Sonnet Professional 13.52

Sonnet Professional 13.52 has been released on 1. July 2011. All Sonnet Software customers with a current software maintenance agreement as of 1 June 2011, are entitled to this new release free of charge. This release is being delivered by download.

Please contact us for upgrade instructions.


New Features

Below is a summation of the major new features in release 13 of Sonnet. For changes from release 12, refer to Changes below.

 

Increased Multi-threading

The number of available threads for multi-threaded processing is increasing in this release. The number of threads available for the Desktop license is increasing from 2 to 3 and for the High Performance license from 8 to 12.

Enhanced 64-bit Analysis Engine

This release introduces an even faster 64-bit analysis engine. Architectural changes to the 64-bit analysis engine have improved performance for larger jobs (those requiring over approximately 4 GB of memory) especially when using the Conformal Mesh feature.

Via Array Simplification

Release 13 includes a new Via Array Simplification feature for all Sonnet Translators. When translating via arrays, the small size of the individual vias and the large number in the array can significantly drive up Sonnet model memory and analysis time requirements. In order to improve your analysis efficiency, this often requires that you simplify the via geometry detail before performing your EM simulation. The new Simplify Via Array feature automatically performs this simplification, using controls set by the user, when translating circuits into Sonnet.

Additional Functionality in Sonnet Interfaces

Significant functionality has been added to the Cadence Virtuoso Interface, the AWR Microwave Office Interface, and the ADS Agilent Interface allowing users to access additional Sonnet features from within their design environment. These features include remote processing, global translation options, and invoking more of Sonnet’s post-processing applications among others. For more information, please refer to the appropriate Interface chapter in Sonnet Translators manual.

Via Metal Types

In Sonnet Release 12 or earlier, only one metal type was used to model both metal polygons and via polygons. In Release 13, a new metal type was introduced so that metal polygons are now modeled using planar metal types (identical to metal types in older versions) and via polygons are modeled using via metal types. The new via metal types provide for higher accuracy in modeling vias. There are three via loss models that may be used to for via metal types: Volume, Surface and Array.

When a project created in release 12 or earlier is opened in this release, the metal types are automatically converted to the new format.

Via Properties

There have been changes in how vias are modeled in release 13, including more accurate ways of modeling loss, and how the via is subsectioned. Please see the “Vias” chapter in the Sonnet User’s Guide for more information on the changes.

Rough Metal Loss Model

This release includes a new model for planar metal loss which models the effects of surface roughness on planar metal

Independent Reference Planes and Diagonal Ports

In previous Sonnet releases, all ports on a given box wall had to share the same reference plane, and that reference plane had to lie along either the x or y axis. Release 13 introduces independent reference planes and diagonal ports. Independent reference planes allow you to define a reference plane for a port different from the reference planes of other ports that share the same box wall. Diagonal ports allow you to extend the reference plane along a diagonal feedline instead of perpendicular to the box wall as pictured below. This feature applies to box wall ports, co-calibrated ports and components.

Connectivity Checker

There is a new feature, the Connectivity Checker, available in the project editor, that allows you to visually check for opens or shorts in your circuit. The Connectivity checker is invoked by selecting the Tools => Check Connectivity command from the project editor main menu.

View Heat Flux Density

There is a new feature in the Current Density viewer which allows you to plot the heat flux density. This plot provides the dissipated power in Watts/square meters that can be used for thermal analysis.

Example Browser

There is a new Example Browser, as well as many new examples, available in Release 13. The browser provides an easy, intuitive interface that allows you to search using Keywords or character strings.

SonnetLab Toolbox for MATLAB

This release introduces a new Sonnet-MATLAB interface. The interface consists of a new MATLAB library that provides integration between Sonnet Software’s design tools and MathWorks MATLAB scripting environment.


New Features in the Project Editor

  • Updated and improved measuring tool
  • Ellipses have been added to the palette of standard geometries
  • A “make a copy” option in Modify menu commands
  • New Move command in the Modify menu
  • GDSII export much improved

New Features in the Response Viewer

  • The ability to modify multiple curve sets simultaneously
  • Displayed measurements for added projects are matched to the existing plot
  • Reset command that returns your plot to your default preference settings.

New Features in the Current Density Viewer

  • Choice of exporting magnitude or complex data
  • Control resolution of exported data
  • Export data for multiple metal levels simultaneously

New Features in remote EM and emcluster

  • Automatically submit and disconnect unfinished projects in a remote batch
  • Automatic data recovery of remote finished batches


Changes

Below is a summation of the major changes in release 13 of Sonnet. For new features in release 13, refer to “New Features” above.

Reference Planes/Cal Lengths

In previous releases, box wall reference planes were set using the Circuit menu. In this release, a reference plane is a property of a port. Thus, to add or change a reference plane, you select the desired port then select Modify => Port Properties to open the Port Properties dialog box.

File Format

In Sonnet Releases 12 or earlier, only one metal type was used to model both metal polygons and via polygons. In Release 13 introduces a new metal type so that metal polygons are now modeled using planar metal types (identical to metal types in older versions) and via polygons are modeled using via metal types. The new via metal types provide for higher accuracy in modeling vias.

When a project created in release 12 or earlier is opened in this release, the metal types need to be converted to the new format. There are default via metal conversion rules used to do this initially, but you may also customize how the conversions are performed controlling the creation of both planar and via metals. You may also choose to retain a copy of your original project.

This release is fully compatible with all prior releases. However, you may not use a release 13 project file in an earlier release of Sonnet.