S, Y, Z-Parameter Files

You may save a scattering parameter (S-parameter), admittance parameter (Y-parameter), or impedance parameter (Z-parameter) file for use in third-party simulators. S, Y, and Z-parameters are complex quantities and may be saved as real/imaginary, magnitude/phase, or dB/phase pairs. Multiple formats are available:

  • Touchstone: The industry-standard file format for S, Y, and Z-parameters. It is also known as "Touchstone Version 1.0". Most frequency-domain circuit simulators accept this format. The default file extension is "snp".
  • Touchstone v2: An updated version of the Touchstone format ratified by the IBIS Open Forum. The default file extension is "ts".
  • Data Bank: The default extension is "snp".
  • Cadence: Default extension is "dat". Sonnet can write this format, but cannot read it.
  • Spreadsheet: Text file in the form of comma-separated values, suitable for importing into a spreadsheet. The default file extension is "csv". Sonnet can write this format, but cannot read it.
  • MDIF (S2P): Measurement Data Interchange Format file. This format allows you to store a parameter sweep in one file and is intended to be used with the Keysight element S2PMDIF. This format is limited to circuits with two ports. Default extension is "mdf".
  • MDIF (ebridge): Measurement Data Interchange Format file for the Keysight ADS interface. This format allows you to store a parameter sweep in one file and is intended to be used in Keysight ADS with a Data Access Component (DAC) which can be created with the Keysight ADS Interface (requires an ebridge license). This format allows circuits which use up to twenty ports. The default extension is "mdf". See Utilities in the ADS Interface for details.

You may obtain a short description for each option by hovering your mouse over the option in any dialog box.

Creating an S, Y, or Z-Parameter File

There are two methods you may use to generate an S, Y, or Z-parameter file:

Automatic: You may set up your project so the EM solver will automatically generate an S, Y, or Z-parameter output file. From the Project Editor, select Circuit > Settings > [Output Files] and then select Add File > S,Y,Z Parameters.

Interactive: After simulating your project, you may generate the file from a Sonnet graph. Select a curve representing the desired project, and then select Output > S, Y, Z-Parameter File.