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Figure 1. Module technologies are being developed to achieve unprecedented integration and
functionality within a smaller form factor.
At RF and microwave frequencies,
electrical performance is directly
influenced by physical design.
Therefore, great care must be taken
to ensure that a component’s physical
attributes are fully incorporated into
the simulation model and that the
physical details used in simulation
are fully and accurately replicated
by the manufacturing process. V13
offers new and improved features
that impact design layout and
interoperability between NI AWR
Design Environment and third-
party IC and PCB electronic design
automation (EDA) tools (Figure 2).
These
enhancements
deliver
key capabilities for design entry
(both schematic and layout),
parameterized circuits, systems, and
EM subcircuits, design synthesis,
simulation and optimization controls,
and measurement graphs. Overall
the improvements serve to better
facilitate designs based on specific
manufacturing processes such as
PCBs and multi-technology (mixed-
technology) projects, commonly
used to simulate multi-chip modules
(MCM) that incorporate diverse
MMIC and RFIC devices on a single
laminate package/module.
A process design kit (PDK)
helps manage design entry with
information that contains files for
the device library (symbols, device
parameters, PCells), technology
data (layer stack ups), simulation
models, verification deck, and
more. PDKs are used by circuit
designers to construct a simulation
version of their product from these
components made available through
the fabrication process. In V13,
PDK-specific improvements make
it easier to install new PDKs and
work with multiple layout process
files (LPFs) typical of MCMs. Custom
toolbars can now also be distributed
in PDKs to support highly customized
design flows for leading front-end
manufacturers.
Embedding RFIC design
in MCM simulations
With MCMs, the off-chip design
and simulation including embedded
passives and laminate interconnects
often require some representation
of the RFIC device(s) for the overall
module characterization. Module
designers need a way to incorporate
an accurate model for the RFIC (or
critical portions of the RFIC design)
within the circuit hierarchy that
includes the laminate substrate.
Advances in hierarchical design
management, complemented with
a new OpenAccess import/export
wizard (supporting, for example, the
import/export of RFIC schematics
and project symbols from Cadence
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