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Antenna, electromagnetics and transmission line simulators are a special breed
of software because of the sophisticated 3-dimensional electromagnetic equations
that must be applied. Designing antennas for first-pass success requires a very
high level of sophistication by the software. It must contain component models (including
substrates and enclosures) that accurately compute values that take into account
the many parasitic effects of lead inductance, interwinding capacitance, resistance
of the component, etc. Generally, price correlates directly to the capability of
the software. At the top of the list is software that is free and/or offers free
trial versions with either reduced functionality or use for a limited time.
 4nec2
4nec2 is a completely free nec2, nec4 and windows based tool for creating, viewing,
optimizing and checking 2D and 3D style antenna geometry structures and generate,
display and/or compare near/far-field radiation patterns for both the starting and
experienced antenna modeler. When running frequency sweeps, linear or logarithmic
style SWR, Gain, F/B-ratio and impedance line-charts are produced. With the included
Optimizer and Sweeper one is able to optimize antenna- and/or other environment-variables
for Gain, resonance, SWR, efficiency and/or F/B, F/R-ratio.
Free full.
 Sonnet Lite™
Sonnet Lite™ is a feature-limited version of Sonnet's professional Sonnet Suites,
which provides EM analysis to thousands of companies across the globe. Many major
manufacturers of high-frequency components and boards depend on Sonnet to analyze
their predominantly planar high-frequency designs from 1 MHz through several
THz. Free lite.
 Finite Element Method Magnetics
Created by Dr. David Meeker, FEMM is a suite of programs for solving low frequency
electro magnetic problems on two-dimensional planar and axisymmetric domains. The
program currently addresses linear/nonlinear magneto- static problems, linear/nonlinear
time harmonic magnetic problems, linear electrostatic problems, and steady-state
heat flow problems. Free full.
 FEKO
Altair's electromagnetics solver suite in HyperWorks, FEKO, is a global leading
comprehensive electromagnetic software widely used mainly in the aerospace, defense,
automotive, communications, consumer electronics, energy and healthcare industries.
The suite includes a set of accurate, powerful and reliable solvers with true hybridization,
i.e. solvers can be combined in the same problem to more easily and efficiently
solve it. FEKO is easy to use and it has an integrated GUI from geometry modeling
to results visualization, post-processing and report generation.
Free
student.
 Simulation Software
MicrowaveSoft Inc. offers solutions for electromagnetic design challenges. We
provide you with full wave 3D finite element simulation software both for high and
low frequency. If you are a SolidWorks user your life will be so easy as both of
our softwares are fully integrated inside SolidWorks. We distribute EMS and HFWORKS.
Free trial.
 Axiem
AXIEM is the 3D planar electromagnetic (EM) analysis software found within the
NI AWR Design Environment platform. Its fast solver technology readily addresses
passive structures, transmission lines, large planar antenna and patch array problems
with more than 100K unknowns. Whether characterizing and optimizing passive components
on RF PCBs, modules, LTCCs, MMICs, RFICs, or antennas, AXIEM has the accuracy, capacity,
and speed designers need.
Free trial.
4nec2
Antenna Simulator | The Netherlands 4nec2 is a completely free Nec2,
Nec4 and windows based tool for creating, viewing, optimizing and checking 2D and
3D style antenna geometry structures and generate, display and/or compare near/far-field
radiation patterns for both the starting and experienced antenna modeler. When
running frequency sweeps, linear or logarithmic style SWR, Gain, F/B-ratio and impedance
line-charts are produced. With the included Optimizer and Sweeper one is able to
optimize antenna- and/or other environment-variables for Gain, resonance, SWR, efficiency
and/or F/B, F/R-ratio.
Keysight
Technologies | 800-452-4844 | Santa Clara, CA Test equipment, racks,
cables, adapters, amplifiers, cables, RF switches, EEsof EDA products.
Ansoft
| 412-261-3200 | Pittsburgh, PA Ansoft Designer™ is the seamless solution for
physics-based RF, high-speed, & communication design. By linking physical attributes
to electrical performance, Ansoft Designer makes it possible to get it right the
first time. With Ansoft's Solver on Demand™ technology & seamless integration,
the software eliminates design risk & uncertainty by providing engineers with
the information necessary to make correct decisions during all stages of the design
process.
Antenna Design Associates | 413-548-9919 | Leverett,
MA PC and workstation software for the analysis and design of antennas and phased
arrays. founded in 1990 by Dr. David M. Pozar, a well-known researcher and author
in the areas of antennas and wireless communications. Smith Chart for Windows, PCAAD
Personal Computer Aided Antenna Design, Specialized Microstrip Antenna Analysis
Software Packages.
