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Design Flow

This page lists improvements to the AWR Design Environment related to design flows.

V15

Minimize Test Bench Management with Measurements on Data Source Groups

The project opens to a data display page and a circuit schematic, and simulates.

  1. Note the special NET parameter notation in the circuit schematic matches the name of a User Folder in the Project Browser.
  2. After simulating the item in the <Inductors> User Folder, the item with the green cross on the icon is plotted.
  3. Click on a different inductor model to update the results from that model.
  4. Ctrl + Click to multi-select inductor models and view multiple results.
  5. Measurements on Data Source Groups also support always plotting results from all simulation documents (circuit schematics, netlists, data files, and others) in the group.
  6. Use this technique to simplify test bench management, compare multiple circuit topologies, and other tasks.

Switch between Electrical and Physical Model Specifications without Leaving a Schematic

The project opens and displays the branchline coupler and its performance.

  1. The branchline coupler design frequency is ~4.8 GHz. The goal is to tune it with the Transmission Line Calculator to a new center frequency of 3 GHz.
  2. In the "BranchLineCoupler" schematic, right-click on the input MLIN.TL1 and choose Synthesize. The Transmission Line Calculator opens.
  3. In the Physical panel, change the Freq parameter to 3 GHz.
  4. Select the W and L parameter check boxes.
  5. In the Electrical panel, select the Z0 re parameter check box and set the value to 50 Ohms.
  6. Click the Left Arrow to synthesize new physical parameters based on the specified electrical parameters and the substrate in the schematic.
  7. Repeat this process for the horizontal 0.707*Z0 line MLIN.TL3, but use the following parameters:
    • Change the Freq parameter value to 3 GHz.
    • Select the W and L parameter check boxes.
    • Change the EL parameter value to 90 degrees.
    • Change the Z0 re parameter value to 35.35 Ohms.
  8. Repeat this process for the vertical 50 Ohm line MLIN.TL2, but use the following parameters:
    • Change the Freq parameter value to 3 GHz.
    • Select the L parameter check box.
    • Change the EL parameter to 90 degrees.
  9. Simulate (F8) to center the coupler at 3 GHz. Note that the resonance is not precisely at 3 GHz because these are physical models, not ideal electrical models.

Collaborate with Other Designers and Keep Design Data Revision History


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Simulate Analyst EM Structures on Linux LSF Clusters from Microwave Office

Synthesize Using Component Library or PDK parts with the Network Synthesis Wizard

Matching Network Wizard Overview

The Network Synthesis Wizard allows you to specify goals and use either ideal or vendor components to generate matching network topologies in just minutes. In this example, a PA matching network is designed to meet both PAE and output power at a fixed compression point goal.

The project opens to the "Matching Network Report" Output Equations page, and simulates.

License Requirements: Network Synthesis (SWS-100)

  1. Open the example instance of the Network Synthesis Wizard and review the setup on each tab:
    • Synthesis Definition - defines the "direction" of the matching network and frequency band(s) of interest.
    • Components - defines the available series and shunt components as well as first component and last component limitations. Note that Vendor Library components are used.
      • Vendor components available to use in the wizard come from the Libraries that AWR is aware of. This includes any custom XML libraries, PDK components, or the online vendor libraries.
      • You can select a subset of components for vendor library components and store this information for future synthesis runs.
      • For real transmission line models, discontinuity models can be included between components for greater accuracy.
    • Parameter Limits - defines the parameter limits, parameter rounding, component series, etc. for each component.
      • Note that the L and C are limited to the E24 value table and that the MLIN values round to 1 mil.
    • DC & Bias Feed - defines the matching network DC path constraints and the bias injection network that the wizard should consider.
      • Note that because this is a PA output matching network, Port B must be a DC open to ground.
    • Goals - defines the measurements and goals for the synthesis. Double-click on a Measurement or Goal to see the setup.
      • Note that the examples in this measurement use the load pull data as the source and define PAE and Output Power at 1 dB Compressed.
      • The goals are set up for a PAE >= 63%, an Output Power >= 51 dBm, and a 2nd and 3rd harmonic region.
      • Select the "HarmAreaMatch" goal and then click the View Region button to view the specified harmonic region.
      • The synthesis can also limit the number of unique vendor components with the CompCount measurement. This helps prioritize component reuse.
    • Search Options - defines advanced search options.
    • Results - shows the results from the Synthesis run and controls how many networks and what additional data is sent back to Microwave Office.

