Agilent EEsof EDA EM Applications Matrix

Agilent offers several key 3D-EM products to fit your electromagnetic applications:

EM Insights Series

This page contains a series of application examples that demonstrate how EM tools can be used to solve actual design problems.

Each episode represents a specific design challenge and shows how the appropriate Agilent EM simulation tool can help designers.

• Episode 1- QFN Package   IC design is not finished until it is packaged. What is the upper frequency limit that the package can operate? Is it possible to use a lower cost package type to lower the final product cost? What about the performance of package isolation? As an example, LO to RF leakage performance of an up- or down-converter IC depends not only on the IC’s isolation performance but also on the package. In this episode, a 3x3[mm],16-pin QFN package is optimized to improve the frequency performance using EMDS-for-ADS.
• Episode 2 - Single (C Band) and Multiple Band (C&X band) Microstrip Planar Array Antenna   The major bottleneck in planar microstrip patch antenna design is the capacity and speed issue of the field solver to handle large size array antenna. The situation becomes more complicated when the antenna is used for multiple bands. In the past, the antenna problem is usually broken down into small sizes that are integrated (linearly added) later without carrying out EM simulation at full structure level. In this way the coupling at the large structure level is not taken into account. This episode demonstrates how the new improvements to Momentum aids designers of large array of microstrip patch antennas.
• Episode 3 - Wireless Network Card Antenna Design   There are many EM simulation technologies and tools available in the market that antenna designers can use, but which is the best for the job? This episode demonstrates the use of AMDS in the design of wireless network card antenna. The ultra fast simulation capability of AMDS allows designers quickly to test and verify various different configurations and sizes of antenna. And AMDS’ slick visualization feature allows designers to visualize the current and field pattern on the antenna surface, consequently it visually helps designers effectively design smaller antennas.
• Episode 4 - Contactor Design In High Volume RF Test Fixtures   The contactor is central to the design of high volume RF test fixtures. It acts as the final link connecting the RF test system to the RFIC package. In the past, high volume contactors were used primarily for testing digital ICs. However, with clock speeds exceeding 1GHz and higher operating frequencies of ICs, the performance degradation due to the contactors can be no longer ignored. This episode demonstrates how AMDS helps you to quickly analyze and understand the impact of the contactors to the overall test performance, consequently the production yield.
• Episode 5 - BGA Package Simulation   A BGA package is very popular package style for high speed digital applications due to high density, low thermal resistance, and low inductance leads. However as the operating frequency and data rate go up, it is critically important for IC designers to understand the package’s electrical performance because of the parasitics that can come from the package. This episode demonstrates fast and accurate analysis of BGA packages with Momentum to get the desired package performance right the first time.
• Episode 6 - High Speed Connector Modeling   Accurate modeling and simulation of high speed connectors is critical to successful high speed signal transmission. This episode demonstrates how a time domain based EM simulator helps in identifying problem areas, and discontinuities of connectors. The speed of the simulator makes it easy to run multiple simulations for a better understanding and to optimize for a good impedance profile throughout the transitions. As a result, high performance connector designs can be achieved.
• Episode 7 - High Speed SATA (Serial ATA) Connector Modeling   Due to the faster data transfer rate required in today’s consumer electronic market, interconnect design, such as SATA to PCB interface, can no longer be ignored. Designers must include electromagnetic effects (coupling, crosstalk, etc) of SATA connectors with board traces for accurate signal integrity analysis. In this episode, a SATA connector is analyzed with AMDS. Then the AMDS simulation file is exported as a design kit into ADS so that the connector data can be re-used for signal integrity analysis along with other circuit components in ADS.