Pittsburgh - July 10, 2007 - Ansoft Corporation (NASDAQ:ANST) released SIwave v3.5, a full-wave electromagnetic field simulator optimized for signal-integrity, power-integrity, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) analysis of high-speed printed circuit boards (PCBs) and complex integrated circuit (IC) packages.
The new release features a fast and efficient finite-element-based DC solver optimized for extraction of power rail geometry in complex low-voltage/high-current PCB and package designs. Engineers can view voltage and current distributions in all relevant geometry including vias and bond wires. In addition, users have access to voltage drop and current flow information through all layout elements (vias, bond wires, sources, resistors, inductors, etc.) in tabular format, allowing engineers to quickly identify design rule violations. SIwave v3.5, leveraging AnsoftÂ’s industry-leading adaptive mesh refinement technology, allows users to find layout problems quickly and warns of possible bond wire and via electromigration damage prior to the fabrication of a prototype.
Â“SIwave is a key technology for enabling the new era of mixed-signal electronics design driven by form-factor, functionality and integration,Â” said Dr. Zoltan Cendes, chairman and chief technology officer of Ansoft. Â“Extreme integration in wireless handheld devices, for example, creates new challenges for RF performance, system signal integrity, system-level EMI, low power and communications reliability. SIwave, combined with HFSSÂ™, NexximÂ® and DesignerSIÂ™, form a system design platform capable of addressing these challenges.Â”
SIwave accurately simulates the electromagnetic behavior of complex PCBs and IC packages, including multiple, arbitrarily shaped power and ground layers and any number of vias and signal traces. The resulting full-wave S-,Y- or Z-parameters or GHz-bandwidth circuit model is used in concert with time- and frequency-domain analyses within Nexxim and DesignerSI or third-party SPICE-compatible circuit tools. Engineers use SIwave to extract a model for the complex interactions among traces on the board, the coupled impedances within the IC package and between package pins and the PCB. That model can then be used in a top-level circuit simulation to characterize the nonlinear behavior of an IC, including the package and board parasitics. This chip-package-board co-simulation is critical for reliable integrated electronics system performance.
Highlights of SIwave v3.5
To learn more, please visit www.ansoft.com/siwave.
Pricing and Availability
SIwave v3.5 is available on the following operating systems: Microsoft WindowsÂ® XP Professional; Windows XP Professional x64 Edition; Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition; Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition; and Red Hat Enterprise LinuxÂ® 3 and 4. For pricing information, contact your nearest Ansoft sales office.
Ansoft is a leading developer of high-performance electronic design automation (EDA) software. Engineers use Ansoft software to achieve first-pass system success when designing mobile communication and Internet-access devices, broadband networking components and systems, integrated circuits (ICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), automotive electronic and power electronics systems. Ansoft markets its products worldwide through its own direct sales force and has comprehensive customer-support and training offices throughout North America, Asia and Europe. For more information, please visit www.ansoft.com.