitive understanding

of an Efficient Design Flow for Microwave Circuits,
“EM/Circuit Codesign”.

2. Demonstrate and explain through a set of

easy-to-understand and realistic examples.

3. Provide motivation to consider application of

EM/Circuit Codesign for microwave circuits
based on a clear understanding of the benefits.
 EM/Circuit Codesign Flow
(more familiar than first perceived)
EM Circuit user-directed loop
automated loop

Analyze Analyze, Tune

Synthesize Plot Circuit
Parametric and Optimize
Circuit Results
Components Circuit

automated loop

Materials
Draw
Boundaries Analyze and Plot Results
Composite
Ports Optimize Examine Fields
Geometry
Analysis Setup