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Microstrip Antenna Simulation Tool

ChiaSyan Lim
Prodigy 50 points

Hi,

I am a beginner in designing hardware for low power RF. Any recommendation on the simulation tool for designing and simulating the micrrostrip antenna?

Thank you :)

  • 0
    Mastermind 8170 points

    The RF portion of the circuit for a Ti CCxxxx devices are balanced complex loads (i.e. not simple 50 ohms matches)  requiring a vector network analyzer, and equipment to make load pull measurements to first determined the load points and expensive design software (example:Agilent's EEsof) to design the matching network. To ensure harmonics and spurious signals are adequately surpressed you will need a spectrum analyzer to at least 12.5GHz (5th harmonic).  Antenna design requires a similar investment and at least a make-shift antenna range to test and tune the antenna.

     The portion of the design that makes a CCxxxx based product unique are the sensors you select, software, digital circuit layout, and packaging which can be handled with traditional PCB and mechanical design software. I would rely on the Ti reference designs for the few components and layout that make up the RF portion, antenna, and placing the bypass caps at the power pins.. There are reference designs on 2 and 4 layer PCBs, with single chip and discrete component balun designs as well as antennas that are printed, single chips, and connectorized. 

    Note that many of the Ti chips are made up of different combinations of the same radio and internal MCUs. This means if you are designing with a CCxxxx device the RF portion of a reference design for a CCyyyy that you like may be suitable provided the same radio is used in both.

    A basic tool I like for a quick look at line impedance versus PCB stack-up is here: http://chemandy.com/calculators/microstrip_transmission_line_calculator.htm if your PCB IDE does not have an integrated capability. This is handy if you need to insert a short piece of 50 ohms line between the balun's output and the antenna on your board.

    Hope this helps.

    -H

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 36415 points

    Lim, 

    I have been working with three companies tools for my 3D EM needs. All three tools works very well and selecting between them comes down to personal preference and also on other simulations needs you might have.

    1. Physware has a 3D MoM solver, their tool is great at importing for a large range of CAD layout tools. They have 2 tiers, a full license that does everything and also a lower tiered tool that is optimized to just doing antennas. (http://physware.com/)
    2. Ansoft has Ansoft HFSS and its what I consider the gold standard in 3D EM solvers. It does everything and very accurately. Its comes at a price of compute resources needed and also setup time.  (http://www.ansoft.com/products/hf/hfss/)
    3. Agilent EMDS, is basically Agilents version of Ansoft HFSS. They have virtually the same accuracy, but I find the user interface not as easy to use, however that is a personal preference. (http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/product.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&ckey=1297137&nid=-34276.0.00&id=1297137)

    None of these tools are foolproof and one can easily get the bad results, but for a beginner in the EM world I think that Physware has done a good job of wrapping the setup into a easy to use set of question.

    /TA