Overview
This blog provides an overview of the planar antenna simulation work flow in ANSYS HFSS 3D Layout. HFSS 3D Layout is an intuitive alternative tool to the ANSYS HFSS 3D interface with integrated advanced multi-layer features make it more simplified and user-friendly tool to create, simulate, and analyze millimeter-wave integrated circuits (IC), micro-wave integrated circuits, printed circuit boards (PCB), and planar antennas. HFSS 3D Layout simulates layer structures of high-frequency electromagnetic fields through an innovated meshing technology called Phi mesher. The Phi mesher is an advanced, layout-based meshing tool that is capable of rapidly generating an initial mesh. This initial mesh facilitates faster simulations that can be further enhanced and accelerated using many of the various available adjuncts of high performance computing. Below is a an illustration of how to design and simulate a planar slot-fed patch antenna and a full demonstration is provided in the video link.
1) Defining the Stackup
The first step after inserting an HFSS 3D Layout design is to define the layers stackup of the model. In the layout editor, the user can edit/define layers, material thickness, transparency and other properties. For this example, the stackup is defined as shown below.
The user can also open the Layers Stackup Wizard to have a 3D view of the stackup, as seen below.
2) Creating the geometry
HFSS Layout has a native layout editor that supports various layout formats generated in other major ECAD systems for analysis using the HFSS solver including mentor, Zuken, Alyium, DXF, GDSII, etc. In this example we will create the geometry shown below.
3) Setting up the port
HFSS 3D Layout ports include wave ports, gap (lumped) ports, and circuit ports. It automae the following steps;
- Automatic reference location (with override option)
- Automatic port-geometry generation (with sizing override option)
- Automatic terminal identification
- Numerous pre-solve validation checks, with messaging to alert you when something is
wrong
In this example a gap lumped port will be used and defined on the feed line edge. The reference plane will automatically be set to the Slot layer.
5) Creating the analysis setup
Defining a solution setup enables HFSS 3D Layout to compute a solution for a design. You can define multiple solution setups for the same design. In this example we will define an HFSS solution setup with the following settings. The frequency sweep type can be Discrete, interpolating, and broadband.
6) Airbox and radiation boundary setup
The HFSS 3D Layout type can be simulated directly using HFSS. To achieve this, the bounding computational region (extents) for HFSS must be defined. The airbox's extents can have a type that is independent of the dielectric's extents. The user can select between radiation and PML boundaries. The airbox size and dielectric extents are also under the user control.
7) Post Processing
Once the simulation is complete, the user can display and analyze the simulation results similar to the HFSS 3D tool.
a) Creating reports
User can create 2D and 3D plots to view S-parameters, fields reports, farfields data and other results.
b) Mesh Plot
Similar to HFSS 3D, HFSS layout create an automated adaptative meshing ensuring efficient simulations in
generating highly accurate results. The following figure shows automated adaptive mesh generated for this model. The user can specify choices for the mesh plot (e.g., plot name, related solution, which nets/layers to plot).
c) Field Overlays
Field overlays can be created by selecting combinations of Nets, Layers, and Clip Planes if the user selected to save the fields in the analysis setup. The below figure shows the electric field overlay on the patch and the feed line.
Figure1: Comparison of the Different Array analysis approaches
A complete demonstration is provided in the video link below: