Sonnet Beta 13.01 Release Notes
This page summarizes new capabilities in release 13 and the changes from Sonnet Release 12.
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. For details about this feature, please see Chapter 2 "Via Array Simplification" in the Sonnet Translators manual.
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. Please note that the ADS Agilent Interface documentation has not been updated for this beta release, only the Cadence Virtuoso Interface and AWR Microwave Office Interface documentation has been updated. The ADS Agilent Interface documentation will be updated in the final release.
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. For more information about independent reference planes, please see "Independent Reference Planes and Diagonal Ports" in the Sonnet User's Guide.
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. For more information about using the Connectivity Checker, please see "Connectivity Checker" in the Basics chapter of the Getting Started 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. For a complete discussion of via metal types, please see the "Metalization and Dielectric Layer Loss" chapter in the Sonnet User's Guide..
When a project created in release 12 or earlier is opened in this release, the metal types are automatically converted to the new format. For more information on the via metal conversion rules and how to customize the rules, please refer to the Via Metal Conversion tab of the Preferences dialog box (File => Preferences) in the project editor.
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.
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. To plot the Heat Flux or Heat Flux per cell, select the Plot => Setup command from the main menu of the Current Density Viewer, then select Heat Flux or Heat Flux per cell from the Response drop list in the Plot Setup dialog box.
This feature has not been documented in the beta documentation.
Roger’s Surface Roughness Planar Metal Loss Model: This beta includes a new model for planar metal loss which models the effects of surface roughness on Rogers copper foil. This feature is not turned on by default. If you wish to beta test this feature, please contact your Sonnet Software Representative. Rogers Surface Roughness Document
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. For more information on the Example Browser, please use the command Help => Browse Examples in any Sonnet application.
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. The Sonnet-Matlab interface provides users with the ability to incorporate Sonnet Software's award winning high precision simulation tools in a powerful environment that simplifies design automation. For more information about this interface, see http://www.sonnetsoftware.com/support/sonnet-suites/ sonnetlab.html .
New Features in the Project Editor: There are several other new features in the project editor:
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Updated and improved measuring tool
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Ellipses have been added to the palette of standard geometries
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A “make a copy” option in Modify menu commands
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New Move command in the Modify menu
New Features in the Response Viewer: There are several new features in the response viewer:
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The ability to modify multiple curve sets simultaneously
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Displayed measurements for added projects are matched to the existing plot
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Reset command that returns your plot to your default preference settings.
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Metal Preview command that allows you to view the actual metalization in your circuit without the input polygon shape displayed.
These features have not been documented in this beta release.
New Features in the Current Density Viewer: There are several other new features in the current density viewer:
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Choice of exporting magnitude or complex data
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Control resolution of exported data
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Export data for multiple metal levels simultaneously
These features have not been documented in this beta release.
New Features in remote EM and emcluster: There are several new features in remote processing:
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Automatically submit and disconnect unfinished projects in a remote batch
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Automatic data recovery of remote finished batches
These features have not been documented in this beta release.
Changes
Below is a summation of the major changes in release 13 of Sonnet. For new features in release 13, refer to “New Features,” page 23.
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. For more information on the via metal conversion rules and how to customize the rules, please refer to the Via Metal Conversion tab of the Preferences dialog box (File => Preferences) in the project editor.
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.
New Data Directory on Windows Operating Systems: The Sonnet installation has been separated into two separate directories, one for the programs and another for the data. None of the files in the programs directory are modified after installation. The data directory contains files which either the user or software may need to modify when running the software. You may define the location of these directories during the Installation process. After installation, you can determine the location of these directories using the Help => System Info command.
New De-embedding Algorithm: This release implements a new de-embedding algorithm using a Short Open Calibration technique. For a discussion of the calibration technique, please see the following article:
James C. Rautio and Vladimir I. Okhmatovski, “Unification of Double-Delay and SOC Electromagnetic Deembedding,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 53, No. 9, September 2005
The beta documentation has not been updated to reflect this change in the de-embedding algorithm but will be changed for the final release.
Known Bugs and Issues
Metal Library: Please be aware that changes to the metal libraries were not completed before the release of the beta. If you make any changes to a metal library, either local or global, then all via metals in the library are damaged and can no longer be used in a project. Changes to a library would include adding, deleting or editing either kind of metal type.
Therefore, you should not edit the global library nor put via metals in your local library. If you have corrupted your library do not attempt to use the via metal types from the library. If your library is damaged and you absolutely need to recover the metal types, you may edit the metal library file in a text editor and change the MET entry for each via metal to VMET, then save the file. Once you have done this, do not modify the library again.
Any via metals delivered in the global metal library may be used in a project if no changes have been made to the global library. Although editing a planar metal type will damage via metal types in the library, planar metal types are not affected.
Using complex terminations corrupts the output data: There is a known bug which causes the output data from a simulation to be incorrect if you define complex terminations. A complex termination is one which includes both real and imaginary parts . If you input a value for the reactance, inductance or capacitance, the resulting simulation data is incorrect.
This bug will be fixed in the final release. In the meantime, complex terminations should not be. Instead, you must input a non-zero value for the Resistance field in the termination definitions, and set the Reactance, Inductance and Capacitance fields to zero. You define terminations in the project editor using the Port Properties dialog box (Modify=>Port Properties). In the response viewer, terminations are defined in the Graph Terminations dialog box (Graph=>Terminations).
Agilent ADS Interface New Features: There are additions to the Agilent ADS Interface for which control fields and dialog boxes have been added to the design but are not yet functional in the beta software. These features will be accessed through the Options dialog box (Sonnet =>Setup =>Options).
The following functions have not yet been implemented: Translation Options, Advanced Subsectioning Options, Advanced ABS Options, Advanced Project Options, and Advanced Translation Options. The Translation options are available directly in the Options dialog box but are grayed out since they are not yet implemented. The rest of the options would be accessed by clicking on the Advanced button in the appropriate section of the Options dialog box. If you click on an Advanced button, you receive a message stating that these features are not implemented in the beta. When the dialog box is opened, all controls are grayed out.
There are some new features of the ADS Agilent Interface that were implemented for the beta release, but have not yet been documented. These include Simulation Program Options, Project Options, Subsectioning Options, Model Options and Advanced Model Options.
Agilent’s ADS2011 not compatible: Agilent’s ADS2011 was released too recently to incorporate changes to the ADS software into Sonnet’s Agilent ADS Interface, so this beta release is not compatible with ADS2011. This release is compatible with ADS2009 Update1 and earlier versions of ADS. Compatibility with ADS2011 will be included in a future release.
Incorrect data when exporting Heat Flux Density per cell: The heat flux per cell response data (Plot => Response =>(Heat Flux)/cell) is displayed correctly in the Current Density Viewer; however, if you export data from the plot (File => Export => Data), the output data is the JXY magnitude data instead of the heat flux per cell data. This is caused by a known bug which will be fixed in the final release.
Workaround: To calculate the heat flux per cell (watts/cell), first plot the heat flux (Plot =>Response => Heat Flux) then export the heat flux data. To obtain the heat flux per cell, multiply the heat flux data in the output file (watts/square meter) by the area of a cell (square meters/cell). KNRef-TT7800