Sonnet Training Courses - Detailed Agendas
Introduction to Sonnet 13 and Sonnet Lite
This course assumes you have some background in microwave design, and will take you through an introduction to the Sonnet 3D Planar electromagnetic (EM) analysis suite using Sonnet Lite. You will also have the opportunity to work through examples of real microwave circuit designs, and in the process understand how to get more out of your Sonnet software than you might have thought possible.
This class is intended to be a hands-on experience, so please bring your laptop with Sonnet Lite installed and registered. (Sonnet Lite is free and can be downloaded from this web site.) Students will receive short lectures followed by design labs where you will create high frequency circuit projects, simulate them, and view and interpret results in laboratory exercises. The goal of this class is to help you understand the Sonnet simulator and to feel comfortable with using it as a high frequency design and analysis tool.
Course Agenda
- Overview of high frequency EM techniques
- Overview of shielded method-of-moments technique
- Introduction to creating Sonnet projects, analysis and viewing results
- Understanding port calibration (de-embedding) and simulation reference planes
- Evaluating EM analysis accuracy
- Using parameters to automate geometry modification
- Automated geometry sweeps and EM-based optimization
- Creating and evaluating planar spiral inductors
- Using Sonnet Components to include surface mount devices (SMDs) in your EM simulations
Hands-on Examples
- A simple microstrip low-pass filter
- Evaluating the Zero-Length Through Line (ZLT) accuracy test
- Variations on the microstrip low-pass filter
- A spiral inductor (create and evaluate)
- SMD-based low-pass filter on PCB
Notes about this class
- It is strongly recommended that you bring your laptop with Sonnet Lite already installed, registered and verified to be running. It is available as a free download. Due to the condensed nature of the seminar we will not have time to load the software during the session and computers will not be supplied but CDs of Sonnet Lite will be available.
- Registration of Sonnet Lite is important since it increases the size of the model you can run during training. Once installed, select "Register Sonnet Lite" from the Admin menu.
- ALL PAID ATTENDEES WILL RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF SONNET LITE PLUS--A $495 VALUE! (Discounted seats, if offered, are not eligible for a free Sonnet LitePlus license.)
Sonnet Intermediate Training Session
This is a hands-on Sonnet product training class, following on from the Sonnet introductory training class and includes lab exercises with Sonnet Lite. The topics that this class will cover include:
- Meshing control and cell size calculator
- Accuracy benchmarking with meshing and ABS
- Frequency sweep
- Ports & de-embedding
- Metal conductivity and loss
- Thick metal
- Vias
- Port tuning fast optimization methodologies
- Partitioning and circuit subdivision
- Filter substrate and dielectric anisotropy
RFIC Spiral Inductor Synthesis & Analysis in Cadence Virtuoso Design Flows
This half-day seminar discusses many aspects of spiral inductor design, synthesis, and analysis in various design flows with Sonnet operating completely within the Cadence Virtuoso environment. The class will cover:
- Complete design flow overview and demonstration, from loading the process stackup from the PDK (process design kit), to analyzing a differential octagonal spiral inductor from an arbitrary layout source, to implementing the inductor equivalent circuit model in Cadence circuit simulation.
- Sonnet meshing and overview of method-of-moments, including conformal mesh for efficient curved and diagonal signal traces.
- Analysis of PDK library inductors starting from Cadence Virtuoso pcells. Loading a simulation state from one inductor to a completely different one for fast setup. Sonnet vias and via merging for RFIC design.
- Spiral inductor grounding and return signal paths and the effects of ground cages on spiral inductor Q. The benefits of differential inductors.
- Spiral inductor synthesis starting with Helic's Veloce RF. Rapid prototyping and analysis of new inductor topologies using save/load states with Veloce RF and Sonnet in Cadence Virtuoso.
- Sonnet's automated thick metal modeling functions and conductor loss modeling including skin depth and current crowding.
Special Topics on Sonnet Professional 3D Planar HF Electromagnetic Simulator
- Creating and modeling vias in the Sonnet simulator
- Using EM analysis ports -- digging deeper into the port types offered in the Sonnet Suites
- Calibration and de-embedding in Sonnet -- more of the details
- Application of Sonnet’s co-calibrated™ ports for high accurate internal circuit connections
- Applying and using thick metal modeling in EM simulation
- Applying and using Sonnet's Conformal Meshing technology for efficient simulation of curved and non-Manhattan geometries
Interoperability Demonstration: Using Sonnet in AWR Microwave Office
- Fast and Accurate: Circuit tuning and optimization in AWR MWO leveraging Sonnet EM Projects with Co-calibrated™ ports
- Bringing pre-existing Sonnet projects into AWR MWO—pain-free import of Sonnet circuit layouts and computed extraction models
Interoperability Demonstration: Using Sonnet in Agilent ADS
- Sonnet Design Kit installation
- Demonstration of EM model creation to model extraction to layout lookalike schematic symbol--all from within ADS
- Single step Sonnet model creation from pre-existing Momentum definitions
- Creating Sonnet EM models from the ADS schematic
- Mapping ADS layers to Sonnet levels and materials
- Saving and using "states" for quick design translation and model extraction for circuits using the same process technology
- Bringing pre-existing Sonnet projects into ADS—pain-free import of Sonnet circuit layouts and computed extraction models
Interoperability Demonstration: Using Sonnet in the Cadence Virtuoso Platform
- Demonstration of Sonnet integrated interface (cvbridge) to the Cadence Virtuoso platform
- Mapping Cadence layers to Sonnet levels and materials
- Saving and using "states" for quick design translation and model extraction
- Sonnet model extraction for frequency and time domain simulation in Cadence Analog Design Environment
Modeling Surface Mount Devices (SMDs) in Sonnet EM Analysis
- Using SMD models in EM simulation with connection terminal/pad discontinuity modeling
- Using ideal SMDs, "ports only" SMDs and SMD vendor models in EM Simulation
- Demonstration: Setup and simulation of an RF PCB SMD filter design
Interoperability Lab: Using Sonnet with Agilent ADS and AWR Microwave Office
This course is a hands-on tutorial lab, guiding the student through using Sonnet from within the Agilent ADS and AWR Design Environment high frequency EDA design frameworks. You will work with high frequency designs within the environment and use Sonnet through our framework interfaces as an EM simulation client for EM co-simulation. ADS, AWR Microwave Office and Sonnet Professional licenses and computers will be provided for the student for the course. The student will not need personal laptops for this class.
