AWR Datasheets

RFIC/SiP Design: AWR AXIEM EM with Virtuoso RF The AWR AXIEM EM simulator is now integrated with the Cadence Virtuoso ® RF solution, providing designers with an integrated circuit (IC), package/module design flow that improves productivity by eliminating the design failures caused by the manual translation of data. A single golden schematic is used for simulation, layout versus schematic (LVS), and EM analysis and verification, without the need for unique schematics for EM and LVS. Using the AWR AXIEM Simulator with Virtuoso RF The AWR AXIEM EM simulator within AWR Microwave Office circuit design software is a best-in-class planar, open boundary 3D planar engine that solves for currents on horizontal metal traces and vertical vias. Prior to the Virtuoso integration of the AWR AXIEM EM solver, users of both tools relied upon manual integration, namely exporting and importing the layout between the Virtuoso environment and the AWR AXIEM simulator within the AWR Microwave Office environment. Integrated AWR AXIEM Solver/Virtuoso RF Flow The integrated AWR AXIEM EM solver within the Cadence integrated circuit (IC)/ system-in-package (SiP) flow for layout of silicon ICs provides design optimization and layout verification within a single schematic. Traditionally, layout and schematic are loosely coupled in Cadence software. The golden schematic couples much more tightly with the layout, reducing error and saving time. Figure 1 shows the golden schematic on the left and the AWR AXIEM spiral layout in Virtuoso RF. The model assistant is docked on the right side of the layout window. The white box drawn around the spiral is the limit of the layout that is extracted to AWR AXIEM software, in this case the spiral and feed lines. Ports are automatically attached to the feed lines once the layout is placed in the AWR AXIEM simulator. There is no need for the designer to add ports; they are added wherever the feed lines hit the simulation boundary in the Virtuoso layout. The box on the far right is the model assistant. It enables the designer to set the simulator nets and various control options. Figure 1: AXIEM model in Virtuoso APPLICATION SPOTLIGHT 3 www.cadence.com/go/awr

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