Agilent Technologies recently unveiled ADS 2012, the next major release of its Advanced Design System (ADS) flagship RF and microwave EDA platform.
The new release features a number of user interface enhancements designed to improve design efficiency and productivity. Dockable windows, for example, enable users to quickly access frequently used dialog boxes, such as component information and layer visibility in layout.
New component search and net navigator functions make it easy to work with larger designs, and a new archive/un-archive utility makes sharing designs and workspaces easier.
Two ADS DesignGuides have also been updated. The ADS Load Pull DesignGuide now offers mismatch simulation to indicate device or amplifier sensitivity to load VSWR or phase angle. The Amplifier DesignGuide features extensive updates that make it easy to see amplifier performance at a specific output power or a specific amount of gain compression.
Other new breakthroughs for RF power amplifier design in ADS 2012 include:
* Integration with EMPro that enables 3-D EM components to be saved as database cells for use directly in ADS.
* A new ADS electro-thermal simulator based on a full 3-D thermal solver natively integrated into ADS, which incorporates dynamic temperature effects to improve accuracy in ‘thermally aware’ circuit simulation results.
* Multichip module electromagnetic (EM) simulation setup and Finite Element Method simulation of different technologies to analyse EM interactions between ICs and interconnects, wire bond and flip-chip solder bumps in typical multichip RF power amplifier modules.
* Model support for Agilent’s new artificial neural network-based NeuroFET model (extracted by Agilent’s IC-CAP device modelling software) to enable more accurate FET modelling and simulation results (eg, for high-power GaN FET amplifiers).
To complement the ADS 2012 software release, Agilent is also producing a series of webcasts designed to demonstrate its new technologies and applications.
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