APLAC Corporation (now NI/AWR)
Applied Wave Research (now NI/AWR)
Aurora
Software and Testing | +34963543263 | Valencia, Spain FEST3D is
a very efficient software tool for the analysis and design of passive RF and microwave
components using advanced modal techniques based on waveguide technology, and is
the first commercial software capable to integrate high power effects in the design
process.
Bay Technology | 831-688-8919 | Aptos, CA TraceSim
transmission line simulator, and LinkCAD file format translator.
Comsol
| 781-273-3322 | Burlington, MA Provides software solutions for multiphysics
modeling.
Concerto EM Solver | Concerto is an advanced analysis package for RF
and Microwave design. It includes a 3D Geometric Modeler that allows easy data import
from CAD systems, as well as the facility to create and parameterize new models.
Computer
Simulation Technology (CST) | 508-665-4400 | Framingham , MA Microwave
Studio is a specialist tool for the 3D EM simulation of high frequency components.
Microstripes is a powerful 3D electromagnetic simulation tool, used extensively
for solving challenging radiation problems including complex antenna structures,
installed performance, EMC/EMI/E3 issues. Design Studio is a versatile tool that
facilitates 3D EM/circuit co-simulation and synthesis. Antenna Magus is the first
antenna design tool of its kind - has a huge database of antennas that can be explored
to find, design and export models of designed antennas to Microwave Studio.
Clemson University Vehicular Electronics Laboratory | The Clemson Vehicular
Electronics Laboratory (CVEL) collaborates with industrial sponsors to provide research
and education services involving all aspects of automotive and aerospace vehicle
electronics including electronic components, circuits, sensors, communications,
power distribution and mechatronics with an emphasis on systems integration, electromagnetic
compatibility and modeling.
CST Computer
Simulation Technology | CST STUDIO SUITE™ - comprises CST's full 3D
electromagnetic simulation as well as other tools, dedicated to specific problems
such as cable harness or EM/circuit co-simulation. Antenna Magus – the first antenna
design tool of its kind – has a huge database of antennas that can be explored to
find, design and export models of designed antennas to CST MICROWAVE STUDIO®. MicroStripes
is the most powerful electromagnetic simulation software for microwave, antenna
design and installed antenna performance. Its 64-bit parallel-executing TLM technology
enables you to solve complex electromagnetic problems beyond the scope of other
EM analysis tools.
Efield AB | +46 8 410 03 510 | Stockholm, Sweden
Provides an integrated environment for computational electromagnetics containing
a complete set of solution techniques in both time and frequency domain. Geometry
import from all common CAD systems and a productive graphical user interface makes
it feasible to compute and visualise accurate solutions to real world problems for
example in antenna design and EMC problems.
Electric Field | 976-11301769 | Mongolia Very cool
program where you place charges on the grid and it draws equipotential electric
and magnetic field lines. Other features, too.
emGine
Environment | +49-176-24030711 | München, Germany The emGine Environment
is a full-wave time-domain 3D electromagnetic simulation environment. It is used
for the modeling, characterization and optimization of microwave circuits (planar,
3D), antennas, resonators, hollow waveguides, etc. The emGine Environment includes
an open source graphical user interface - the emGine GUI - and a free EM simulator
(for non-commercial purposes) in binary format - the tlmGine simulator - and is
highly portable, running on Microsoft Windows, Linux/Unix and Mac OS X.
EM Software &
Systems | 27 21 880 1880 | South Africa FEKO is a full wave, method
of moments (MoM) based, computer code for the analysis of electromagnetic problems
such as: EMC, shielding, coupling, antenna design, antenna placement analysis, microstrip
antennas, & circuits, striplines, dielectric media, scattering analysis etc.
EMWonder
| Norcross, GA EMtoSPICE™ S-parameter to SPICE model coverter, generates SPICE
macromodels (or subcircuits) using S-parameter data, allowing SPICE simluation of
S-parameters in time & frequency domain, unprecedented accuracy over broadband
frequencies.
EZNEC
| Antenna software by W7EL.
Fast Field Solvers | 514-849-8752 Lots of FREE EM
field solver software, like FastHenry and FastCap.
Dr. Fritz Dellsperger | Berne Institute of Technology
| Switzerland Smith 2.03 - advanced Smith Chart software, interactive user input
builds schematic by clicking in chart area, constant gain, noise, stability &
Q circles. Line V1.0- Planar Line Calculator for Stripline, Microstrip, CWG,
Coax, Twisted Wire, Coupled Stripline, Coupled Microstrip. IM V1.0 - Intermodulation
Calculator.
FEKO
| 757-224-0548 | Hampton, VA FEKO is a software suite for the analysis of a wide
range of electromagnetic problems. Application include EMC analysis, antenna design,
microstrip antennas and circuits, dielectric media, scattering analysis, etc.
