Why Choose Keysight RF Suite
AI-enabled open workflow for RF-MW-mmWave circuit and module design.
The exponential growth in high speed RF applications, such as 6G, SatCom, WiFi 7 and automative radars, are demanding convenient drop-in multi-band RF transceiver and high- efficiency power amplifier modules for high-volume deployment. These 3D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI) modules integrate Si RFICs, III-V MMICs, packaging, laminates, passives and Phased Array beamforming antennas.
Keysight RF Suite’s workflow enables 3DHI multi-technology drag-and-drop assembly with RF simulation across circuit-electromagnetic-electrothermal-system domains to analyze multi-spec performance requirements. RF paths with active and passive component across technology boundaries and design hierarchies can be EM-circuit co-simulated without cutting the layout to preserve design traceability. The open workflow environment with AI Model Context Protocol (MCP) interfaces and Python APIs allows automation to capture and orchestrate design methodologies for thorough design exploration and optimization of even the most complex 3DHI module design.
- AI-Ready Design
- 3D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI)
- Multi-domain Circuit Simulation & Optimization
AI-Ready RF Circuit Design
As we strive for greater engineering productivity, faster time to market, and optimized decision-making from a sea of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) provide exciting new tools to accelerate the engineering lifecycle. Keysight can help you start automating your workflows and add in your proprietary optimization algorithms.
Designing for 3D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI)
3D Heterogeneous Integration requires a workflow comprising several software tools in the flow, including Keysight ADS, Cadence Virtuoso, and Synopsys Customer Compiler. Accounting for performance design improvement revisions requires a laborious translation between platforms. Dense design integration into one 3D physical structure requires a shared database that spans technology boundaries and hierarchies so that revisions can be traced across the design.
Next Generation Multi-domain Circuit Simulation & Optimization
RF Circuit Simulation Professional revamps circuit simulation and optimization technology for efficient and accurate design of the most challenging RF-microwave-mmWave circuits, RFICs, and RF 3D Heterogeneous Integrated (3DHI) modules for 5G/6G, wireless, radar, and aerospace-defense applications.
Advanced Design System (ADS)
Accelerate your workflow using circuit design and simulation software with integrated guidance and templates.
RF EM Professional (RFPro)
Preserve design integrity with 3D EM-circuit co-simulation — no cookie-cutting or schematic alterations required.
RF Circuit Simulation Professional
Explore the next generation suite of circuit simulation and verification tools for robust RFIC circuit design.
Electromagnetics Professional (EMPro)
Analyze three-dimensional component effects using electromagnetic (EM) simulation software.
Electro-Thermal Dynamic Model Generator and Simulator
Generates time-varying electro-thermal (ETH) models to significantly speed up subsequent electro-thermal simulations.
RF Synthesis (Genesys)
Analyze RF and microwave circuits and systems with powerful simulation and optimization tools.
Design Cloud (HPC)
Reduce your simulation time by 80% using distributed and parallel computing.
Thermal Design (Heatwave)
Keysight Thermal Design computes a 3D temperature profile of your chip and inputs thermal analysis data into your circuit simulation.
- RF System Explorer
- DPD Explorer
- Modulation Explorer
RF System Explorer
Learn how your circuit design impacts overall system performance with RF System Explorer (RFSE) in ADS. Use Extracted Behavioral Models (EBMs) of your actual ADS designs directly in RF lineup analyses and streamline your design process.
DPD Explorer
Discover how DPD Explorer in ADS helps PA designers tackle efficiency and linearization challenges. See how Power Added Efficiency measurement and Envelope Tracking can boost your amplifier’s performance for wideband applications.
Modulation Explorer
Modulation Explorer enables users to configure various signal formats such as 5G NR, LTE, WLAN, and I/Q user definitions to test their circuit design in ADS. The signal is generated and fed into the circuit design, and measurements are performed on the circuit's output, like Spectrum, ACLR, EVM, etc.
Advanced Design System (ADS) Wireless Libraries
Keysight’s Wireless Libraries for ADS and RFIC Design (GoldenGate) enable the design and verification of designs for existing and emerging wireless standards including 5G, Automotive, Power Electronics, Radar, 802.11, LTE and more. These verification libraries contain pre-configured simulation setups with "Golden Reference" sources and demodulation that comply fully with wireless and Radar specifications. The signal generation and demodulation algorithms are fully consistent with Keysight instrumentation to bring instrument-level compliance and accuracy into your circuit simulation and verification results. Keysight’s Wireless Libraries will always be first to emerge along with the latest standards because of our active participation in the standards-setting committees, which is critical for timely instrumentation design and development.
