Customer Training Material

Ch t 3
Chapter

Boundary Conditions

Introduction to
ANSYS HFSS

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Boundary Conditions Customer Training Material

• Why are They Critical?

– For most practical problems, the solution to Maxwell’s equations requires a
rigorous matrix approach such as the Finite Element Method (FEM) which
is used by Ansoft HFSS.

• The wave equation solved by Ansoft HFSS is derived from the

differential form of Maxwell’s equations.

– For
F these
th expressions
i t be
to b valid,
lid it is
i assumed
d that
th t the
th field
fi ld vectors
t are:
• single-valued,
• bounded, and have a
• continuous distribution (along with their derivatives) ∂B
∇× E = −
– Along boundaries of media or at sources,
∂t
• Field vectors are discontinuous ∂D
∇× H = J +
• Derivatives of the field vectors have no meaning ∂t
∇⋅D= ρ
∇⋅B=0
Boundaryy Conditions define the field behavior across discontinuous boundaries

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Boundary Conditions Customer Training Material

• Why do I Care?
– They Force the fields to align with the definition of the boundary condition
• As a user I should be asking
– What assumptions, about the fields, do the boundary conditions make?
– Are these assumptions appropriate for the structure being simulated?

– Model Scope
p
• To reduce the infinite space of the real world to a finite volume, Ansoft HFSS automatically
y
applies a boundary to the surface surrounding the geometric model
– Outer boundary
– Default Boundary: Perfect E

– Model Complexity
• To reduce the complexity of a model, the boundary conditions can be used to improve the:
– Solution Time
– Computer Resources

Failure to understand boundaryy conditions mayy lead to inconsistent results

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Boundary Conditions Customer Training Material

• What are Common Ansoft HFSS Boundary Conditions?

– Excitations
• Wave Ports (External)
p Ports ((Internal))
• Lumped

– Surface Approximations Largely the users responsibility

• Perfect E or Perfect H Surface
• Finite Conductivity Surface
• Impedance Surface
• Layered Impedance Surface
• Lumped RLC
• Symmetry Planes
• Radiation Surface
• Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)
– Strictly not a surface approximation
• Master/ Slave
Sla e

– Material Properties
• Boundary between two dielectrics
Transparent to the user
• Finite Conductivity of a conductor

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Boundary Conditions Customer Training Material

• Perfect E – Forces the electric field perpendicular to the surface

– Outer Surface – Default Boundary
– PEC/Perfect Conductor Material Property
– Model complexity: Reduced by eliminating conductor loss Perfect E Surface

• Perfect H – Forces the electric field tangent to the surface

Perfect H Surface
• Finite Conductivity – Lossy electric conductor.
conductor
– Forces the tangential electric field at the surface to: Zs(n x Htan).
• The surface impedance (Zs) is equal to, (1+j)/(δσ),
• Model complexity: Reduced by eliminating conductor thickness

• Impedance Surface – Represent surfaces of a known impedance

– Forces the tangential electric field at the surface to: Zs(n x Htan).
• The surface impedance (Zs) is equal to, Rs + jXs (Ohms/Square)
– Layered Impedance – Models multiple thin layers in a structure as an Impedance Surface
– Lumped RLC – Parallel combination

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Boundary Conditions Customer Training Material

• Symmetry Planes – Enable you to model only part of a structure

– Perfect E or Perfect H Symmetry Planes
• Must be exposed to the outer surface
• Must be on a planar surface
• Remember!
R b !M Mechanical
h i lS Symmetry ddoes not EEquall El
Electrical
i lS Symmetry
– Model complexity: Reduced by eliminating part of the solution volume

Perfect E Symmetry

Full Model

Perfect H Symmetry

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Boundary Conditions Customer Training Material

• Radiation Surface – Allows waves to radiate infinitely far into space.

– The boundary absorbs wave at the radiation surface
– Can be placed on arbitrary surfaces
– Accuracy depends on
• The
Th didistance b
between the
h bboundary
d and
d the
h radiating
di i object
bj
– The radiation boundary should be located at least one-quarter of a wavelength from a radiating structure. If
you are simulating a structure that does not radiate, the boundary can be located less then one-quarter of a
wave length (The validity of this assumption will require your engineering judgment).
• The incident angle
– The radiation boundary will reflect varying amounts of energy depending on the incidence angle. The best
performance is achieved at normal incidence. Avoid angles greater then ~30degrees. In addition, the
radiation boundary must remain convex relative to the wave.
• Perfectly Matched Layer (PML) – Allows waves to radiate infinitely far into space.
– Not a Boundary Condition
Condition.
– Fictitious materials that fully absorb the electromagnetic fields impinging upon them.
– These materials are complex anisotropic.
• Types
– Free Space Termination or Reflection Free Termination
• Can only be placed on planar surface
• Model complexity: They do not suffer from the distance or incident angle issues, but should be place at least one-
tenth of a wave length from strong radiators

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Boundary Conditions Customer Training Material

• Infinite Ground Planes – Simulate the effects of an infinite ground plane

– Only affects the calculation of near- or far-field radiation during post processing
– Types: Perfect E, Finite Conductivity, or Impedance Surface

• Frequency Dependent Boundary Conditions

– The following boundary parameters can be assigned an expression that includes Freq:
• Finite Conductivity
• Impedance
• Lumped RLC
• Layered Impedance
– Supported Frequency Sweeps
• Single Frequency
• Discrete Sweep
• Interpolating Sweep

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Excitations Customer Training Material