Exploring Vendor Component Selection

  1. On the Network Synthesis Wizard Components tab, click the Select Components button.
  2. The left pane of the Select Vendor Library Components for Network Synthesis dialog box lists the libraries and components available for network synthesis. This list includes any custom XML libraries, PDK components, or online vendor libraries.
  3. The right pane of the Select Vendor Library Components for Network Synthesis dialog box displays the components selected for the current network synthesis. Selections can be saved and loaded for convenience.
  4. Components are also filtered by type. For example, Resistor, Inductor, or Capacitor. In this synthesis only inductors and capacitors are selected.

Synthesizing and Sending Results to Microwave Office

  1. NOTE: This synthesis takes a few minutes to run so there are results already saved in the project. To start a new synthesis, click the Synthesize button, otherwise skip to the next step to use the pre-synthesized results.
    • For an example that synthesizes more quickly, see the example on the design flow page.
  2. When the synthesis is complete (or if you skipped the synthesis step) click the To MWO button to send the results to Microwave Office.
  3. Click OK on the Overwrite Options dialog box.
  4. Click Close to close the wizard.
  5. When the synthesis is performed and vendor components are used, all necessary model information is imported into the project. In this instance, the S-parameter data files are used for the AVX 0603 inductors and capacitors.

Exploring Results

  1. All of the generated networks are in the Microwave Office <Output_Match_synth> User Folder in the Project Browser.
  2. Click on the individual networks under the User Folder to see the results from the networks.
  3. The graph results update to show response with the selected network, and the displayed schematic updates to show the selected networks.
  4. The matching networks use components from the AVX library of parts from the online vendor library.

V14

This page contains improvements to the AWR Design Environment related to design flows.

Dramatically increase simulation throughput with parallel and remote simulation.

Parallel and remote simulation

Simultaneously run multiple simulations on the same computer or many computers with parallel local and remote simulation. Take advantage of parallel top-level simulations, sweeps, optimization analysis, and yield analysis.*

License requirements: Parallel simulation requires TOK-200 licenses. Remote simulation requires the same license feature set that the user has checked out on their machine. Please contact your local AWR sales representative if interested in learning more or demoing this feature.

Top Level Simulations

Run multiple top level simulations in parallel locally or remotely. Every measurement data source or EM Structure is a top level simulation and running them in parallel provides a significant performance increase.

The project will open and 4 intentionally slow top level simulations will simulate.

  1. Look at the project tree - there are four top level documents.
  2. Look at the simulation window - note that four simulations are scheduled and that the running simulation is running in a distributed MWO session (the simulation window prefixes the Name with DistSim).
  3. With proper licensing all SWRVAR_DIST sweep points will run in parallel, each in a separate distributed MWO session.
  4. Please contact your local AWR sales representitive if interested in learning more or demoing this feature.
  5. When done, cancel the simulations.

Sweeps

Run multiple sweeps in parallel locally or remotely. Some sweep run very efficiently in parallel (i.e. each frequency point of a power sweep, swept EM analysis, etc.).

The project will open and 4 intentionally slow sweeps will start.

  1. Look at the open schematic - there is a SWPVAR_DIST element to control distributed sweeps.
  2. Look at the simulation window - note that four simulations are scheduled and that the running simulation is running in a distributed MWO session (the simulation window prefixes the Name with DistSim).
  3. With proper licensing all SWRVAR_DIST sweep points will run in parallel, each in a separate distributed MWO session.
  4. Please contact your local AWR sales representitive if interested in learning more or demoing this feature.
  5. When done, cancel the simulations.

