EMPIRE XCcel Tutorial

Patch antenna started from scratch

Overview
Topics
Layer creation Property setting Object creation Port definition Simulation parameters Field recording Simulation Results

Target frequency: 2.45 GHz Substrate: Rogers, 635um, epsr=2.2 Patch size ~ 40mm x 40mm (lambda/2) Substrate size ~ 80mm x 80mm Infinite ground plane

Start: Start Empire XCcel Press Start From Scratch Select File Save As Select, e.g. C:\tutorial0\scratch (create folder), save file

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Step 1
Layer creation
Open the layer list on the left Open the default layer Optionally, recolor, rename layer Set height to z=0...635

Layers are used to group objects with common properties to define the height of objects, like boxes and polygons to set the insertion point of library objects, like ports to lock or hide objects to define their properties

Comments: In this example (cylindrical) objects are created in the xy-plane. The perpendicular coordinates are taken from the layers height.The values entered here represent the thickness of a substrate. The default unit is micron (can be changed in the Simulation Setup)

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Step 2
Property setting
Press Change Property Select Dielectric Enter Rel. Permittivity: 2.2 Press OK to leave the property editor

Properties can be divided into physical, basic, like conductors or dielectric materials functional, like circuit elements, e.g. resistor functional, like field recording settings, animations functional, like mesh hints Advanced, for special applications

Comments: The default property is conductor (PEC). Here, we want to define the substrate and therefore the property is changed here. The material properties can also be set by selecting materials from the Database. Layers may have multiple properties, if they are not contradictious.

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Step 3
Object creation
Close layer list Open Structure list Open Create Box Enter xy coordinates of Point 0: x=-40000, y=-40000 Enter xy coordinates of Point 1: x=40000, y=40000 Press Close Press Zoom to extends or press the Z-key

Cylindrical objects can be created in several ways Structure list, editing coordinates Structure list, pressing the arrows and using the cursor in the drawing area Pressing button Create Box/Cylinder/Poly and using the method above Drawing an arrow and pressing Create Box/Cylinder afterwards Entering a set of points and pressing Create Poly afterwards

Comments: The object is created immediately after pressing on Create Box with the default values. The drawing is updated as soon as values are modified.

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Step 4
More objects
Open layer list, Press Create layer Repeat Step 1, using height z=635...645, adjust layer settings Repeat Step 2, here: keep conductor as property Repeat Step 3, Points P0(-20000,-20000), P1(20000,20000) (For more complex structures repeat Step 4 until geometry is complete)

Object modifications can be created in several ways: Select object, press button move, assign, stretch, rotate, mirror, and enter operator (arrow, point, number,) Select object, activate handle, move to handle Drag middle mouse to copy object Drag right mouse button to move object Drag left mouse button to stretch handle Select two or more objects und apply a Boolean operation merge, intersect, subtract, drill, e.g. to cut out a hole

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Step 5
Port definition
Open layer list, Press Create layer Repeat Step 1, rename, recolor the layer, using height z=0...635, keep property Close layer list Open Port Library Open Create Perpendicular Port Enter xy coordinates of Point 0: x=-9000, y=-1000 Enter xy coordinates of Point 1: x=-7000, y=1000 Press Close

Ports: Perpendicular lumped ports connect top and bottom conductors, height should be distance between patch and ground Lumped ports connect either between left and right or up and down conductors, height should be equal to metal thickness Signal line of feed line ports are inserted at the minimum height, all other parameters are adjusted in the Parameters Menu Port numbers should be unique unless simultaneous excitation is desired Port impedances are 50 Ohm by default The start point of absorbing ports have to placed at one of the outermost grid line Lumped ports and concentrated ports may not be placed at the boundaries
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Step 6
Simulation setup
Close layer list and Port Library list, Open Simulation Setup Enter Start frequency: 1.25e9 Enter End frequency: 2.5e9 Open Boundary Conditions Set zmin to electric and zmax open 6

Simulation setup: Geometry: 1 unit in the drawing equals 1 micron, here Excitation Response: Information about the structure for automatic meshing and end criteria Frequency: Determines the range of the DFT, the pulse width used is derived by cell size Accuracy: resolution, energy decay level, PGA Loss Calculation: Model used for loss calculation, default is lossless Boundary conditions: electric defines infinite ground plane, Et=0, (magnetic Ht=0) Open N emulates open space (N should be larger in the main radiation direction)
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Step 7
Far Field recording
Open layer list, Press Create layer, name n2f Change property to Field Storage - Nearfield to Farfield Add Point: 2.45e9 Exit with OK Close layer list

Far fields: Far fields are obtained in post processing by a transformation of the nearfield The near field is recorded on a box which is created automatically, depending on the frequency settings Further adjustments can be set after simulation in Simulation Tab - Post processing Farfield window: Normalization (Gain, Directivity, maximum, ) Sweep mode (2D cuts, 3D pattern, ) Rotation Far field components (linear, circular, ) Mirror planes

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Step 8
Simulation
Press Create Discretization Press Zoom to extends Press Start Simulation

Meshing and simulation: The created mesh lines are displayed on the bars at the right and at the bottom The automatic meshing automatically enlarges the simulation domain to account for the far field transformation The simulation domain is marked by the dashed lines which indicate open boundary condition In the front view, the simulation border at the bottom is indicated by a dark red solid line which represents electric (green: magnetic) boundary conditions With Start Simulation the structure is checked, meshed and prepared for simulation As soon as the voltage plot comes up the simulation starts, the evolution of the time signal is shown When the end criteria has been reached, the post processing is triggered and the Sparameters are displayed.

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Step 9
Results

Results: The different results can be viewed by selecting one of the Tabs (Voltage, S-Parameters, Impedance, Farfield, Additional) The style of the plots can be changed in the sub-tab Setup (e.g. angular plot for farfield, select Type e() farfield polar) Result files are automatically detected in the right list using a naming convention. Additional files can be selected from other folder by using the import button in the Setup Result files selected for display are displayed in the left list

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Step 10
Near fields
Return to Draft Tab, Create layer Anim , z=635...645 Change property to Field Storage - Distribution Add Point: 2.45e9, Exit with OK Add property Field Display - Animation Exit with OK Repeat simulation 3D view

Remarks: A 2nd simulation is needed for recording the field at the desired frequency if it is not known in advance By default, the volume defined by layer height and perpendicular plane is used for recording The volume of field recording can also be defined by an arbitrary box on this layer The style of the animation can be changed in the animation property definition

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Step 11
Near fields
Defaults, electric field Defaults + Field plot amplitude: 50000 (Properties Animation General)

Defaults + Amplitude: 50000 + Equiline Color: black + Equiline Style: equi_20 (Properties Animation Additional)

Defaults + Amplitude: 50000 + Equiline Color: black + Equiline Style: equi_20 + Arrow field plot :On (Properties Animation Additional)

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