Microwave Office Training

Introduction to EM Simulation
EM Simulation

• EM simulation setup has changed in 7.5.

– EM uses drawing layers.
• Case 1: Draw and Simulate a Structure in the EM
Environment.
• Case 2: Using a Layout Created in the EM Environment in
normal layout.
• Case 3: Importing DXF and GDSII Layouts Into EM.
• Case 4: Extracting layout from the Schematic Layout.

2 EM Simulation
The EM Environment
Step 1: Open up the project 4Layer_PCB_Start.emp.

This is the EM Socket. Projects go in here.

To create a project - RC on EM Structures.

The various EM
simulators - we are
using EMSight.

3 EM Simulation
EM Enclosure Settings
The Enclosure menu controls many of the important features of EM:
• X and Y box dimensions, and grid size.
•Bulk material properties.
•Dielectric Layer Setup.
•The conducting line properties - layer, conductivity, and thickness.
•EM Layer Mapping (Used when working with schematic layout and
artwork cells.

Note: Later we will

be seeing the
Stackup Element for
extraction.
It is almost the same
as the Enclosure
(with some extra
features).
4 EM Simulation
EM Enclosure Settings - 2
Enclosure

Sets the x and y dimensions of the enclosing box. The height (z) we
set later.

Sets the grid in the x and y directions. You want the box size a whole
number of cells.

5 EM Simulation
Grid Size Tips

• Lines should be 3 to 5 cells wide.

– Edge couplers might require more.
• Box size - Don’t have the wall too close to nearest
metal ... two substrate heights away is good.
• Make sure gaps / spacing in filters is an integer
number of cells.
• If possible - start on a simple problem you know the
answer to - simple bend, open line, 2 coupled lines,...
– Gives you an idea how many cells to use.
• Double your number of cells and see if your answer
changes a lot.
Note: 1000 unknowns - runs in 30 seconds/frequency.
Solution time grows as N3...10,000 unknowns - 30,000 seconds/frequency.
Number of Unknowns.
6 EM Simulation
EM Enclosure Settings - 3
Material Definitions

Adding Dielectrics

Conductor Properties

Used for Surface Impedances

New in 7.5 - Preset values remember materials you added before.

7 EM Simulation
EM Enclosure Settings - 4
Dielectric Layers

Draw scale
used for 3D
visibility.
Materials can be picked from
the list of Dielectrics.

New in 7.5 - Place the mouse

on a layer to see its properties.

Can set the top and bottom Boundary Conditions.

8 EM Simulation
EM Enclosure Settings - 5
Materials

New in 7.5: Perfect Conductor will always exist -

made out of material definition - Perfect
Conductor.

Sets the conducting lines properties:

• The thickness of the line.
• What it’s made of (from list of Conductors in Material Definitions).

Note: Etch Angle and Roughness are reserved for future use.

9 EM Simulation
EM Enclosure Settings - 2
EM Layer Mapping

New in 7.5: This mapping is in the Enclosure Options.

This controls how drawing layers are mapped to EM layers. We’ll

worry about it later.
10 EM Simulation
Drawing in the EM Environment

To draw in EM:
•Select an EM Layer.
•Select Material.
•Select Conductor or Via.

Extent is how many

layers down the via
extends.

New in 7.5: The stackup display shows you

the layer you are on.

11 EM Simulation
Drawing in the EM Environment - 2

Step 2: Draw a line -

60 mils wide - layer
3 to layer 4
connected by a via
(50X60mils).

Use material - c - as
the conductor.

New in 7.5: There is

not any separate
button for vias.

12 Draw Tools
EM Simulation
Drawing in the EM Environment - 3
3D View

The 3D view shows the

structure to be simulated.

New in 7.5: Always check the

3D view - it will only show
what is being included in the
simulation.

13 EM Simulation
Drawing in the EM Environment - 4
Adding Edge Ports

EM Structure
Step 3: Add an edge port to each of the lines. Layout

• Select the line.

•Select the edge port icon, and click at the end of the line.
•Double click the edge port and use the drag handles to
select the deembedding length.

14 EM Simulation
Ports

You can double click on

a port and change its
impedance. Also can
change how much
power goes into it.

Note: This only affects current and antenna pattern viewing. S

parameters are not changed.
There are 3 kinds of ports:
• Edge Ports - Like network
analyzer hooking up at edges
of structure.
There are 3 Webinars in KB on •Via Port - One port to top or
this - EM Simulation: A Look bottom of box (ground). Like 1
Under the Hood: 1, 2, 3. point probe.
Tip: Be careful! Where •Internal Port - Across gap -
is ground for an internal like 2 point probe.
port?
15 EM Simulation
Drawing in the EM Environment - 5

Properties of an EM Shape

RC on any shape
- Properties.

You can change a shape’s material and EM layer.

