Microwave EDA softwares

[drabos]

microwave eda

Write here, what your opinion about microwave/rf EDA tool is. What is their advantages and disadvantages?
So, what is the best for system simulation, simple circuit analysis and synthesis and complexity circuit analysis and synthesis?
What is good for MMIC or RFIC or discrete circuits?

Agilent ADS
Eagleware Genesys
Ansoft Designer
AWR Microwave Office
....

 

[hilper]

eagleware metamaterial

Hi

I have used AWR Microwave office, for linear circuit simulations. Very easy to use. It is born, as a windows program. That means, it is fast to learn (because it is logical) and fast to use, even if u use it seldom.

For circuit simulation, I think the last 3 is very similar. Iam not sure about ADS.

Actually Agilent has just bought Eaglevare, soo maybe ADS is going to be obsolete.

/per

 

[khouly]

awr to cad

i think they will continue ADS , ADS2006 is will be soon released

and they have developed the HB engine in 2005 it is very good

khouly

 

[madengr]

I like Microwave Office. It's stable and fast to use. Layout and graphics are much nicer than ADS. The MMIC process design kits are allot more advanced than ADS. I don't think ADS can handle layout of RFIC.

Eagleware has the most synthesis tools but filters are probably what most people use and Microwave Office uses NuHertz; I bought it and it works well.

The AWR Visual System Simulator is very nice since time domain simulation uses both real and complex sources. I have done upconverters with AGC loops and distortion and loop transient response were very close to measured. It also does frequency domain sweeps, RF budget analysis, and now fixed point simulation for DSP.

Anyway I have used all the tool since '92 and Microwave Office is the best.

 

[drabos]

Yes, the information is correct.
Genesys and ADS will be continued, as well.

Genesys for smaller problems and ADS is the most powerful EDA tool (http://eesof.tm.agilent.com/)

I think ADS has the same known as Microwave Office. Maybe ADS is better.

 

[toonafishy]

For me,
MWO for ease of use, linear and nonlinear analysis and moderate complex systems.
Eagleware for ease of use, linear analysis and especially synthesis programs.
ADS for large complex systems but overall not as friendly.
I have only tried Designer 1 or 2 times so no opinion.

 

[memarian]

Dear,

Microwave office and genesys are easier to use.But ADS and Designer are more

powerful.ADS is not friendly but when you learn use it and see it's performance

I think you doesn't use others.

note : EAGLEWARE is a part of AGILENT now!

Good Luck!

 

[drabos]

Did the Microwave Office exist in 1992?
(I think the first version of the Microwave Office appeared in 1997)

 

[khouly]

i agree with memarian

i have used @DS alot ,and designed with it LNA's , microstrip filters , Oscillators

it is very powerfull , about of ease of use i think it is not soo hard

the help is very comprehensive , and very good examples

the help of microwave office is not so good , but the program easy to use

but i like @DS more

i think @DS way of putting simulation engine u need , is very natural , and i feel it the logical way to think

but both tools are loaded with very good simulation options and measurments

khouly

 

[madengr]

No, I started using EDA software in '92; Eagleware on four 5 /14" floppies. Then Series IV, ADS, and MWO. I started using MWO about 5 years ago.

 

[drabos]

I read that Microwave Office knows Volterra series and ADS and Serenade doesn't know that (this article was from the year of 2000).
Is it true nowadays?
What have Volterra series be used?

 

[khouly]

i think voltera serise analysis was supported in microwave office before the implement thier harmonic balance simulator

khouly

 

[flyhigh]

Hi,

I used to work in ADS, then I move to MWO and I do not intend to go back to ADS. MWO is faster, less cumbersome and user friendlier.

Very little experience with Designer and almost non with Genesys.

flyhigh

 

[Manjunatha_hv]

Hello All,


Lot of enginners reply...But no body mentioned what MMIC/RFIC Design engineer needs/expect from EDA/CAD environment...

All the replies are biased towards certain EDA vendors...

One can tell or decide which software provides better environment based on the following that MMIC /RFIC Design engineer expectations/need

1. it should be fully integrated from schematic to GDSII (including DRC & LVS)
2. It should be Open environment ( interface to third party tools for EM simulation, DRC, LVS checks) and even invoking third party HB/SPICE simulators and
3. Easy to use & learn and also faster simulation speed & layout capability...

and most important thing is foundry process support (PDK) for all the foundries ...


Apart from The CAD tool / package must have this featrures
1. Schematic Capture
2. Support of Hierarchical Design
3. Foundry libraries
4. Simulation Controls / Engines
5. Optimization
6. Yield analysis
7. Layout
8. LVS
9. DRC
10. Integrated EM Simulator
and other regular cad capabilities...

Regarding simulation Engines it should have the following options
DC
Linear
Non-Linear (HB & SPICE)
Noise
Convolutional/ Envolope
and
EM Simulator

Also very importat thing for verification it needs to interface with fullwave EM Simulators...Because
Full wave analysis takes into account of all modes of propagation.
This includes both the TE & TM -modes that constitute the hybrid mode present in microstrip such analysis can account for the effects of dispersion, radiation, etc. to provide the designer with a powerful tool for optimizing the performance of a MMIC design.....


One such tool I use & recommend is AWR Microwave Office...
I hope most of you agree on the above...


---manju---

 

[egemini]

MW office is very poor in Non linear Analysis.
Also the technical support is still poorer.

 

[madengr]

MW office is very poor in Non linear Analysis.
Also the technical support is still poorer.

Hmm. Just the opposite for me. I suppose you are running a licensed copy when contacting tech support? I always get at email back within 1/2 hour, usually less.

I have simulated class E amps and limiters and have not had problems with HB analysis. Convergence problems are usually the user not looking at the model more carefully, and tweaking things like junction diode breakdown to see why it's failing in the first place.

 

[krishna410]

I worked on many EDA softwares... the best i found is ANSOFT HFSS 9.0
after this, Flomerics Microstripes 7.0, ADS,Agilent HFSS5.5, Empires, Ansoft designer

 

[wangthinker]

Hi

I have used AWR Microwave office, for linear circuit simulations. Very easy to use. It is born, as a windows program. That means, it is fast to learn (because it is logical) and fast to use, even if u use it seldom.

For circuit simulation, I think the last 3 is very similar. Iam not sure about ADS.

Actually Agilent has just bought Eaglevare, soo maybe ADS is going to be obsolete.

/per

i think ads is also good

 

[krishna410]

hi
the other software u can work for antennas and also other planar structures is EMPIRES...

Added after 3 minutes:

if u feel the design of antenna structures and waveguide structures in hfss consumes lot of time .. then better opt microstripes 7.0 ... but be sure tht ur antenna has meshing done manually

 

[henryming]

For wireless architecture an digital simulation,ADS maybe is very useful tool.