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AXIEM

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We were unable to EM this entire structure

using any other EM solver and turned to AWR

to give it a try. The insights gained as unveiled

by AXIEM opens up new vistas in mm-wave

design for Mimix.

Dr. Simon Mahon, Director of MMIC Design

Mimix Broadband, Inc.

As wireless-enabled devices boast more and more features, youre faced with

the daunting challenge of integrating them all within an unyielding footprint

without sacricing time-to-market. That means youll need to factor high-frequency

electromagnetic (EM) simulation into the design ow from the beginning and not just for

back-end verication. AXIEM EM software makes this possible.

It was developed specically for 3D planar applications like RF printed circuit boards

(PCBs) and modules, and low temperature co-red ceramic (LTCC), monolithic

microwave integrated circuit (MMIC), and RFIC designs. AXIEM is valuable as a stand-alone EM solver, but it truly comes into its own when integrated within the AWR Design

Environment (AWRDE). Here it interacts with overall circuit and system simulation,

layout, and verication through AWRs proprietary Unied Data Model. Either way,

you can now perform EM analysis early in the design cycle, where AXIEMs capacity,

accuracy and speed saves you precious timeand money.

THE ELEGANCE OF AXIEM

AXIEM technology is an open boundary, non-gridded, method-of-moments (MoM)

solver that supports true thick metal in layered dielectric media. It incorporates

the most recent advancements in EM solver technology, meshing algorithms and

software architecture to deliver unprecedented speed and accuracy. Youll nd its

exceptional performance becomes more and more evident as your design grows

more complex and unknowns increase.

Unique Solver Technology 3D planar solvers that rely on the Sommerfeld (or

similar) integral formulations are often fast for small- to medium-size problems, but

suffer from accuracy and dynamic range limitations and excessive simulation time

for large problems. AXIEM overcomes these limitations with best-in-class accuracy,

dynamic range, capacity, and speed. The AXIEM solver scales as N*Log(N), which

dramatically reduces simulation time and allows simulation of much larger problems

than previously possible.

AXIEMs solver technology also enables accurate and robust simulations down to

DC, which is essential for obtaining the right bias conditions and setting the DC

operating points for active structures. The integrity of these broadband results

mitigates design issues associated with using DC to daylight results in subsequent

harmonic balance or transient simulations performed within Microwave Ofce or

Analog Ofce environments.

High-Frequency EM

Simulation Thats

Fast Enough for

Upfront Design

AXIEM can solve this complex 65 port

Wilkinson divider in just a few minutes.

Spiral inductor 3D current ow.

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Advanced Meshing Technology AXIEMs hybrid meshing technology

automatically fractures structures with triangular and rectangularelements and is optimized to maximize accuracy with minimal

unknowns, including intelligent automatic geometric defeaturing.

AXIEMs heuristic approach extends its capacity beyond what you

can achieve with traditional single-element approaches, making it

well-suited for large RF designs. AXIEMs thick metal capability is also

essential for successful solution of 90 nm and 65 nm RF CMOS problems in which

line thickness is often in parity with line widths.

Antenna Analysis and Post-Processing AXIEM is ideally suited for analysis of planar

antennas and arrays. The fast N*Log(N) solver technology gives the designer the

ability to analyze large, complex arrays that until now have not been practical to

simulate in their entirety. Post-processing capabilities include the ability to show the

currents on the antennas and electric elds in space, as well as the standard far

eld antenna pattern measurements for linear, circular, and elliptical polarizations.

SUMMARY

AXIEMs capacity, accuracy, and speed will transform your design ow by bringing

EM analysis to upfront diagnostic design. Its just what you need to identify design

problems early, when it is more cost- and time-efcient to address them.

Think Fast. Think AXIEM.

CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY

The Design Challenge

TriQuint Semiconductor, leader in high-performance RF components for wireless

communication, designs wideband power amplier MMICs suitable for electronic warfare

(EW) systems.

The Solution

TriQuint had never before attempted to electromagnetically (EM) simulate the entire

MMIC circuit of their NDPA, which includes more than 32 ports and for a gridded planar

EM tool upwards of 30,000 unknowns.

Nonetheless, Chuck Campbell decided to put AXIEM

to the test. The result: AXIEM solved the entire

structure from DC to 120GHz in under two minutes

per frequency on a quad-core desktop PC with 4G

Ram (32-bit OS).

The power and speed of AWRs new AXIEM

3D planar EM software made it possible to

accurately and efciently simulate the entire

structure of this very complex NDPA MMIC.

Chuck Campbell, Fellow

TriQuint Semiconductor

Photograph of the NDPA MMIC.

30 V small signal gain and return loss.

The simulated small signal gain is shownas the broken line and is in good agree-

ment with the measured results.32-port AXIEM layout.

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AXIEM Key Benefts

Faster time to market:

Combine AXIEM simulations comfortably with your circuit design using

AWRs unique EM-extraction technology.

Efciency:

Keep focus on relevant problems only, and switch transparently

between modeling domains to fully control accuracy and speed.

Accuracy:

AXIEM technology delivers exceptionally accurate EM simulation that is

fast and efcient for even the most complex designs.

Quick learning curve:

Integrated within the AWR Design Environment thru the EXTRACT

block / EM Socket, AXIEM is seamless to use.

Features at a Glance

Seamless integration with Microwave Ofce and Analog Ofce software

Proprietary full-wave planar EM solver technology

Open-boundary MoM approach

Unconstrained capacity exhibited by N*Log(N) solver scaling

Unconstrained line width versus thickness ratio

Robust results from DC to daylight

Advanced hybrid meshing technology

Mixed element meshing of triangles and rectangles

Geometrically-aware and optimized

True thick metal support

Antenna analysis and post-processing

Numerous source/excitations including auto-calibrated internal ports

Parametric studies, optimization, and tuning

3D visualization and animation

USA

Corporate Headquarters

AWR Corporation

1960 E. Grand Avenue, Suite 430

El Segundo, CA 90245

+1 310 726 3000

+1 310 726 3005 (fax)

Japan

AWR Japan KK

Level 5, 711 Building

7-11-18 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku

Tokyo 160-0023 Japan

+81 3 5937 4803

Korea

AWR Korea Co. Ltd.

B-1412, Intellige-II, 24 Jeongja-dong,

Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si,

Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 463-811

+82.31.603.7772~3

UK

AWR UK

2 Hunting Gate

Hitchin, Herts

SG4 0TJ, UK

+44 (0) 1462 428 428

Finland

AWR APLAC

Lars Sonckin kaari 16

FI-02600 Espoo, Finland

+358 10 834 5900

France

AWR France

140 Avenue Champs Elysees

75008 Paris, France

+33 1 70 36 19 63

Copyright 2010 AWR Corporation. All rights reserved. AWR, the AWR logo, Microwave Ofce, and AnalogOfce are registered trademarks and AXIEM, AWR Design Environment, EM Socket, and Unied Data Model, are

trademarks of AWR Corporation. All others are property of their respective holders.

www.awrcorp.comwww.awr.tv

BR-AX-2010.5.6