biff44
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open source microwave
It suprises me that there is no good free microwave design/analysis software out there. Other industries have tons of open source software available! But we MW engineers have to shell out to Agilent, Cadence, or MW Office a FORTUNE every year to keep updated!
I have tried some of the free spice based analyzers, and they are not too fullfilling! Does anyone know of an open source MW suite out there? It would, hopefully, do the following:
Linear analysis--accept standard S2p files, have accurate models of microstrip, stripline, suspended stripline, vias, discontinuities, device Q, loss, dispersion,etc.
Non linear analyisis--accept standard vendor device models for fets, transistors, diodes, varactors, schottky diodes, etc.
Emag Sim--at least a planar 2-d analysis package for when the layout can not be described by simple port connections
Layout--some simple board layout software that allows perhaps up to 4 layers, outputs gerber files, some simple design rules checking, etc
Some simple filter design software, even just lumped element to start with, for lpf, bpf, hpf, simple broadband matching networks, maybe some combline, interdigital, hairpin capability
Probably should be windows based
And most importantly, allows us users to add to the models--especially for unique discontinuities or new devices. In other words, to NOT keep the modelling part a "secret", but allow a user to tweak the models to fit his measured data.
Anyone know of such software out there?
Anyone (especially some university) interested in doing such a project? (ala Berkley and the original versions of SPICE)
I think it would be a boon to the industry! It would certainly be a boon to those individual engineers/consultants out there that are struggling to keep current on a miriad of needed software packages!
I would be willing to help in the modelling/test/verification phase, but I am no programmer!
Rich
www.MaguffinMicrowave.com
It suprises me that there is no good free microwave design/analysis software out there. Other industries have tons of open source software available! But we MW engineers have to shell out to Agilent, Cadence, or MW Office a FORTUNE every year to keep updated!
I have tried some of the free spice based analyzers, and they are not too fullfilling! Does anyone know of an open source MW suite out there? It would, hopefully, do the following:
Linear analysis--accept standard S2p files, have accurate models of microstrip, stripline, suspended stripline, vias, discontinuities, device Q, loss, dispersion,etc.
Non linear analyisis--accept standard vendor device models for fets, transistors, diodes, varactors, schottky diodes, etc.
Emag Sim--at least a planar 2-d analysis package for when the layout can not be described by simple port connections
Layout--some simple board layout software that allows perhaps up to 4 layers, outputs gerber files, some simple design rules checking, etc
Some simple filter design software, even just lumped element to start with, for lpf, bpf, hpf, simple broadband matching networks, maybe some combline, interdigital, hairpin capability
Probably should be windows based
And most importantly, allows us users to add to the models--especially for unique discontinuities or new devices. In other words, to NOT keep the modelling part a "secret", but allow a user to tweak the models to fit his measured data.
Anyone know of such software out there?
Anyone (especially some university) interested in doing such a project? (ala Berkley and the original versions of SPICE)
I think it would be a boon to the industry! It would certainly be a boon to those individual engineers/consultants out there that are struggling to keep current on a miriad of needed software packages!
I would be willing to help in the modelling/test/verification phase, but I am no programmer!
Rich
www.MaguffinMicrowave.com
