CST E-News October 2008

Welcome to the October edition of CST’s E-News, our series of regular news and feature updates. We hope that you find the contents relevant, interesting and informative. Should you receive this email more than once, please accept our apologies. Any feedback and suggestions for future editions is welcome.

News in brief

1. CST events at EuMW
2. CST STUDIO SUITE 2009 – Release approaching
3. True Geometry Adaptation
4. New Module in CST EM STUDIO: Low frequency time-domain solver
5. European UGM 2009
6. CST MICROSTRIPES/EMC 2009
7. Design Challenges
8. Around the world
9. www.cst.com - application notes
10. Calendar of events

CST events at EuMW

The European Microwave Week will be held in the last week of October, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

CST has a packed schedule at EuMW 2008. Not only will we be manning our booth (#903-905), giving online demonstrations, and holding our annual customer appreciation party, but we are also featuring on-booth technology and application focused presentations.

CST’s EuMW 2009 presentation series, booth #905, is free of charge to attend and will include the following topics:

Simulation technology

• CST STUDIO SUITE™ version 2009 – new features and functionality
• True transient EM/circuit co-simulation
• Hardware acceleration
• EM simulation performance
• Multi-objective optimization

Application presentations including:

• UWB, MIMO, RFID, magnetic loop antennas, EMC, passive 3D RF-SIP components, electrically large structures, mobile phone simulation

More information regarding the schedule can be downloaded here.

CST’s annual EuMW customer appreciation party will take place on Wednesday, 29th October on booth #903-905, 4:30 pm until close of show.

CST STUDIO SUITE 2009 – Release approaching

CST STUDIO SUITE™ version 2009 is coming closer; the release candidate is being put through its final paces at this very moment.

Two of the key objectives in this year’s release were usability and simulation performance. On top of this, new solver technology is being made available. For an extensive overview of the key new features and functionality, please read our Microwave Journal article

Alternatively, a brief overview of the new features can be found here:

• New and enhanced solver technology
  • True transient 3D EM/circuit co-simulation using LINMIC technology with CST MICROWAVE STUDIO® (CST MWS)
  • Transient thermal solver to simulate the heating process
  • Bio-heat equation for realistic modeling of physiological cooling.
  • Significant performance increase in Integral Equation solver, particularly for structures smaller than 20 wavelengths
  • True Geometry Adaptation. The mesh adaptation of the tetrahedral frequency domain solver not only refines the mesh, but also snaps to the geometry (see below).
• High performance
  • 64 bit frontend and MPI based parallelization for the handling of very large and complex structures
• User friendly
  • User interface optimized for productivity
  • Bend sheet operation for conformal modeling
  • Improved user/modeler interaction
• New products for SI and EMC analysis
  • CST PCB STUDIO™ and CST CABLE STUDIO™ are fully integrated in CST DESIGN ENVIRONMENT™. Results can be used in CST MWS as field sources for further evaluation.

Furthermore you will notice changes in the licensing policy. A considerable amount of CST DESIGN STUDIO™ functionality has been added to all CST MWS licenses. For details, please contact your local sales representative or CST.

True Geometry Adaptation

Users of CST MICROWAVE STUDIO® (CST MWS) version 2009 will benefit from the total revision of its tetrahedral frequency domain solver’s mesh adaptation scheme. Traditionally, adaptive mesh refinement of HF frequency domain solvers, based on a tetrahedral grid, does not improve on the initial, facetted representation of the structure. The originally created tetrahedra are just divided further where necessary. Here the mesh adaptation will converge, not to the results (e.g. S-parameters) of the actual structure, but to those of the initial, segmented model.

CST’s new mesh adaptation approach is different. The nodes of the newly created tetrahedra are not simply placed on the edges of already existing ones, but they are projected back to the input model, they literally “snap” to the original geometry. With the release of CST MWS version 2009, CST is the only commercial vendor to offer a high frequency Finite Element type solver that accurately converges to the real solution, even for rounded structures. This new technology is another milestone in CST’s history.

New Module in CST EM STUDIO: Low frequency time-domain solver

In the upcoming release of CST STUDIO SUITE™, the static and low frequency tool CST EM STUDIO® will feature a new solver. This low frequency transient solver (LT) is especially well suited for applications, which are driven by arbitrary time-signals, such as motors, sensor and actuators. Furthermore, all typical outputs can be monitored versus time, allowing you to study design variations under realistic conditions.

Outstanding new features include:

• Adaptive time-stepping: changes the time sampling rate automatically if the fields change rapidly. This, in combination with fast linear equation solvers, promotes exceptional performance.
• Nonlinear materials and conductive materials. Due to material nonlinearity, a single frequency signal can excite higher harmonics. In an electromechanical system these can cause parasitic mechanical resonances. By means of a Fourier transform of the time signals, the higher harmonics in the spectrum can be determined easily.

The simulation of the magnetic diffusion time in conductive materials using the transient low-frequency solver enables the designer to check his device’s functionality before prototyping.

An example of a plunger actuator is shown to the left. The source coil is driven by a saw-tooth modulated current.

This actuator is simulated three times, using linear (red curve), nonlinear (green curve) and conductive material (blue curve). The effect of the different materials is compared in the figure to the right. The non-linear simulation shows the distortion in the signal. This signal still follows the input and behaves linearly for small amplitudes. For conductive material, the simulation shows that the diffusion time is longer than the input signal’s repetition time.

This new solver will be available with CST STUDIO SUITE 2009. Please contact your local sales office for a no obligation test of the new low frequency time-domain solver.

