Highlights

PathWave Advanced Design System (ADS) 2024

PathWave ADS 2024 Update 1.0 continues to offer the industry’s most complete RF and Microwave, High-Speed Digital, and Power Electronics design capabilities in simulation software that you’ve come to depend on. This update release includes improved accuracy and ease-of-use for RFPro EM, nonlinear circuit and electro-thermal simulation. Powerful Python programing interface enables automating AI machine learning to create neural network nonlinear circuit simulation models; and customizing all aspects of ADS workflow for optimal design efficiency and enterprise deployment.

New PathWave ADS 2024 Update 1.0 design capabilities include:

More accurate RFPro 3D-EM and 3D-Planar meshing and analysis

  • EM simulation of arcs and circular structures is more accurate with increased meshing robustness.
  • RFPro EM analysis is automatically setup with past settings in emSetup for robust backward compatibility.

More accurate Nonlinear Circuit Simulation, supports encrypted and AI models

  • Gain compression takes into consideration nonlinear gain expansion instead of referencing to only small-signal gain. Now gain compression is computed for both small-signal and maximum nonlinear gain.
  • Foundry IP-protected encrypted models previously only for GoldenGate can now be used seamlessly.
  • Keysight Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model generated from Python AI training for use in nonlinear circuit simulation.

Electrothermal (ETH) enhancements for multi-technology and ease-of-use

  • ETH Floorplanner now supports nested technology, SmartMount and encrypted thermal tech-files.
  • Dynamic ETH sweeps for transient and circuit envelope are now managed within ETH for improved ease-of-use.

Custom automated workflow with expanded Python application programming interfaces (APIs) and Python virtual environments

  • Python console accessible from within ADS to customize workflows and modify workspaces programmatically.
  • Keysight Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Python modeling interface for training AI nonlinear circuit model with measured, simulated or graphical data.

Design and Technology Management

  • The Python console enables users to develop Python scripts to control workflow, modify workspaces, automate design tasks, and customize the user interface.
  • Python virtual environments can be used to manage added Python modules in the ADS environment.
  • Customize Python-based pcell dialog box for pcell evaluation and automated artwork macros.
  • New Python APIs for accessing the Keysight Artificial Neural Network (ANN) module for nonlinear circuit modeling.
  • Unarchive Workspace now creates a new directory as the workspace destination if the specified directory does not exist.
ADS Enterprise Workflow
ADS 2023 3D Layout

Design Editing and Layout

  • Minimized mouse clicks (e.g., the Property Editor and Info panels now open by default for new ADS installations on the right side of Layout and Schematic windows).
  • The 'Edit Component Parameters...' dialog panel now supports editing of parameter values for multiple components simultaneously.
  • Improved editing behavior for pins, padstacks, nets, connectivity and SmartMount instances.
  • The Smart Mount instances from different technologies can be directly stacked on one another in the same top-level design for multi-technology assembly, such as IC on Package.
  • The Smart Mount Editor visualizes the placement of Smart Mount instances to specify the stacking and mounting parameters for error-free RF module assembly.
  • New AEL functions are added for pin, cellview and schematic simulation manipulation to enhance workflow automation.

Design Import/Export

  • New ADS Board Link (ABL) functions for easier identification of layout for import/export.
  • New AEL functions to export Drill and Gerber formats with settings to configure all supported options.
  • Documented ABL export AEL functions for easier usage.
PathWave ADS for Layout
ADS Desktop LVS

Layout Verification

  • Design Rule Checker (DRC)
    • DRC performance improvements for designs with circles.
    • 6 New DRC rules for precise polygon selection.
  • Electrical Rule Check (ERC)
    • ERC Device Temperature from an electro-thermal (ETH) simulation highlights equivalent schematic and layout components.
  • Layout Versus Schematic (LVS)
    • LVS Commands are optionally used to configure LVS device-specific behavior such as identifying whether a cell is primitive or not.

Process Design Kits (PDK) and PDK Validator

  • DemoKit mmWave
    • Updated device recognition LVS rules.
    • Supports temperature variation in RFPro simulation by including conductor temperature coefficients in the material database file.
    • Statistical variation support to FETs and passives.
    • Supports electrothermal (ETH) simulation in Smart Mount multi-technology flow with updated thermal properties in material database.
  • DemoKit Non-Linear
    • Updated device recognition LVS rules.
  • PDK Validator
    • PDK Validator dialog shows green test status if all tests run without errors. Notes are now displayed in a separate column for easier troubleshooting.
Keysight Foundry Process Design Kit (PDK) Partners
ADS Data Display Data Analysis Software Screenshot

Data Display

  • Dark Mode option applies dark background theme for all data display windows to satisfy popular requests.
  • Plot Legends and Marker Readouts now support background color and fill pattern settings.
  • Python Data-Display Automation module enables creation and opening of data display files programmatically.

