Agilent introduces EMPRO 3D electromagnetic design platform

Venice, Florida — Agilent Technologies Inc. introduced Electromagnetic Professional (EMPro), a new design platform for analyzing the electromagnetic (EM) effects of RF and microwave components such as high-speed IC packages, antennas, on-chip embedded passives and PCB interconnects. It integrates with Advanced Design System (ADS), for fast and efficient RF and microwave circuit design.

Key features of EMPro's environment include:

• efficient, time-saving design entry through the 3D drawing environment, importing of 3D CAD data files or integration with ADS;
• intelligent "one-time" materials assignment, allowing designers to "set it and forget it" for subsequent data file imports;
• interactive 3D editing, minimizing back-and-forth mouse movements to menu options and dialog boxes;
• parameterization of 3D objects, eliminating rework and providing additional time savings;
• 3D EM simulation and post-processing technology, resulting in demonstrated dramatic simulation speed-up over other EM point tools;
• dynamic, real-time plot updating during simulation, providing early insight and avoiding surprises that can surface only after the final results are available;
• Linux and Windows support, allowing designers to run EMPro on their operating system of choice.

The company claims that EMPro sets itself apart from EM point tools through its innovative integration with the industry's leading RF and microwave circuit design environment, Agilent's ADS. ADS RF designers can import EMPro parameterized 3D components such as connectors, solder connections, package lead-frames or any custom component for EM simulation and optimization in ADS. This capability enables simulation of a complete family of structures in one step. Because the parameterized 3D component is created one time and is designed to integrate with both EMPro and ADS, the manual, error-prone links between today's stand-alone 3D EM point tools and ADS are eliminated, resulting in faster design and better accuracy.
Additionally, ADS circuit designers can export layout files from ADS and import them EMPro to accurately model 3D effects (for example, the radiation pattern of a planar antenna molded around the curved surface of a wireless appliance).

Agilent EMPro is expected to be available in November 2008, with prices starting at approximately $50,000.