RF/Microwave Circuit Design
Microwave Office circuit design software is used by leading manufacturers to accelerate product development of high-frequency electronics. The intuitive interface, innovative design automation, and powerful harmonic-balance circuit simulation ensure greater engineering productivity and accelerated design cycles. RF-aware layout, high-frequency models, design automation, and powerful HB simulator ensure greater engineering productivity and accelerate design cycles for today's most challenging applications.
Best-in-class harmonic balance engine provides fast and rigorous convergence of highly nonlinear networks, addressing circuits with large transistor counts and/or harmonic content.
Design automation, an intuitive interface and scripting/customization supports all phases of product development in less time.
Co-simulation with system and electromagnetic simulators provides in-situ parasitic extraction, design verification and standards-compliant communication test benches.
Features at a Glance
- Comprehensive Libraries – Simulation models for discrete and IC-based, active and passive devices
- APLAC – Proprietary multi-rate harmonic balance engine provides robust linear and nonlinear circuit simulation
- EM Analysis – Fully-integrated circuit/electromagnetic co-simulation for design verification and in-situ extraction
- Load Pull – State-of-the-art load-pull analysis and design support
- Stability – Linear and nonlinear stability analysis
- Synthesis – Impedance-matching and filter-synthesis wizards (options)
| Linear | Nonlinear | ||||
| Feature | Starter Linear: MWO101SC | Linear: MWO126ESC | Start Nonlinear: MWO200SC | PCB: MWO226ESC | MMIC: MWO228ESC |
| Linear solver | X | X | X | X | X |
| S parameter (Y?Z?H?ABCD) | X | X | X | X | X |
| Smith chart | X | X | X | X | X |
| Gain | X | X | X | X | X |
| Noise figure (NF) | X | X | X | X | X |
| Linear stabiliuty check | X | X | X | X | X |
| Passive models (TRL microstrip, stripline, etc, RLC) | X | X | X | X | X |
| Discrete parts library | X | X | X | X | X |
| Tuning/optimization | X | X | X | X | X |
| RF-aware layout | X | X | X | ||
| 2D/3D layout view | X | X | X | ||
| Vendor model libraruies with footprints | X | X | X | ||
| Artwork cell/GDSII/DXF | X | X | X | ||
| GDSII/Gereber/DXF export | X | X | X | ||
| PCB Import Wizard | X | X | X | ||
| Allegro/APD+ | X | X | X | ||
| IPC2581, ODB++, Geber | X | X | X | ||
| EM Setup Wizard | X | X | X | ||
| Design Rule Checker | X | ||||
| Calibre & Assura interface | X | ||||
| All PDK access | X | ||||
| E-series standard features | |||||
| Automatic-Circuit-Extraction (ACE) | X | X | X | ||
| Fast simulation of coupling between traces | X | X | X | ||
| 3D planar & 3D EM/thermal analysis interface | X | X | X | ||
| Design management / version control | X | X | X | ||
| Connectivity checker | X | X | X | ||
| Sub-circuit caching | X | X | X | ||
| Linux server farm support for remote EM analysis | X | X | X | ||
| APLAC (harmonic balance) | X | X | X | ||
| Steady-state time domain | X | X | X | ||
| Device IV curve | X | X | X | ||
| DC/RF power, Efficiency (PAE) | X | X | X | ||
| Large signal gain, return losses | X | X | X | ||
| Steady-state time waveform, dynamic load-line | X | X | X | ||
| IMD3, harmonics | X | X | X | ||
| Mixer/Oscillator measurements | X | X | X | ||
| Advanced load-pull measurements | X | X | |||
| System | ||
| Feature | Starter System: VSS150SC | System: VSS350ESC |
| System simulation | X | X |
| Link budget analysis tool | X | X |
| RF architecture planning tools | X | X |
| Frequency domain solver | X | X |
| RF block behavioral models | X | X |
| RF budget spreadsheet wizard | X | X |
| Spur free dynamic range, Signal to noise ratio | X | X |
| Co-simulation with MWO | X | X |
| Time domain solver | X | |
| signal process modulation blocks | X | |
| System Bit Error Rate (BER) | X | |
| ACPR | X | |
| EVM measurements | X | |
| 5G/Radar libraries | X | |
| 802.11ac libraries | X | |
| Pre-configured test benches | X | |
| Phased-array Wizard | X | |
| Add-on Options | |||||
| Feature | SWS350SC | ASK300SC | TOK120 | TOK240 | ASK200 |
| APLAC Time Domain (Transient) | X | ||||
| APLAC Circuit Envelope | X | ||||
| AMCAD Interface | X | ||||
| Nonlinear Stability Analysis | X | ||||
| X-Parameter support | X | ||||
| Filter Synthesis | X | ||||
| Impedance matching | X | ||||
| Matching circuit synthesis | X | ||||
| Planar EM (AXIEM) | qty 1 | ||||
| 3D FEM (Analyst) | qty 2 | ||||
| Parallel/remote APLAC simulation | X | ||||
| Spectre Interface | X | ||||
| Spectre Netlist | X | ||||
Applications
Helping designers meet their amplifier bandwidth, efficiency, and linearity goals with advanced design automation and robust HB simulation for fast and accurate nonlinear analysis of RF/microwave circuits. Highly accurate semiconductor device/circuit element models and design support features empower RF amplifier designers with functionality to quickly bring products to market.
The iFilter™ filter design utility addresses all stages and types of filter development, from lumped-element or distributed filters to more complex multiplexed, high-power, and high-Q cavity filters. Passive networks such as couplers, combiners/dividers, and attenuators are simulated with a comprehensive distributed model library to aid component designers in meeting challenging size, cost, and time-to-market goals.
Couples seamlessly with EM solvers to simulate antenna metrics such as gain, return loss, radiation efficiency, and currents, and to visualize 2D/3D far-field antenna patterns in support of antenna design, matching-circuit development, and integration into RF front-end electronics.
Mixers
Delivers superior HB circuit simulation for the multi-tone, frequency-domain analysis required by designers of mixers and frequency converters commonly found in superheterodyne receivers.