Circuit Simulation

  • Gain compression takes into consideration nonlinear gain expansion instead of referencing to only small-signal gain. Now gain compression is computed for both small-signal and maximum nonlinear gain.
  • Foundry IP-protected encrypted models previously only for GoldenGate can now be used seamlessly.
  • Keysight Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model generated from Python AI training for use in nonlinear circuit simulation.
  • New Models
    • ASM-HEMT model version 101.4
    • HiSiM_HV model version 2.5.1
    • HiSIM_HV model version 2.4.1, 2.4.2, 2.4.3
    • MVSG GaN model version 3.2.0
  • Support for standard spectre-format instance parameters to enable electrothermal analysis flow for Verilog-A-based built-in HiSim_HV models.
  • Enhanced time-domain data import via timefile() and modfile() functions with ability to resample and filter incoming data.
Circuit Design Software for Amplifer Stability Analysis
A four qubits circuit in QuantumPro with its corresponding schematic, layout, and extracted quantum parameters
A four qubits circuit in QuantumPro with the computed electric field for a qubit and a resonator along with the corresponding mesh

Quantum Electronics

New QuantumPro EDA is now available in ADS 2024 Update 1.0 to enable:

  • Faster quantum chip development with:
    • Integrated circuit/layout/EM qubit simulation.
    • Quantum-specific layout library.
    • Fast EM simulation with the Method of Moments (MoM).
    • Parametric analysis for fast iteration.
    • Automatic quantum parameter extraction.
    • Built-in design automation using ADS/QPro scripting.
  • Greater confidence.
    • Multiple EM solvers (MoM, and FEM).
    • Cross-checking quantum parameter extraction using
      • Freq-Domain Extraction: It will show the coupling terms only between neighboring qubits and resonators.
      • Eigenmode Extraction: It will show the coupling terms even between distant qubits and resonators.
  • Modeling of the kinetic inductance in the EM flow.
  • Lower knowledge barrier for microwave engineers to begin quantum design.
  • Quantum Layout library expanded with 6 new components:
    • Q_CpwLineShorted
    • Q_CpwCouplerMultilayer
    • Q_TransmonPocket6
    • Q_TransmonPocketSingleIsland
    • Q_Via
    • Q_Bump
  • Quantum Multi-Layer Technology Wizard enables creation of multilayer quantum chips with through vias and top layer flip with metal bumps.

High Speed Digital (HSD)

  • New Chiplet PHY Designer allows users to simulate the Chiplet physical layer with UCIe standards.
  • 10x speedup in loading complex designs into SIPro and PIPro.
  • AMI workflow supports PAMn measured data.
  • PCIe simulator supports Seasim Interface.
  • Subset S-param data by terminating other ports with user-specified impedance.
  • Memory Designer transient simulation accuracy and speed with AI/ML worst case bit pattern generation.
  • Memory Designer S-parameter toolkit enhanced with complex termination port reduction file saving.
  • Causality enforcement by default for SI and DDR analysis to enhance simulation accuracy and convergence.
PathWave High Speed Digital
Products Design Software EM Design Empro Composite

EM Simulation

  • RFPRo
    • Faster 2nd Generation Momentum and FEM solver for faster, higher capacity EM simulation.
    • EM simulation of arcs and circular structures is more accurate with increased meshing robustness.
    • RFPro EM analysis is automatically setup with past settings in emSetup for robust backward compatibility.
    • Supports non-reciprocal S-parameter and RLC lumped components.
    • Export RFPro and SIPro view to EMPro for FDTD time-domain 3DEM analysis.

Power Electronics

  • New compensator models added: Type 1 (Integrator), Type 2 & Type 3.
  • New feature to store Near field and Far field data for user-specified frequency plans.
  • New example for 3D Power Module simulation.
PathWave ADS for Power Electronics
ADS Electro Thermal Model Generation software screenshot

Electrothermal (ETH) Simulation

  • ETH Floorplanner now supports nested technology, SmartMount and encrypted thermal tech-files.
  • Dynamic ETH sweeps for transient and circuit envelope are now managed within ETH for improved ease-of-use.
  • ERC (Electrical Rule Check) supports device temperatures from an electro-thermal (ETH) simulation by highlighting equivalent schematic and layout components.

High Performance Computing (HPC) Design Cloud

  • Electrothermal (ETH)
    • Dynamic (i.e., Circuit Envelope and Transient) ETH circuit simulation are now supported.
    • Static (i.e., DC and Harmonic Balance) swept ETH circuit simulation are distributed for fast simulation.
    • Single and Parallel jobs can be performed.
    • ETH re-use options are also supported.
    • W3059E PathWave HPC Accelerator.
  • RF/Microwave
    • Circuit Simulation direct job submission to distributed systems or clusters such as LSF and Slurm without need to install additional software components.
    • User-compiled models and AEL measurement expression functions are directly supported with no additional upload file required.
Advance Design System with High Performance Computing (HPC)

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