Section 1: Using Sonnet with Agilent ADS (90 min)
- Sonnet Design Kit installation
- Demonstration of EM model creation to model extraction to layout lookalike schematic symbol— all from within ADS
- Single step Sonnet model creation from pre-existing Momentum simulation definitions
- Creating Sonnet EM models from an ADS schematic design
- An overview of mapping ADS layers to Sonnet levels and materials
- Bringing pre-existing Sonnet projects into ADS— pain free import of Sonnet circuit layouts and computed extraction models
Section 2: Using Sonnet with AWR Microwave Office (90 min)
- Sonnet interface installation for AWR Microwave Office
- Setting Sonnet as the chosen EM Simulator for an AWR EM Project
- Running an example: True EM co-simulation between AWR MWO and Sonnet Software, Inc.
- Setting and using Sonnet's Co-Calibrated Ports for Design Closure simulation
- Bringing a pre-existing Sonnet project into AWR— pain-free import of Sonnet circuit layouts and computed extraction models
Section Close: Q&A and Further Demonstrations (30 min)
Sonnet Ports & De-embedding
- Shielded method-of moments (MoM) overview and insight into stability, meshing and current density
- Conformal meshing for efficient simulation of curved and slanted transmission lines
- Vias in Sonnet including coupling and relation to subsections and how to create vias
- Sonnet port types, port ground referencing, parasitics and calibration
- Sonnet perfectly calibrated internal ports and related design flows
- Shifting reference plans and de-embedding
Spiral Inductor Via Merging in Cadence Virtuoso Layout Design Flows
- Sonnet design flow in Cadence Virtuoso with Broadband Spice equivalent circuit extraction
- Approaches to via merging in integrated circuits and spiral inductors
- Setting up the materials definition for Sonnet in Cadence
- Interface installation
- Saving and loading states between designs in a PDK
Using Sonnet with Agilent ADS
- Sonnet Design Kit installation
- Demonstration of EM model creation to model extraction to layout lookalike schematic symbol- all from within ADS
- Single Step Sonnet model creation from pre-existing Momentum simulation definitions
- Creating Sonnet EM models from an ADS schematic Design
- An overview of mapping ADS layers to Sonnet levels and materials
- Bringing pre-existing Sonnet projects into ADS- pain free import of Sonnet circuit layouts and computed extraction models.
Sonnet Circuit Design with Electromagnetic Simulation Seminar
Most of the discrete substrate dielectric materials used for discrete filter design are anisotropic. The vertically oriented dielectric constant affects the center frequency and the horizontally oriented dielectric constant affects the bandwidth. In this seminar we'll explore how to simulate filters and get correct results for both quantities. We'll also present the most advanced techniques for rapid filter design where perfectly calibrated internal ports in electromagnetic (EM) simulation allow the use of circuit level models to quickly tune filters designed with EM accuracy.
This seminar is broken up into four topics:
- Introduction to Sonnet for Discrete Circuit Design
- Dielectric Substrate Anisotropy in EM filter Simulation and Measurement
- Substrate Surface Roughness Modeling in EM Simulation
- Port Tuning - Circuit Based Optimization to EM simulated Filters using Sonnet's Co-Calibrated Ports (TM)
Sonnet Spiral Inductor Modeling Seminar
Why does the Q I measure for my silicon spiral inductor not match the Q I simulate? The first part of this seminar explores the dramatic effect that ground cages have on spiral inductors by looking at the whole ground path and their effects on the equivalent circuit for the inductor. In the second part of this seminar, we explore the subtle comparison between a silicon spiral inductor short-circuit measurement calibration and the resulting discrepancy in Q. In the final section we explore how to partition RFIC circuits, including spiral inductors, to accommodate EM simulation of larger designs.
This Seminar is broken up into four sections:
- Silicon Spiral Inductor Ground Return Effects on RFIC Design
- On Wafer Spiral Inductor Measurement Short Circuit Calibration
- Topological and Functional Partitioning in EM Analysis: Application to Wafer-Level Chip-Scale Harmonic Filters
- Demonstration of Creating (a) Thick Metal Spiral Inductor (model) in Sonnet.
To Register
Pre-registration for the Seminars is recommended. Register Online (see the link under each course location) or contact Sonnet Software at (877)776-6638 (toll-free) or (315)453-3096 to register. We will send you a course confirmation by FAX or email when you register. Please register quickly, as seating in the sessions is limited.
Please contact us for Sonnet training seminars in your area.
