New and updated in the 25. Jan 2012 release:

• Major new revision with new user interface and new functionality
• Support for multiple metals on the same level, with proper visualization
• Import *.son model
• Export *.son model for stand alone use
• Manage and export layer mappings for GDSII and DXF workflow,
  to enable multi-design-flow support from a single source file
• Many details updated for better improved usability
• User’s Guide in PDF format included

http://muehlhaus.com/material-file-utility

New features include:

• SAR compliance to standard P1528
• Active impedance calculation
• Tensoric Debye materials
• User requested 2D plot enhancements
• Far field coverage display
• Accelerations for pre- and postprocessing
• Improved import/export filters (gerber, dxf), export of SAT format
• Periodic field output synchronization

Sonnet 13.54 was just released, and includes some new capabilities that we want to discuss here.

Via array merging

You might know that Sonnet 13 can merge via arrays during import, creating one big via that is more efficient to simulate. This feature is available for the Cadence interface, Agilent ADS interface and AWR Microwave office interface,  as well as DXF and GDSII import.

Via merge in GDSII import

Unfortunately, via arrays in existing projects can not be merged in the Sonnet editor, but there is a workaround: in the <SONNET_DIR>/bin directory, there is a commandline program viamerge.exe that can modify an existing simulation model and merge the vias.

If viamerge.exe is called with a project name as the only parameter, it will read that model and overwrite it with the modified version. If you supply a second filename, then the original file is untouched and the modified file is written into the second file.

viamerge mergeme.son
viamerge input.son output.son

In the next section, we will learn how this command can be called from the Sonnet menu, using the new customized menu feature.

Custom menu

In Sonnet 12.54, a new “customized menu” feature was introduced. This enables the user to define an additional, customized menu entry in xgeom and other Sonnet tools.

Customized menu in xgeom (click to view full size)

Users can add one customized menu entry for each of the Sonnet tools, with customized commands or calls to external programs. This can be useful to send Sonnet projects to home-made simulation cluster scripts, run external pre- or postprecessing tools on the current project, and much more.

To define the custom menu shown above, the custom menu has been enabled for the xgeom to0l by adding the folling line to the [xgeom] section of the sonnet.ini file:

CustomMenu=$SONNET_APPDATA_DIR\data\custom_menu.xml

This points to the file custom_menu.xml, which we have created in the Sonnet application data directory C:\ProgramData\Sonnet Software\13.54

<?xml version=”1.0″ standalone=”yes”?>
<custom_menu name=”Custom”>

<menu_item name=”Editor”>
<exe> c:\windows\system32\notepad.exe </exe>
<arguments>  $PROJECT </arguments>
</menu_item>

<menu_item name=”Merge Vias”>
<exe>    $SONNET_DIR\bin\viamerge.exe  </exe>
<arguments>$PROJECT merged.son</arguments>
</menu_item>

</custom_menu>

This is a simple file, with two commands to call external programs. The first command opens the currently open Sonnet project in the notepad editor that is part of the Windows operating system. As you can see, the commandline via merging utility viamerge.exe is included as another custom command, with the currently open Sonnet project as the first parameter (=input file) and the fixed filename merged.son as the second parameter (=output file).

The full, official documentation of the custom menu feature is available here: Sonnet_Custom_Menu_R13

Display equations for transformers

We have created some equations for the Sonnet data display, to assist you with the analysis of transformers.
These equations can be used with transformers where the primary is connected with ports 1/-1 and the secondary is connected with ports 2/-2. The equations can not be used with transformers analyzed in 4-port configuration.

The equation file includes the following equations:

• Coupling factor k
• Transformer ratio n
• Inductance with other ports open
• Resistance with other ports open
• Q factor with other ports open

These equations are required because the standard Q factor, Inductance1/2 and Resistance1/2 equations are calculated from Y parameters, which means that other ports are shorted. This is not useful for our two-port transfomer case, so we have defined our own transformer equations.

Download transformer_equations file (ZIP)

Please refer to the Sonnet User’s Guide on how to load equation files.

Technology utility to create matl files

Mühlhaus GmbH has created a new material file utility to help RFIC users with the setup of complex stackups.

At the present time, this tool writes out *.matl files for the Cadence and Agilent interface. You can define stackups starting from an empty file, or import existing files in Sonnet *.matl format and Agilent *.slm format.

The stackup can be visually inspected in different views. Material data input can be in Sonnet format (thickness and conductivity) or the data as typically found in foundry data sheets (thickness and ohm/square).

Material file tool - metal property view (click for full size)

Dielectric layers also can be merged, creating a new dielectric with the total height and the effective epsilon.

Merging of dielectrics (click for full size)

The tool is available to Mühlhaus Consulting & Software GmbH customers at no extra cost. Please contact us to receive the files.

EM analysis of printed circuit boards

Sonnet EM analysis of printed circuit boards will be demonstrated at the
RadioTecC Berlin 2011 conference and exhibition.

Visit us at the RadioTecC exhibition (free entry):
26.-27. October 2011, 9:00-17:00

Presentation “EM analysis of printed circuit boards” at the conference
26. October 2011, 11:00 -12:00

Conference and exhibition location:

WISTA-Gebäude Berlin Adlershof
Adlershof con.vent.
Rudower Chaussee 17
12489 Berlin Adlershof

Conference and exhibition program (PDF)

RadioTecC2011 Presentation: EM Analysis of RF Printed Circuits Boards

In July 2011, Sonnet had released version 13.52.
Now, version 13.54 is available which fixes some issues reported for version 13.52.

These issues are fixed in Sonnet 13.54:

• fixed: New schematic view for Cadence Virtuoso IC5.141 configured incorrectly
• fixed: 64-bit Linux Analysis Engine is slower when using Conformal Mesh
• fixed: Physical size of component is displayed incorrectly in Project Editor
• fixed: No vias are mapped in the .matl file when importing a PDK Technology into the Cadence Interface.
• fixed: Ideal component is difficult to select in the Project Editor
• fixed: Cannot create a SonnetEM cell view in the Cadence Virtuoso Interface from only a section of a layout
• fixed: Exiting Cadence Virtuoso also shuts down any running Sonnet programs launched from the Interface
• fixed: Merge planar polygons during simplification option does not work in the Cadence, AWR and ADS interface
• fixed: Solver Information dialog box in AWR Microwave Office Interface does not update correctly when switching tabs
• fixed: Opening a 3D view in the Project Editor or the Response Viewer on a Redhat 6 OS crashes program

Visit us at Semiconductor Conference Dresden 2011

Technische Universität Dresden, Hörsaalzentrum
Bergstr. 64 , 01069 Dresden

Opening hours:

Wednesday, 9:00 – 17:00
Thursday, 9:00 – 16:00

IEEE 2011 SCD Flyer

SCD 2011 Presentation: EM Analysis of RFIC Inductors and Transformers

http://www.ihp-microelectronics.com/events/workshop2011/index.html