European UGM 2009

CST invites all users of CST MICROSTRIPES™ and CST STUDIO SUITE™ to participate in the 4th EUROPEAN USER GROUP MEETING, 16-18 March 2009, Darmstadt, Germany. The CST user group meeting offers an informal and enlightening environment, where developers and researchers can exchange ideas and talk with CST staff about future developments. The UGM programme includes user talks, CST application and feature tutorials, and an on-site support centre. More information on the schedule, and the pre-UGM programme, is available from our website at www.cst.com/ugm

Call for Contributions

We are interested in your work with CST STUDIO SUITE and CST MICROSTRIPES. If you would like to contribute to this event, to share your experience, and to discuss your questions in a forum of your peers, please submit a text abstract of between 100 and 200 words. The submission deadline is 31st December 2008.

CST MICROSTRIPES™/EMC 2009

We are pleased to announce CST MICROSTRIPES™ 2009 (CST MS), a significant new release for CST MICROSTRIPES users. The user interface has been modernized and greatly simplified by merging the Build tool, model history and parameterization into the Project/Command Window, making it easier to run parameter sweeps and queue simulations. CST MICROSTRIPES 2009 introduces tabbed toolbars to de-clutter the user interface and improve navigation through the tool. The icons have been completely re-designed to be more intuitive and consistent with those used in CST STUDIO SUITE 2009, making it easier to transition between the tools.

The entire CST MS package including the Build tool, TLM solver and Field Plotter is now 64-bit enabled, extending the applicability to larger scale problems. This 64-bit implementation removes previous limitations on the number of cells that can be discretized, enabling models to be solved to higher frequencies where the structure is electrically larger.

NASTRAN file import has been added to the import capabilities and a new graphics feature introduced, enabling 3D views of the model and results to be linked and simultaneously rotated.

The EMC option has been upgraded with improvements to the compact seam, slot, vent and wire models. It is now possible to define slot/seam paths by picking curved edges in the geometry using the mouse. A transfer impedance can be attached to slots/seams enabling more realistic simulation of coupling through joints. Compact wires and shielded cables have been enhanced by allowing a distributed resistance to be applied, giving a more accurate model of conductor losses.

The animation above shows the simulated radiated emissions at 1.5 GHz from a 19 inch rack. The front of the rack has removable face plates creating an array of vertical slots which can leak EM fields. The CST MS model contains a broadband compact source excitation, generated by solving a PCB in detail using CST PCB STUDIO™ (CST PCBS). CST MS is used to investigate the shielding effectiveness of the rack and its sensitivity to different seam properties.

Looking beyond the 2009 release, further improvements to the cable models are under development along with the integration of CST MS into CST STUDIO SUITE™. This will enable CST MS to be used in conjunction with other CST tools, including CST PCBS and CST CABLE STUDIO™, to provide a complete workflow for EMC/EMI analysis.

Design Challenges

Back at the beginning of 2008, CST was looking for a workshop series title that conveyed the critical importance of computer simulation to RF/microwave/SI and EMC engineers for achieving successful design. "Design Challenges" was chosen as it fitted well to the ever increasing complexity & miniaturization of high speed design and also to the increasing electrical size of antenna, EMC/EMI and antenna placement problems.

CST and our commercial partners have addressed critical design issues though a series of 1 day workshops. Presentations covered our "complete technology" approach to multiple applications and dealt with new CST product offerings designed to address gaps in the current simulation market such as accurate PCB and cable bundle modeling. Presenting partners included Lockheed Martin, GM, Cisco, Fujitsu Media Devices, and Continental, and locations were throughout the United States, West and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The presentations were well received and gave all attendees an insight into the state of the art in electromagnetic simulation and possible new solutions to their current design issues.

Ideas and suggestions for a 2009 series are welcome. CST will very soon be offering a series of update workshops and webinars to introduce our STUDIO SUITE 2009 software.

Around the World

CST’s customers are active all around the globe, expecting and receiving advice from their local area sales and support representatives. Most of you will be familiar with CST’s European and North American headquarters, but how many people are aware of our regional companies such as CST of Korea, CST UK, CST France or CST China?

This year, Korean users of CST STUDIO SUITE were offered the opportunity to attend and present at two User Group Meetings (UGM). Both events proved popular and featured customers and corporate presentations. Talks were presented on a wide variety of topics and included SI, PI, EMI/C and ESD analysis of cellular, UMPC, high speed memory, DVB-H module, IC-PKG PDN (Power Distribution Network). More information can be found on the CST of Korea website

Our long-time Japanese representatives, AET Inc. also recently hosted two very successful UGMs for CST’s customers. Both events, in Tokyo and Osaka, were well attended and offered users valuable information on the advanced usage of CST software, and a look into the future with CST’s CTO, Dr. Peter Thoma’s Roadmap presentation.

www.cst.com - application notes

The range of customer examples illustrated in the applications section of the CST website is being extended continuously.

Direct transient co-simulation of a Step Recovery Diode (SRD) Pulse Generator.

The unique network co-simulation feature in CST STUDIO SUITE™ 2009 enables a direct transient simulation of a 3D CST MICROWAVE STUDIO® (CST MWS) structure with non-linear lumped components or circuit networks in CST DESIGN STUDIO™ (CST DS). This article shows the application of this feature to the simulation of a Step Recovery Diode (SRD) pulse generator.

The full article can be read here.

Calendar of events

Check our calendar of events for the next CST event in your area.

Conferences and exhibitions
CST Workshops
CST Training sessions

 

With kind regards,
Your CST Team

CST - Changing the Standards
Computer Simulation Technology
info@cst.com, www.cst.com