[SI-LIST] Re: Opinions wanted on Signal Integrity analysis tools
- From: "Kai Keskinen" <kalevi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tom_cip_11551@xxxxxxxxxxx>, <si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 17:45:36 -0500
Tom:
You need a tool that has a 3D field solver. If you are doing multi-gigabit
design, I would recomend Cadence Allegro PCB SI 630 (note I said 630) which
has a field solver that can deal with coupled vias and generate multiport
touchstone format S parameter files for vias, transmission lines, etc. You
can simulate in APCBSI if you have an IBIS model or you can link to HSPICE
or move your S parameter files to HSPICE. HSPICE is also helpful since many
of the MGHz silicon models are only available in HSPICE encrypted format.
HSPICE recently allowed time domain simulation with frequency domain S
parameter files increasing its usefulness by an order of magnitude for this
kind of work. This combination of tools is fairly pricy but no 3D field
solver is cheap. HFSS is an other candidate but you still need a simulation
engine like HSPICE for the encrypted models. HSPICE also has a pretty good
2D field solver for transmission lines and cable cross-sections. The other
advantage Cadence will have is you can load an entire board file (as long as
it is in Allegro or can be translated) and get the transmission lines, pads,
etc. into your S parameter files for a transmission path. The other
advantage with Cadence is that the learning curve for the MGHz is fairly
shallow unlike tools like HFSS where you can spend a long time getting to
know how to run it properly.
I'm sure you will get half a dozen other solutions and the sales folks from
each company will do their best to tell you why their tool is the right one
for you.
In selling your need for simulation tools to your management, estimate how
much it costs to do a board respin in direct costs and in in-direct costs
such as people sitting around waiting, lost sales opportunities, lost market
window, etc. One less respin pays for the cost of the tools and 2 less puts
money in the bank.
Good luck.
-----Original Message-----
From: si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of tom_cip_11551
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2006 4:58 PM
To: si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [SI-LIST] Opinions wanted on Signal Integrity analysis tools
Hi,
At present, I work for a small company that does gigabit design,
pretty much by experiment. If we do not make our return loss
specification, we take some copper away from the ground layer, or do
something else, until we do make it. We may turn the board a few
times but that is the way it goes.
I have done a number evauations of programs that do EM analysis,
such as AWR Microwave Office, CST Microwave Studio and Sonnet EM
Suite.
I would like to know if there is an opinion in the group concerning
any other programs that are generally used. For example, I have read
some data about Cadence Specctraquest. Specctraquest, however,
appears to be more model based (pspice) than EM based.
Before I make a proposal to management for capital equipment, I
would like to get more opinions for the SI group.
The main challenge that we have, is the mating of high speed
connectors to the PCB. Sometimes we can get spice models of the
connector, by itself, but that does not do us much good concerning
the mating interface of the PCB pad to the connector pin.
Thank You
Tom
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