Array Overview

Analysis Approaches

Unit Cell Analysis with

Master / Slave Boundaries

Unit Cell Simplification

Master/Slave Boundaries

Unit Cell Creation

Verifying the Unit Cell

Geometry

Floquet Ports Overview

Floquet Mode Visualization

Floquet Ports: Determining

the Modes to Include

Modes Calculator

Floquet Port Setup

Floquet Port Setup

What if the Lattice is

Triangular

Floquet Port Setup

Floquet Port Setup

Floquet Port Setup

Results Matrix Data

Results: Return Loss/Insertion

Loss

Finite Array Analysis

Challenges for Large Finite Array

Modeling

Domain Decomposition
Overview

Solution: Finite Array

Domain
Decomposition

Finite Array DDM Tool

Advantages

How It Works!!!

How It Works!!!

How It Works!!!

How It Works!!!

Probe Fed Patch Array with

Feed Network

Finite Phased Array Setup Using

DDM
Unit
cell is analyzed to create mesh
Unit cell mesh is then replicated to form remaining
elements in the array

Mutual Coupling Data

Active Return Loss with Phase

Taper

Embedded Element
Patterns

Array Pattern in the E-Plane

Array has no phase shift taper

so thebeam is pointed toward
boresite
Sidelobe Levels are -10.86dB
and-13.23 dB in the E & H
Planes.

Array Pattern Scanned to

45o in the E-Plane

Explicitly Solved Patch Array

vs. DDM Comparison

 CST Microwave
Studio

Outline

Antenna simulation

Antenna array simulation

Different solvers for different antennas

Small arrays
Feed networks
Large arrays
Active element pattern

Online demo

A small selection...

Antenna Simulation

Different antenna types require different

solver technologies.

Transient Solver

Frequency Solver

Integral Equation Solver

Antenna Arrays

Small Arrays

Distributed Computing (DC)

Multiple Element
Excitation

Array Feeding Networks

Large Arrays

Infinite Array

Infinite Array

FarfieldArray

Infinite Array

Active Element Pattern

Finite Array Analysis

CST Array Wizard

Summary

 HFSS

HFSS

1. Draw the unit cell, containing all appropriate

boundaries and source definitions.
2. Create the antenna array, including name,
dimensions, master and slave boundaries where
needed for conformal meshing, and selection of row
and column master/slave pairs for implicit definition
of lattice propagation vectors. Designate which cells
are active, passive, and padding.
3. Setup the distributed processor pool. Designs
with arrays require HPC licenses.
4. Provide a memory statistic for the amount of RAM
guaranteed on each DSO processor.

Creating a Unit Cell for

an Array

The unit cell can be rectangular,

parallelogram or hexagonal.
You must define appropriate master and
slave boundaries, as well as other
boundaries required for the model. Deleting a
master or slave boundary that is referenced
by an existing array also deletes the array.
Typically, you define master and slave
boundaries as opposite sides of a cell.

In such cases, with

master and slave
boundaries on opposite
sides, the array sides
align.
In making source
definitions for unit cell for
the unit cell, you cannot
assign a Floquet port.
Each driven Modal or
driven Terminal design
can contain a single array.

However, you can

arrange master and
slave boundaries to
create an offset array.
In such cases, you
create both a master
and a slave boundary
for corresponding
sections of a cell side,
and assign master and
slave to create offset
alignment.
With all boundaries
defined in this manner,
the array can be offset.

Create Array Command

The Create Array command is

enabled for Modal and Driven
Terminal problems after you have
assigned master and slave
boundaries to your unit cell model.
You can access the command in
three ways: click
HFSS>Model>Create Array, rightclick on the Model icon in the
Project tree and select Create
Array from the shortcut menu, or
select the unit cell in the modeler
window, and select Create Array
from the short-cut menu.
This displays the Regular Planar
Array dialog where you specify
parameters for Number of Cells,
Unit Cell Position and Lattice
Vectors.