HFWorks
HFWorks is an antenna and electromagnetic (EM) simulation software for RF, microwave,
and mm-wave electronic devices and circuits that solves EM radiation, waves, and
propagation; EMI and EMC problems. Field parameters include near and far EM fields
and waves such as electric field, magnetic field, and electromagnetic energy. Antenna
parameters include antenna pattern, antenna gain, antenna directivity, axial ratio,
and antenna efficiency. Circuit parameters include scattering parameters, impedance,
and VSWR. Free trial.
 µWave Wizard™
µWave Wizard is a design tool using the well-known fast and accurate Mode-Matching
technique. This method is particularly suitable for simulation and optimization
of passive microwave systems and components, including antennas. The mode matching
method (MM) and their derivatives is the only method capable of simultaneously offering
fastest processing speed and highest accuracy.
Free
trial.
 Electromagnetic
Professional (EMPro)
EMPro EM simulation software features a modern design, simulation and analysis
environment, high capacity simulation technologies and integration with the industry's
leading RF and microwave circuit design environment. A design platform for analyzing
the 3D EM effects of components such as high-speed and RF IC packages, bondwires,
antennas, on-chip and off-chip embedded passives and PCB interconnects.
Free trial.
 Momentum 3D Planar EM Simulator
Momentum is the leading 3D planar electromagnetic (EM) simulator used for passive
circuit modeling and analysis. It accepts arbitrary design geometries and uses frequency-domain
Method of Moments (MoM) technology to accurately simulate complex EM effects including
coupling and parasitics. Accurate EM simulation enables RF/MMIC designers, RF/high-speed
board designers, RF module and antenna designers to improve design performance and
increase confidence that the product will meet spec.
Free trial.
 EM3DS
ElectroMagnetic 3D Simulator is an integral equation-based full wave simulator,
using an approach called Generalized Transverse Resonance Diffraction (GTRD). This
simulator accounts for finite-thickness, finite conductivity real conductors / dielectrics
by using volume currents. The structure is still layered and defined layer-by-layer,
much like a standard process to realize integrated circuits or printed circuit board-
but current induced in conductors appears to be arbitrarily oriented (Jx, Jy and
Jz are always present in the 3D mode.
Free limited.
GNECView
| 814-867-3992 | State College, PA OpenGL based, very fast, the application reads
E/H fields & displays them, along with calculation of the Poynting vector when
the E/H's are aligned, FREE from Bradley Flubacher.
Guided Wave Technology | Denmark Waveguide EM Filter
Analysis and Design - microwave online waveguide filter design using exact EM software
tools, Filter Coupling Matrix Calculator.
Infolytica
| 514-849-8752 | Canada Full Wave - generates full-wave solutions of arbitrary-shaped
3D high frequency structures including animations of 3D electromagnetic fieldsludes
resonant modes, scattering parameters, & port solutions.
Integrated Engineering Software | 204-632-5636 | Canada
Huge collection of EM simulators. SINGULA 3D electromagnetic analysis software.
Interactive Products Corp | 919-932-3033 | Cary, NC
IPC focuses on the development of Electromagnetic and Signal Integrity Computer
Aided Engineering tools that offer accurate and quick solutions. Our tools solve
the field equations by use of the boundary element method. Our user interface is
designed for speed allowing you to choose from Stack Up Templates, Pseudo Arbitrary
Design, and Completely Arbitrary Design using your CAD tool DXF exports.
Kovac
Software | +44 (0)1889 508094 | England AutoTRAX schematic capture,
simulation, layout, autorouting.
LC -
Cray | LC is a Unix-based simulation tool for the analysis of the EM
properties of electrical interconnects. The full 3-D circuit is modeled, so all
interactions are automatically included in the solution. Circuit parameters such
as inductance, capacitance, and impedance can be derived from the transient response,
and frequency-domain results such as S-parameters can also be calculated. Far field
radiation patterns can be obtained. Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FD-TD) technique
used.
linSmith
| Argentina, So. America A Smith Chart program for Linux!!! linSmith is a Smith
Charting program, mainly designed for educational use. As such, there is an emphasis
on capabilities that improve the 'showing the effect of'-style of operation.
Lots of other resources, too. By John Coppens ON6JC/LW3HAZ.
Lorentz Solutions | 408-922-0765 | Milpitas, CA
Lorentz Solution is an EDA company delivering the industry's first IC-focused EM
Design & Verification solution. The company's product suite, PeakView™, provides
a fully automatic 3D EM Synthesis and flexible EM Design Verification for users
of the Cadence™ custom IC design and circuit simulation environments.
Where in the world is Max Froding?