• Ports
– Unique type of boundary condition
• Allow energy to flow into and out of a structure.
• Defined on 2D planar surface
• Arbitrary port solver calculates the natural field patterns or modes
– Assumes semi-infinitely long waveguide
• Same cross-section and material properties as port surface
– 2D field patterns serve as boundary conditions for the full 3D problem

Port 1
• Excitation Types
– Wave Port (Waveguide) – External
Port 4
• Recommended only for surfaces exposed to the background
• Supports multiple modes (Example: Coupled Lines) and deembedding
• Compute Generalized S-Parameters
Measurements – Frequency dependent Characteristic Impedance (Zo) Port 3
Constant Zo Port 2
– Perfectly matched at every frequency

– Lumped Port – Internal

• Recommended only for surfaces internal to geometric model
• Single mode (TEM) and no deembedding
• Normalized to a constant user defined Zo

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Excitations Customer Training Material

• Wave Equation
– The field pattern of a traveling wave inside a waveguide can be determined by solving Maxwell’s equations. The
following equation that is solved by the 2D solver is derived directly from Maxwell’s equation.

⎛ 1 ⎞
∇ × ⎜⎜ ∇ × E ( x, y )⎟⎟ − k02ε r E ( x, y ) = 0
⎝ μr ⎠
– where:
• E(x,y) is a phasor representing an oscillating electric field.
• k0 is the free space
p wave number,
• μr is the complex relative permeability.
• εr is the complex relative permittivity.

– To solve this equation, the 2D solver obtains an excitation field pattern in the form of a phasor solution, E(x,y). These
γz do they become traveling waves
phasor solutions are independent of z and t; only after being multiplied by e-γz waves.

– Also note that the excitation field pattern computed is valid only at a single frequency. A different excitation field pattern
is computed for each frequency point of interest.

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Excitations Customer Training Material

• Modes, Reflections, and Propagation

– It is also possible for a 3D field solution generated by an excitation signal of one specific mode to contain reflections of
higher-order modes which arise due to discontinuities in a high frequency structure.
– If these higher-order modes are reflected back to the excitation port or transmitted onto another port, the S-parameters
associated with these modes should be calculated
calculated.
– If the higher-order mode decays before reaching any port—either because of attenuation due to losses or because it is
a non-propagating evanescent mode—there is no need to obtain the S-parameters for that mode.

• Wave Ports Require

q a Length
g of Uniform Cross Section
– Ansoft HFSS assumes that each port you define is connected to a semi-infinitely long waveguide that has the same
cross section as the Wave Port

uniform cross section

no uniform cross section added for each Wave Port
at Wave Ports

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Excitations Customer Training Material

• Wave Port Boundary Conditions

– Perfect E or Finite Conductivity
• Default: All outer edges are Perfect E boundary.
– Port is defined within a waveguide.
– Easy for enclosed transmission lines: Coax or Waveguide
– Challenging for unbalanced or non-enclosed lines: Microstrip, CPW, Slotline, etc.

– Symmetry or Impedance
• Recognized
Recogni ed at the port edges

– Radiation
• Default interface is a Perfect E boundary

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Excitations Customer Training Material

• Lumped Port Boundary Conditions

– Perfect E or Finite Conductivity
• Any port edge that interfaces with a conductor or another port edge

– Perfect H
• All remaining port edges

Perfect E

Perfect H

Perfect H

Perfect E

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Excitations Customer Training Material

• Excitation – Calibration
– Ports must be calibrated to ensure consistent results. Determines:
• Direction and polarity of fields
• Voltage/ Current calculations.

– Solution Type: Driven Modal

• Expressed in terms of the incident and reflected powers of the waveguide modes.
– Definition not desirable for problems having several propagating quasi-TEM modes
• Coupled/Multi-Coupled
Co pled/M lti Co pled Transmission Lines
• Always used by the solver
• Calibration: Integration Line
– Phase between Ports
– Modal voltage g integration
g p
path: Zpi,
p , Zpv,
p , Zvi

– Solution Type: Driven Terminal

• Linear combination of nodal voltages and currents for the Wave Port.
– Equivalent transformation performed from Modal Solution
• Calibration: Terminal Assignments
– Polarity
– Nodal current integration path

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Excitations Customer Training Material

• Example
E l Solution
S l i Types:
T

Mode 1
(E
(Even M
Mode)
d ) I
Integration
i Line
Li

Mode 2
(Odd Mode) Integration Line

Port1 Port2
Modal
2 Modes 2 Modes

Modes to Nodes
Transformation

T1 T2

T1 T1

SPICE
Port1 Terminal Port2

Differential Pairs
T2 T2
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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Boundary Conditions Application Customer Training Material

• Application of Boundary Conditions - Case 1

– Emulate laboratory measurements
• Verification/Validation before production

Picture courtesy of Tektronix

Picture courtesy of Delphi

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Boundary Conditions Application Customer Training Material

• Application of Boundary Conditions - Case 2

– Isolate part of a structure (i.e. Exciting arbitrary transmission lines)
• Not physically possible to measure in the laboratory
• Full-Wave analysis not required for total system
– Or total system too complex
• Design work/Component level optimization
• Post production problem solving

Total System

Isolated Component – Via Transition

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Coax to Stripline Example Customer Training Material

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Customer Training Material

Si
Signal
l
GND

Power

SIDE

T2 T1

T3

Lumped Gap Port

G
GND

P
Power

Terminal Line

TOP

BOTTOM
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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Customer Training Material

Lumped Gap Port

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Customer Training Material

Differential Lumped Gap Ports

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Introduction to ANSYS HFSS

Customer Training Material

Port

G S G

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