RF / Microwave Design

To meet the high-performance and reduced footprint requirements for multi-mode/multi-band handsets, wireless smart devices, and aerospace systems, companies are differentiating themselves by developing best-in-class RF/microwave IP. Whether these products are MMIC-based or tightly integrated into a PCB and/or multi-functional module, designers of RF/microwave front-end electronics require specialized design and simulation capabilities to meet aggressive performance targets.

RF/microwave devices are defined by unique performance metrics, impacted by operating conditions, such as frequency, input power, bias and modulation waveform, temperature, and terminal impedances. In addition to operating conditions, performance is largely driven by the physical layout of the design itself, requiring a tight coupling between electrical and physical design.

Our RF/microwave design tools, such as the Cadence^® AWR Design Environment^® platform, AWR^® Microwave Office^® software, AWR Visual System Simulator^™ (VSS) communications and radar systems design software, AWR AXIEM^® 3D Planar EM Analysis, and AWR Analyst^™ 3D FEM EM analysis, address these challenges with electrical/physical co-design through RF-aware device models, electromagnetic (EM) analysis along with specialized circuit simulation technology, and design support aids. RF product development also may require system-level analysis to simulate the behavior within a radar and communications link.

• AWR Design Environment platform – Design platform provides RF/microwave engineers with integrated high-frequency circuit, system, and EM simulation technologies and design automation to develop physically realizable electronics ready for manufacturing
• AWR Microwave Office software – Circuit design software with intuitive interface, innovative design automation, and powerful harmonic-balance circuit simulation ensure greater engineering productivity and accelerated design cycles
• AWR VSS software – RF/wireless communications and radar system design software supports VSWR-aware modeling of RF and DSP blocks, providing time-domain, frequency-domain, and circuit-envelope analyses
• AWR AXIEM analysis – 3D planar method-of-moments (MoM) EM analysis simulator addresses passive structures, transmission lines, large planar antennas, and patch arrays. AWR AXIEM analysis delivers the accuracy, capacity, and speed designers need to characterize and optimize passive components on RF PCBs, modules, LTCCs, MMICs, RFICs, and antennas
• AWR Analyst software – 3D finite-element method (FEM) EM simulation and analysis software accelerates high-frequency product development from early physical design characterization through to full 3DEM verification. The advanced solver technology provides fast and accurate analysis of the 3D structures/interconnects found in today's complex high-frequency electronics
• AWR What's New – Offers new and enhanced technologies that provide greater design efficiency and first-pass success to engineering teams developing or integrating III-V ICs, multi-technology modules, and PCB assemblies for 5G, automotive, and aerospace/defense applications

At the IC level, our advanced EM simulation tool, the Cadence EMX^® Planar 3D Solver, allows designers to accurately and efficiently simulate large RF circuit blocks, characterize the behavior of passive components, and analyze the parasitics due to interconnect. The easy-to-use EMX Planar 3D Solver shortens design cycles and helps bring to market substantially better products with less risk. It seamlessly integrates with the Cadence Virtuoso^® and Spectre^® platforms. The simulator has been extensively used by foundries as the “golden” reference tool for IC characterization of passive components.