Create Array
If you have
Visible enabled, you
Command
can see any changes.

To Define Lattice Vector

directions for A and B Vectors,
specify the master boundary.
To define the array size, for the
A and B vectors, specify the
number of cells for each row
and column, respectively.
For example, the following
figure shows the results when
the initial Lattice Vectors are
swapped.t

To create an irregular array,

select the Active Cells tab, select
the radio button for Mouse makes
cell as Padding

Create Array Command

Once you have

specified the
parameters, the Array
object appears in the
Project tree under the
Model. Only one Array is
permitted for a model.
The Create Array
command is disabled if
an array is defined.
By selecting the Array
icon in the Project tree,
you right-click for the
short cut menu.

Create Array Command

Selecting Delete removes the

array from the Model.

Selecting Properties displays

the Regular Planar Array
dialog.
Selecting Visualize Array lets
you toggle the array display. A
check mark indicates that the
array is being displayed.

With the Array icon in the

Project tree selected, if you
have a docked
Properties window displayed,
you can see and edit Array
Properties. All edits are
undoable and informational
messages will be posted to the
Message window when design
data is deleted.

Setup and Run an Array

Simulation

There is no change in the GUI for setting up the adaptive simulation for
designs with an array. However, the solution quantities of the virtual
cells will be available for convergence setup (In both adaptive and
interpolating sweep). There are no changes in the way convergence
information is presented on the Convergence tab of the Solution Display
panel.
If your design contains a virtual array, the setup can have some
differences.
Enable Solver Domains should not be checked (these are UI defined
domains, not solver defined domains).
Setup the distributed processor pool. Designs with arrays require HPC
licenses.
General Setup for Virtual Array Simulation for Matrix Convergence, if
you choose Selected Entries.
Interpolating Sweep Advanced Options for Array Simulation
Fast sweep is not supported.

Setup and Run an Array

YouSimulation
can also setup the expression cache
at solve setup. The expression cache
interface for accessing array elements is
the same as those used in report setup.
Use the Active Cells tab on the
Regular Planar Array dialog to
designate which cells are active or
passive for a simulation. You can make
All Active, All Passive or select which
cells are active or passive. The more
active cells there are for a simulation, the
more processing required. By default,
clicking the corresponding array
elements toggles the current selection,
You can also choose the Mouse makes
cell setting to click for Active or Passive,
whichever is most convenient. Clicking
on a row or column number applies the
mouse click command to all cells in that
row or column. Dragging the cursor over
cells performs the current operation on
them.

Setup and Run an Array

Simulation
It is important to understand the impact of passive ports on antenna

parameters. For accepted power calculations, passive ports are not

included when computing the total power passing through the union
of all port surfaces. This means that the passive ports can be
viewed as a loss mechanism for the device and it is not equivalent
to viewing the passive ports as active ports with zero excitations.
Report setup for Arrays.
The solution/matrix quantities are grouped by category. The entries
in each category are listed according to their [row, column] order in
the corresponding matrix.
The entry in [row1, column1] will be listed first, followed by
[row1, column2], [row1, columnN], [row2, column1],
[row2, columnN], [rowN, columnN]. Note that the [row, column]
order of each entry in the matrix is controlled by the 'Matrix' order as
specified by user.
The existing "Filter" capability can help locate the desired quantity
from the potentially very long list.

General Setup for Virtual Array

Simulation
For a project with an array the
General Setup some differences
appear in how you can specify
Matrix convergence.

If you select Matrix Convergence,

and click Set Magnitude and
Phase, you will see the Matrix
convergence dialog. In the Matrix
Convergence dialogue, if for Entry
Selection you choose Selected
Entries, (rather than All or
Diagonal/Off Diagonal), you will see
scrollable drop down menus that let
you select from all Array elements
to define pairs of Matrix entries.