Vendor Component Libraries
Keysight EDA actively engages with component manufacturers to create model libraries that will enable you to access the latest models and technologies. There are numerous vendors providing libraries for Keysight's Advanced Design System (ADS) RF and Microwave Design Software.
Foundry Process Design Kits
Integrated circuit (IC) foundries offer semiconductor processes that use PDKs containing active and passive device simulation models for IC design. Keysight EDA tools work closely with foundries to offer high-frequency PDKs in Si, SiGe, GaAs, InP, and GaN processes.
When choosing a foundry PDK, you must be sure that the models meet foundry manufacturing requirements. Foundries validate and distribute all PDKs provided for Keysight simulators, guaranteeing that the models behave optimally for first-pass design success.
Design Cloud (HPC)
Complex product designs need massive and time-consuming simulations. Keysight Design Cloud leverages High-Performance Computing (HPC) technologies that let you run parallel simulations in the cloud, cluster, or server to reduce simulation time and expedite time-to-market significantly.
Explore this range of RF Design Bootcamps for e-learning on specific design topics. Combining webinars, videos, application notes, case studies and blogs, this is a bookmark that you will want to share.
Have Questions? We've Got Answers
RF circuit design involves designing and simulating electronic circuits that operate in radio frequencies (RF) and millimeter-wave frequencies, typically ranging from a few kHz to several hundred GHz. Various applications use these circuits such as wireless communication, radar systems, satellite communication, automotive, and more.
Circuit simulation is a computational technique used to model and analyze the behavior of electronic circuits. The first step is creating a mathematical circuit model representing the circuit's components and interconnections. Mathematical equations or models describe each component capturing its behavior under different operating conditions. After modeling the circuit, engineers use simulation software to solve the equations and analyze the circuit's behavior. Today’s increasingly complex, dense RF circuit designs require complex simulators capable of handling large and intricate circuits.
The critical components of an RF circuit include amplifiers, oscillators, filters, mixers, modulators / demodulators, antennas, transmission lines, and matching networks.
The Smith chart represents complex impedance and reflection coefficient values in a two-dimensional chart. It's typically plotted on a polar coordinate system, with the horizontal axis representing resistance (real part) and the vertical axis representing reactance (imaginary part). The Smith chart is a powerful tool for RF design engineers, providing a graphical representation that simplifies the analysis and design of transmission lines, impedance-matching networks, and other RF circuits.
Some common challenges in RF circuit design include impedance matching, noise, linearity, stability, bandwidth, power consumption, and interference. As design densification increases, advanced design challenges could include integrating different materials, 3D integration, and advanced packaging techniques.
Using higher frequency transistors complicates the design flow for designing stable circuits. In today’s circuits, the gain is higher due to increasing transistor operating frequency limits (fTs), or the frequency at which unity current gain goes to zero. Tight integration and feedback because of the RF coupling can cause instability problems at lower frequencies due to significant increases in gain. The Keysight Winslow stability probe (WS-probe) is an in-circuit probe that replaces the traditional setups for multi-device amplifiers to derive the necessary stability measures quickly and efficiently.
Measuring error vector magnitude (EVM) can have its challenges — the first task is determining measurement speed. Distortion EVM estimates the error vector magnitude of nonlinear simulations without needing an external system simulator. Distortion EVM can help designers quickly assess the EVM during the design phase and speed up simulation time by a factor of ten. The second task requires accurately generating a representative 5G test waveform approximating the signal characteristics. If you can find an accurate representative waveform, you must demodulate or demultiplex the signals to arrive at the error vector magnitude. Using these test signals together with distortion EVM measurements shortens the test time for quick verification in circuit design.
Electromagnetic circuit co-simulation eliminates the delay and potential errors introduced by a separate electromagnetic (EM) solver by running a 3D finite element model (FEM) simulation automatically in the same environment with easy automated setup and analysis. This process frees the RF circuit designer to perform 3D electromagnetic analysis and EM/circuit co-simulation iteratively in the design phase. Electromagnetic / circuit co-simulation yields an order of magnitude faster setup, giving you time to schedule other simulation tasks.
AI / machine learning (ML) can increase productivity and organizational efficiency by tailoring your electronic design automation (EDA) solutions into efficient workflows and interconnected design processes. Automation and application programming interface based workflows are a cornerstone of digital transformation. With Python application programming interfaces (APIs) for Keysight EDA tools, you can control data, simulators, platforms, and processes to engineer more predictable outcomes.
The continuous rise in substrate layer counts, smaller form factors, complex packaging technologies, and closer design proximities are factors that contribute to the increasing complexity of designs. Keysight ADS is the industry-proven multi-technology 3D layout and integrated EM-circuit co-simulation platform for designing RF modules that contain radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) , packaging, antennas, and RF printed circuit boards (PCBs).