MEM
Research | +39 347 8279009 | Italy EM3DS (Electromagnetic 3D Simulator)
is a novel, full-featured, frequency-domain full-wave simulation tool tailored to
efficiently accomplish the analysis of quasi-planar structures. EM3DS (ElectroMagnetic
3D Solver), a novel, full-featured, frequency-domain full-wave simulation tool tailored
to efficiently accomplish the analysis of quasi-planar structures – specifically
planar structures over complex substrates, where the finite conductors' thickness
and the dielectric discontinuities are accounted for with no compromise – thus,
rendering EM3DS a full 3D tool., Download a completely free version, having some
functional limitations, MEM Research also offers services in terms of design of
Microwave devices (especially filters & mux) & consumer electronics.
MiCIAN
| +49 (421) 168 993 51 | Germany EM CAD µWave Wizard, waveguide network simulator.
MiG
Microwave Innovation Group | +49 421 220 8299 | Germany WASP-NET
(WAveguide Synthesis Program) hybrid EM CAD solver, MoM/FE/FD, OpenGL visualization,
DXF output.
National Instruments (Formerly
AWR Corporation) | 310-726-3000 | El Segundo, CA NI AWR Design
Environment is a portfolio of software products that RF/microwave designers can
use to design, develop, and realize microwave/RF components, circuits, and systems
including monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs),
RF printed circuit boards (PCBs), microwave modules,
RF integrated circuits (RFICs), communication systems,
radar systems, and antennas. It consists of high-frequency design environments inclusive
of System simulation (Visual System Simulator™), Circuit
simulation (Microwave Office and Analog Office), Electromagnetic
analysis (AXIEM and Analyst™) and also AWR Connected™
modules which expands functionality through 3rd party tool collaboration.
NewFASANT
| +34 91 88 56 701 |Guadalajara, Spain Focused on the development of modern and
efficient EM simulation software tools. In our products we have multiple tools designed
to solve a wide range of problems including RCS and antenna analysis, antenna and
circuits design, radio propagation, etc.
PowerSmith | RF circuit simulator for impedance analysis,
matching, S-parameters, noise, & stability circles, DOS compatible, old, but
works, Intuitive & no mouse needed, VA3DIW, OK1RR.
QuickSmith
| This is a very popular Smith Chart program by Nathan Iyer, of RF Micro Devices,
Windows-based, FREE. Other programs also available like Cascade, PLLSim, and CoilSim.
Remcom
| 814-861-1299 | State College, PA XFDTD - 3D full wave electromagnetic solver
based on Finite Difference Time Domain, Wireless InSite - propagation prediction
tool using ray-tracing models.
RTS Scientific | 905-882-2599 | Toronto, Canada
EMPIRE XCcel™ for microwave engineers, features a new GUI, designed from the ground
up for ease of operation and is very intuitive. The XCcel replaces previous software
tools available from IMST and now offers an even faster speed which has been accelerated
even more by a highly advanced exploitation of modern processor architecture, full
package includes a parametric OPTIMIZER. The new XCcel is for microwave engineers
involved in the design of antennas, waveguides, filters, resonators, interconnects
etc., as well as dosimetric investigations of mobile phones, EMC of implants and
other body modeling work.
Sonnet
Software | 315-453-3096 | Liverpool, NY Sonnet Suites - 3D planar
high-frequency electromagnetic software, CST MICROWAVE STUDIO - 3D high frequency
EM simulator, Sonnet Lite - free EM software.
SWAN-Soft
| +39 075 585 3658 | Perugia, Italy SWAN (Slotted Waveguide ANtennas) is a powerful
CAD tool for the design and analysis of very large slotted waveguide arrays having
a wide range of capabilities: fixed or scanning beam, very low side lobe patterns,
shaped beams such as cosecant or flat top patterns, customizable waveguide dimensions,
dielectric filling of the waveguides, many different feeding configurations, etc.
Tera Analysis Ltd | 877-215-8688 | Denmark QuickField
electromagnetic simulator with plug-in modules for magnetics, heat transfer &
stress analysis, Student Version FREE.
Zeland
Software | 510-623-7162 | Fremont, CA IE3D - MoM-based EM simulator,
FIDELITY - FDTD-based EM simulator, MDSPICE - mixed-domain SPICE simulator,
COCAFIL - waveguide filter design suite, FilterSyn - planar/coaxial filter synthesis
module for IE3DLibrary, LineGauge - transmission line design tool.
Related Pages on RF Cafe -
Antenna Patterns -
Antennas - Hardware & Controls -
Antennas - Manufacturers & Services -
Test Equipment & Calibration - Antenna Measurement
-
Antenna Introduction / Basics -
Antenna
Radiation Patterns -
Antenna
Near Field - Near-Field
/ Far-Field Transition Distance -
Intro
to Wave Propagation, Transmission Lines, Antennas -
Antenna, Electromagnetics & X-mission
Line Simulators -
Satellite Communications - Antennas -
Short Wire Antennas
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