You can see the shape properties in the Lower left corner of the UI.
Note: The Mesh Options Tab controls how finely a shape is
meshed. You normally don’t change this - unless you want to
override default automesh settings.
16 EM Simulation
Drawing in the EM Environment - 6
Showing Only Active Layer
New in 7.5: There are various new viewing options for
understanding layers.

RC in the stackup display -

Hide Shapes on Non-active
Layers.
In this example - only layer 3
conductors and vias will be
visible.

Tip: You can use the mouse wheel to go through the layers.
17 EM Simulation
EM Simulation Options
RC to set solver options.
RC on project to get individual project options.
Some global options under: Options > EM Options.

This tab is simulator specific.

EM Options for an EM Structure

18 EM Simulation
EM Simulation Options - 2
Frequency Control

Project frequencies can

be overridden locally.

Tip: Often you want

fewer EM
frequencies
because of long
simulation times.

You can set the

meshing frequency if
you wish.

19 EM Simulation
EM Simulation Options - 3
Advanced Frequency Sweep

AFS - simulates over frequency band with (hopefully) fewer frequencies

and (hopefully) more accuracy than just set, discrete frequencies.

20 EM Simulation
EM Simulation Options - 4

AFS adds frequency points up to the maximum - until

convergence is reached.

You can specify a band besides the default if you want.

Note: When AFS is finished, the frequency points

displayed in graphing will be the original points in the
frequency tab... So - you might want to set at a high
number.

21 EM Simulation
EM and Normal Layout

• Schematic Layout and Artwork Cells use Drawing layers that have
already been named.
• The EM Mapping file is used to give drawing layers material
properties (conductivity and thickness) and layer position.
• There are a number of scenarios where this is needed:
– Importing Artwork cells to EM for simulation.
– Using an EM layout in schematic layout.
– Extracting a circuit’s schematic layout to EM layout.

22 EM Simulation
Using an EM Layout in Schematic
Layout

When we created our EM project - what drawing layers did it use?

Remember - If you can see it, it’s a drawing layer!

Answer - it autogenerated these drawing layers.

Note: All autogenerated EM layers begin in +.

So long as we are only in EM - this is fine.

But - what happens if we use this layout in the schematic
layout?

23 EM Simulation
Using an EM Layout in Schematic
Layout - 2

Step 4: Create a new schematic - EM_as_Sub-circuit.

- Add the EM Structure as a sub-circuit.

Layout View

It draws on the error layer.

Schematic View

The problem is the schematic layout has no idea where to put the auto-
generated layers.

24 EM Simulation
Using an EM Layout in Schematic
Layout - 3
The secret is to understand the EM mapping file. It lives in the LPF file.
All layouts - schematic layout, artwork cells, EM projects ... have an
LPF file. All LPF files have an EM mapping file - it tells the materials
and line position in the stackup for each drawing layer.

EM Mapping file for

EM project - start.

These 3 layers have

material and EM layer
position.
Note: Layer
number is top of
dielectric layer.

25 EM Simulation
Using an EM Layout in Schematic
Layout - 4

The schematic layout uses the default project LPF, and its
EM Mapping.

Default LPF for

project.

This is why it doesn’t know what to do with the autogenerated layers...

They aren’t even defined in the schematic layout LPF.
26 EM Simulation
Using an EM Layout in Schematic
Layout - 5
To fix the problem -
• The EM project’s LPF was generated from the project LPF - then the
autogenerated layers were added.
•We fix the project LPF - so that any EM project we create will have
the right mapping.

Modified default LPF. Note: A common

mistake is to
misspell the
Step 5: Modify 4LayerPCB.lpf. material name.
27 EM Simulation
Using an EM Layout in Schematic
Layout - 6
Step 6: Update the dependent LPFs (i.e. the EM projects created).

RC on the LPF in Layer Setup -

and Update.

You can select the Dependent LPFs to update.

28 EM Simulation
Using an EM Layout in Schematic
Layout - 7

The EM auto
generated layers
have disappeared.
Schematic Layout

They aren’t needed. For example, it

knows if you want a conductor on em
layer 3, you are on drawing layer
met2.

Note: Any new EM projects will also

have this mapping - as they are
generated from the default project LPF.

29 EM Simulation
Options for Viewing Layers
There are a variety of viewing options.

RC in the drawing layers pane.

Options for viewing:
•Shapes on unmapped layers.
•Shapes on mapped layers.
•Shapes on missing layers.

I’ve uncloaked all unmapped

layers. An X indicates unmapped.

Tip: The 3D EM view only shows

mapped layers. Good way to see
what is really simulating.

30 EM Simulation
Multiple EM Mapping Files
You can have multiple EM Mapping Files. You can create these for
the project LPF, or for EM Mapping File for a given project.

Examples:
• Switch between
lossy lines and
perfect
conductors.
•In MMIC - might
not want to map
to EM all metal
layers.

Different EM
Mappings

Different LPF files.