Optimization

Run optimization iterations in parallel locally or remotely. Advanced optimization algorithms (Parallel Advanced Genetic Algorithm and Parallel Particle Swarm) take advantage parallel iterations for increased performance.

The project will open and a parallel optimization will start.

  1. Look at the simulation window - note that four simulations are scheduled and that the running simulation is running in a distributed MWO session (the simulation window prefixes the Name with MWO:).
  2. With proper licensing many optimization iterations can run in parallel, each in a separate distributed MWO session.
  3. Please contact your local AWR sales representative if interested in learning more or demoing this feature.
  4. When done, close the task manager and cancel the simulations.

Yield

Run yield iterations in parallel locally or remotely. Yield analysis lends itself well to parallel iterations for increased performance.

Parallel yield analysis is not available in V14.0. If you have interest in this capability, please contact AWR Product Marketing

Jump-start matching network design using the Network Synthesis Wizard.

Matching Network Wizard Overview

The Network Synthesis Wizard allows the user to specify goals and components to generate matching network topologies in a matter of minutes. In this example an interstage matching network is designed to meet optimize power transfer between two non 50 Ohm networks.

Additional Network Synthesis Wizard examples can be found on the antenna and design flow pages.

The project will open to show the Matching Network Report Output Equations Page and simulate.

License requirements: Network Synthesis (SWS-100)

  1. Open the "Example" instance of the Network Synthesis Wizard and review the setup on each tab
    • Synthesis Definition - defines the "direction" of the matching network and frequency band(s) of interest.
    • Components - defines the available series and shunt components as well as first component and last component limitations.
    • Parameter Limits - defines the parameter limits, parameter rounding, component series, etc. for each component
      • Note that the L and C are limited to the E48 value table and that the TLINE values rounds to 0.1 Ohm.
    • DC & Bias Feed - defines the matching network DC path constraints and the bias injection network that the wizard should consider.
    • Goals - defines the Measurements and Goals for the synthesis. Double click on a Measurement or Goal to see the setup.
      • Note that the examples in this measurement uses the PA and Driver circuit impedances to calculate mismatch loss on both side of the synthesized matching network.
      • The goals is setup for 0 mismatch loss.
    • Search Options - defines advanced search options.
    • Results - shows the results from the Synthesis run and controls how many network and what additional data is sent back to Microwave Office

Synthesizing and sending results to Microwave Office

  1. Push the Synthesize button to start a new synthesis.
  2. Note that the candidate networks were synthesized in less than a minute for a simple problem like this!
  3. When the synthesis is complete click on the "Cost" column to sort the results by cost and note that the top 5 networks are selected for export to MWO.
  4. Click on the To MWO button to send the results to Microwave Office.
  5. Push the OK button on the "Overwrite Options" dialog.
  6. Push the Close button to close the Wizard.

Exploring results

  1. All of the generated networks have been sent to Microwave Office and placed in the <Synth_Results> User Folder in the Project Tree
  2. Click on the individual networks under the User Folder to see the results from the networks.
  3. Note that the Graph results update to show response with the selected network and the displayed schematic updates to show the selected networks

V13

This page contains improvements to the AWR Design Environment related to design flows.

License requirements: Open Access Schematic Import/Export Wizard (OPA-200)

Eliminate manual re-entry by sending silicon design schematics back and forth to Cadence Virtuoso.

Share Schematics with Cadence Virtuoso

The proejct will open and maximize a schematic that was imported from Cadence Virtuoso.

  1. The design shown was imported from Cadence Virtuoso.
  2. There is a sample configured instance of the Open Access Import/Export Wizard but it can only be used to show settings as it requires a live link to a Linux machine with Cadence to import the design
  3. Note that this Wizard, when working with appropriately configured PDKs, can be used to send designs back and forth with Cadence Virtuoso.