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Planar EM Simulator Analyzes MMIC Chip

June 17, 2009

Simulating complex circuits with an electromagnetic (EM) simulator can require time and computing power, especially for a design as complex as a recently developed millimeter-wave frequency converter from Mimix Broadband. Fortunately, the firm was able to rely on the AXIEM software from AWR on a desktop personal computer (PC) to study the entire structure of the device, including innovative passive circuits, and reduce the overall size of the chip without compromising performance design goals. The design involved more than 100 ports and 100,000 unknowns. In addition to validating the performance of the chip, the designers learned a great deal more about the circuit's physics as well. The complete success story is available on the AWR Corporation web site.

About the Author

Jack Browne | Technical Contributor

Jack Browne, Technical Contributor, has worked in technical publishing for over 30 years. He managed the content and production of three technical journals while at the American Institute of Physics, including Medical Physics and the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. He has been a Publisher and Editor for Penton Media, started the firm’s Wireless Symposium & Exhibition trade show in 1993, and currently serves as Technical Contributor for that company's Microwaves & RF magazine. Browne, who holds a BS in Mathematics from City College of New York and BA degrees in English and Philosophy from Fordham University, is a member of the IEEE.