Interpolating Sweep
Advanced Options for
For an Interpolating Sweep
Arrays
Advanced Options, if you select
Use Selected Entries,

clicking the Select Entries

button displays an Interpolation
Basis Convergence dialog that
lists the Array elements.
Note that the matrix entries are listed according to the Matrix Sort Order as
specified by user.
Entry Selection can be All, Diagonal, or Off-Diagonal.
Mode Selection can be All, Dominant Only, or Higher-Order Only.

Array Visualization

You control the visualization of an

array by selecting an existing Array
in the Project tree and toggling the
Visualize Array command on the
short-cut menu.
Virtual objects in an array display as
wire frames. If the all virtual objects
for an array do not appear in the
view modeler window, perform a
View>Fit All operation. If you
change the view, you can also use
Ctrl-D to fit the array into the current
view.
You can disable the array
visualization by clicking on the
Visualize Array option again. A
check mark appears in front of
Visualize Array if the option is
already ON. This option will also be
present in general active view
visibility options, View>Active View
Visibility.

Post Processing for Array

Models

Solution quantities of both physical and

virtual cells are available for postprocessing.
Radiation fields (near and far) post
processing is over the whole array. You can
plot and animate fields on non-model cut
planes, vectors, and points, as well as on
selected model object faces. Any padding
cells in or around the array are treated as
background material.You can plot and
animate fields on cut planes, vectors, and
points.

You can use the Fields calculator to define calculated expressions.

HFSS can also post process individual cells in an array one at a time. You
can select an arbitrary cell and do fields post processing on that cell. HFSS
post processes on a single user selected cell in the array.
For Port Field Display there is no GUI change. Only physical ports/terminals
will be listed. There is no need to support visualization of user-selected cell
(like field overlay plot) because the field patterns of the virtual modes are
the same as those in the physical cells.

Reports for Arrays

There are some differences in the Report setup for Arrays.

1. The solution/matrix quantities are grouped by category. The

entries in each category are listed according to their [row,
column] order in the corresponding matrix.
The entry in [row1, column1] will be listed first, followed by
[row1, column2], [row1, columnN], [row2, column1],
[row2, columnN], [rowN, columnN]. Note that the [row, column]
order of each entry in the matrix is controlled by the 'Matrix' order
as specified by user.
2. The existing "Filter" capability can help locate the desired quantity
from the potentially very long list.

Field Plots for Arrays

You can generate field plots on object faces, as well as on non-model

planes, lines, and points. The plots display calculated fields where ever the
selected geometry intersects the array cells based on whether the cells are
active, passive, or padding in the array properties. Locations designated as
padding are treated as background material in field calculations. The virtual
cells do not need to be visible to affect the generated field plots.

You can also create animations of field plots. If the plotted geometry is
controlled by a swept variable (such as plane angle or a point location) the
animation displays the correct values whereever they intersect the array
based on the designations as active cells, passive cells, or padding cells.

Fields Calculator Applications

for Arrays

Geometries selected for Fields Calculator

expressions can intersect any active,
passive, or padding cells defined for the
array. You can generate animated field output
in which each frame is a snapshot of the
fields on a different plane of the modeled
volume. The Fields Calculator cookbook
describes an example of the technique. Any
derived field quantity can be plotted in this
manner.

Fields Post Processing on

a Designated Array Cell

For post processing fields information for arrays, you can select
an arbitrary cell and do fields post processing on that cell.
The unit cell mesh from position (1,1) will be translated to the
user selected cell and fields will be plotted in the user selected
cell.

The procedure is:

1. Select objects in the unit cell
2. Use the Array dialog to specify
the cell to post process for
fields, either by clicking on a the
corresponding array position
indicator in the Post Processing
Cell tab in or by giving the A and
B direction indices (row and
column respectively).
The Field plot will be visible in
the user selected cell.
Radiation fields post processing
will be over the whole array.
Jsurf is calculated inside the
geometry of the cell but it will be
equal to 0 along cell borders.