31 EM Simulation
Importing DXF and GDSII into EM

External World Artwork Cell Layout

• GDSII Libraries
Looks for Model
•DXF Libraries Layers by same
name - or
creates them.
Step 7: Import mypad.dxf.
EM Layout

Method 1:
• Copy and paste the drawing layers.
• Select the shapes and change the
layers.
Method 2:
• Change the EM Mapping file - so can
repeatedly use the mapping in the future.
32 EM Simulation
Method 1: Import and Change the
Layers
Step 8: Copy the EM project - start. Rename the copy to Via_Sim.
- Delete the structures.

Tip: One way to make many EM

projects with same settings - is
to copy an empty EM project.

Step 9: Copy and paste the artwork cell - New_DXF_Cell

into the EM Project.
- You can use Ctrl - C, Ctrl - V.

33 EM Simulation
Method 1: Import and Change the
Layers - 2

It’s placed on the Error layer.

You can fix it by selecting the properties of each element ...

and moving it to the right drawing layer.

Step 10: Set the shapes on

TopMetal to met1... the
shape on Pad to EMLayer
2, Via.

Settings for TopMetal Settings for Pad

34 EM Simulation
Method 1: Import and Change the
Layers - 3

To finish it up - you would change the box size, and extend the
line and add a port.

35 EM Simulation
Method 2: Update the EM Mapping in
the LPF File

Step 11: Create a

new EM Mapping -
call it PadMap.

Step 12: Setup the mapping or Pad and TopMetal.

Note: We could have just modified the Default Mapping - but this
gives us practice with multiple EM Mappings.

36 EM Simulation
Method 2: Update the EM Mapping in
the LPF File - 2

Step 13: Copy the EM Project - start - rename it to Pad_with_Mapping.

- Delete the shapes.

Step 14: Update Dependent LPF’s - select only

+Pad_with_Mapping.

37 EM Simulation
Method 2: Update the EM Mapping in
the LPF File - 3

You have the EM Mappings from the LPF in the EM project.

Select PadMap - and you can now import the shapes.
38 EM Simulation
EM Extraction
Extraction sends selected PCells and other shapes to the EM Socket.

Advantages
• Drawing carried out by the PCells.
• As schematic layout changes - can keep sending new layout to EM
simulator easily.
• Ports, and deembedding lines are automatically included.
• S parameter results are automatically brought back into the
schematic and re-simulated.

Disadvantages
• Almost too easy! Never see the EM layout.
• Box can be too small, wrong layers, boundary conditions...
•Can get off mesh.
39 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 2

Step 15: Open up the project double_stub.emp.

40 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 3

Make sure the layout is connected. Simulation Results.

41 EM Simulation
EM Extraction -4
To extract the circuit to EM we need two elements.
The Extraction Element

Controls
• Size of enclosure and mesh
•Simulator Type
•What elements are extracted.

The Stackup Element

Elements > Simulation Control

Controls
• Layers, Materials, ...
•It’s essentially the same as Enclosure with
extra feature of Line Type extractions.
Elements > Substrates
42 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 5

Step 16: Add the Extraction block to the schematic and configure it.

EM_Doc - The EM Project created.

Name - The extraction group name.

Note: Put in “ “.

Extension - The box will be this

much bigger than nearest
conductor.

43 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 6
Step 17: Configure the Stackup block.

44 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 7

Note: When you

change the mapping
file - you will get a
warning ... next
slide.

45 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 8

Line Type Mapping - This can be used as an alternative to EM

mapping - when you setting up what EM Layer and Material for a
Line Type to use.

Note: It is normally used with iNets.

46 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 8

The project LPF - will be changed to the new EM Mapping file. Be

careful before you do this.

Tip: Make a new EM mapping file - before you do this - so you

don’t overwrite the original.

47 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 9
Step 18: Select all the elements.
- RC on properties - enable all of them for extraction under
Model Options.

Don’t use quotes!

48 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 10

Selecting the Extract block shows the elements are enabled

for extraction.

49 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 11
Step 19: RC on the schematic icon and Add Extraction.

The EM project is created.

Tip: It’s always a

good idea to check
things over the first
time you extract.
Look at the 3D, etc.

50 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 12
Step 20: Enable AFS for the EM Project.

Simulate - and look at the results in the graph. Note the S

parameters are automatically updated.

51 EM Simulation
EM Extraction - 13

Note: After simulating the EM:

• I froze the traces: Ctrl - F.
•Went to the schematic and disabled the Extraction Block.
•Resimulated. There is a large difference in filter response.
52 EM Simulation
Viewing the Mesh

The mesh is viewed in the 3D view as an annotation.

Note: It doesn’t need to simulate to see the mesh.

53 EM Simulation
Viewing Currents
Currents can be viewed as a 3D annotation.
Note: You cannot
view currents with
AFS turned on.

I disabled
AFS, and
simulated at 1
point - 20
GHz.

54 EM Simulation
Viewing Currents - 2

You can animate it - cycles through

phase.

EM 3D Layout Toolbar.

55 EM Simulation