Problem Simulating a Spiral Inductor Imported from Cadence to HFSS

I'm new to HFSS, and I want to EM simulate the ind_std model in Cadence Virtuso using it. I've imported the .gds file and set up a driven modal solution type, but I'm confused about assigning boundaries and excitations. I have already desgined an inductor from scratch using tutorials I've found online, but my problem is the imported model. How should I set up the boundaries and excitation ports? What kind of boundary or port should I use?
Also, the imported gds file looks 2D, and I'm not sure whether it's fine. Was I supposed to add a layer map or technology file or something to make it look 3D?
I'm also not sure about the efficiency of HFSS in my case. I've read that HFSS creates a large number of meshes which is not suitable to simulate RF inductors, and it seems reasonable as it took the gds file so long to be imported and validated. Should I give up on HFSS and use something else such as Moemntum or Sonnet? Which is better in my case?
Thanks a lot.
(P.S: My inductors are needed for the Ka band, of a typical range of 50-200pH)

Boundaries: I would recommend making a region with about 200% padding (my personal preference, tends to work for me) and assign that as the Radiation Boundary.

Excitations: A lumped port should be fine. It should connect from one end of the spiral inductor to the other, you may want to make some leads perpendicular to the spiral to allow this to not intersect your spiral. The integration line you draw should point from one end of the inductor to the other.

Shape looks 2D: Hmm, I'm not sure if that's a problem in your case. You can probably get away with assigning the flat surface a finite conductivity (right click on the surface in your list of geomtries --> assign boundary --> finite conductivity) with the same conductivity and layer thickness as your trace material.

HFSS suitable?: Sorry, can't offer too much experience here. I tend to simulate inductors at lower frequencies (<2GHz) but its always served me well for those applications. I usually get ok results for simulations of Q factor and good results for inductance values (compared with my physical measurements on a VNA). What package is best for you may also depend on what you care most as a result; i.e. field distributions, lumped element values, current densities, etc.

Elecemperor said:

Also, the imported gds file looks 2D, and I'm not sure whether it's fine. Was I supposed to add a layer map or technology file or something to make it look 3D?

Click to expand...

Yes, you will need layer map file and also the technology data (thicknesses and materials). Don't forget the silicon substrate and its conductivity, this is very important for RFIC inductors.

For ADS Momentum and Sonnet, I have created this RFIC stackup editor:
https://muehlhaus.com/products/material-file-utility
It can also read all data - except the substrate itself - from your Assura procfile. You could try this to visualize your technology and then take the data to HFSS manually.