HFWorks is an antenna and electromagnetic simulation software for RF, Microwave, mm-wave, and high speed digital circuits. HFWorks solves electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic propagation, electromagnetic resonance, electromagnetic interference (EMI), electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and signal integrity (SI) problems for RF/MW frequencies and beyond. It uses state-of-the-art finite element solvers and meshing technologies to compute fields as well as antennas and circuit parameters. It can simulate single antenna elements as well as multiple array antenna configurations. HFWorks can also be used for time domain computations such as TDR and Eye Diagram. It can predict power handling capabilities of 3D structures and localize potential field breakdown areas. It also provides the capability to simulate RF microwave heating as a function of applied power.

Features:
• Adaptive meshing for Sparameters and Antennas with normal and high accuracy,
• New transient thermal solver,
• Linear and non-linear thermal boundary conditions, both temperature and time dependent, ,
• Step and Ramp loading ,
• Possibility to choose the type of thermal loads for each thermal coupling case, dielectric and/or conductor loads,
• Wavelength parameterization for Sparameters and Antennas with normal and high accuracy,
• ECAD Importer to import geometry from other products like ADS and Cadence,
• Streamline 3D plotting for 3D plots,
• Ability to combine Surface and Volume plotting for 3D plotting results,
• Auto-surround structure with PEC or Radiation options,

Enhancements:
• Multicore solver: new solver engine has been added to improve speed/accuracy in certain study configurations,
• Copy the last adaptive mesh into another study with the same or different type from the original study,
• Exclude extracted components on the selected entities when it doesn't have any child solid body,
• Mesh options have been updated to control the default values on manual and adaptive meshing,
• Clean up leftover files for studies that are no longer present when loading an HFWorks document,
• Updated demo models with recent documentation,
• Updated material library with new categories (Biological materials, Mixtures and Composites,..) with adding: Mass density, Specific heat and Thermal conductivity properties,
• Improved Local SAR plotting,
• Add 2D plotting of post-processing Far field parameters versus frequency and versus angle,
• SpeedUp thermal solving for both Steady state and Transient thermal.

- Operating System: Windows 7 and later, x64 bits- Windows 10 is recommended.
- RAM: 12GB and more.
- Disk space (SSD or faster is recommended): 100 GB free space and more.
- CPU: Core i7 @2.8GHZ and more.

• Resonance
• S-parameters
• Antennas

Scattering parameters or S-parameters (the elements of a scattering matrix or S-matrix) describe the electrical behaviours of linear electrical networks when undergoing various steady state stimuli by electrical signals. Although applicable at any frequency, S-parameters are mostly used for networks operating at radio frequency and microwave frequencies where signal power and energy considerations are more easily quantified than currents and voltages. S-parameters change with the frequency are readily represented in matrix form and obey the rules of matrix algebra.

The HFWorks/S-parameters analysis belongs to the high frequency electromagnetic, or the full wave, regime, i.e. Maxwell's displacement current that couples the electric and magnetic fields is significant and thus taken into consideration. The vector wave equation, i.e. combination of the full Maxwell's equations, is solved using vector finite element to obtain the S-parameters and the electric/magnetic fields and related design parameters. It has many practical applications, including:

• Connectors
• Filters
• Couplers
• Attenuators
• Terminators
• Baluns
• Integrated Circuit
• Waveguides
• Power dividers
• Multiplexers
• Power combiners
• Transitions

An antenna is a transducer that transmits or receives electromagnetic waves. In other words, antennas convert electromagnetic radiation into electric current, or vice versa. Antennas generally deal in the transmission and reception of radio waves, and are a necessary part of all radio equipment. Antennas are used in systems such as radio and television broadcasting, point-to-point radio communication, wireless LAN, cell phones, radar, and spacecraft communication.

Using HFWorks/Antenna analysis, antennas of all types and shapes can readily be simulated. The vector wave equation is solved using vector finite element to obtain the near/far antenna fields and all related antenna parameters such as gain, directivity, efficiency, pattern, etc. All sort of antennas can be studied, including:

• Wire
• Printed
• Horn
• Aperture
• Arrays
• Radomes
• Log-periodic
• Reflector
• Yagi
• Patch
• Parabolic

Resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate with larger amplitude at some frequencies than at others. These are known as the system's resonant frequencies. At these frequencies, even small periodic driving forces can produce large amplitude oscillations, because the system stores energy. When loss is small, the resonant frequency is approximately equal to a natural frequency of the system, which is a frequency of unforced vibrations. Some systems have multiple, distinct, resonant frequencies. Resonance phenomena occur with all types of waves: there is mechanical resonance, acoustic resonance, electromagnetic resonance, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance and resonance of quantum wave functions.

In HFWorks/Resonance analysis, we are concerned only with electromagnetic resonance. The vector wave equation, i.e. combination of the full Maxwell's equations, is solved using vector finite element to obtain the natural resonant frequencies and their corresponding electric/magnetic field distributions. It has many practical applications, including:

• Dielectric resonators
• Filters
• Resonators
• Microwave Circuits
• Microwave Ovens
• Food and industrial heating
• Wood drying and processing
• Resonator antennas
• High Q structures
• Linear accelerators

All passive components can readily be studied using HFWorks. Below is just a sample list of devices and applications classified by areas:

RF& Microwave
• Antennas
• Connectors
• Filters
• Resonators
• Couplers
• Frequency-selective surfaces
• Band-gap (EBG) structures and meta-materials
• RF coils for MRI

EDA/Electronics
• Signal integrity
• Power integrity
• PCBs and IC Packages
• Chip-Package-Board systems

EMI/EMC
• All EMI/EMC structures
• Simultaneous switch noise (SSN)
• Simultaneous switching output (SSO)
• EM field exposure

The S-parameters module outputs the following results for each study at each frequency:

• Generalized S-parameters matrix
• Re-normalized S-parameters matrix
• Unique impedance matrix
• Unique admittance matrix
• TDR
• VSWR
• Propagation parameters at each port
• Impedances at each port
• Electric field distribution
• Magnetic field distribution
• Specific absorption rate distribution

The Antennas module outputs the following results for each study at each frequency:

• All antenna parameters including gain, directivity, efficiency, axial ratio, input impedance, etc
• Far field parameters including radiation patterns
• Generalized S-parameters matrix
• Re-normalized S-parameters matrix
• Unique impedance matrix
• Unique admittance matrix
• TDR
• VSWR
• Propagation parameters at each port
• Impedances at each port
• Electric near field distribution
• Magnetic near field distribution

The Resonance module outputs the following results for each study:

• Resonant frequencies,i.e. Eigen modes
• Dielectric quality factor
• Conductor quality factor
• Overall quality factor
• Electric field distribution
• Magnetic field distribution
• Specific absorption rate distribution

The S-parameters module can help study a large number of RF & microwave devices and address numerous dispersion and matching effects. Below is just a partial list:

• Obtain the vector frequency response of arbitrary 3D circuit/structure.
• Examine the TDR of a structure.
• Design around a resonance.
• Distinguish between common and differential modes.
• Achieve a good matching over a frequency range.
• Study the frequency response of a structure.
• Account for both dielectric and conductor losses.
• Study the fidelity of a high frequency structure.
• Achieve or avoid a mode conversion.
• Study the signal integrity of a structure.
• Examine both propagating and evanescent modes.
• Examine both fundamental and higher order modes.
• Optimize pole-zero placement of a filter.
• Study the effect of material and dimension on the circuit and field parameters.

The Antennas module can help study a large number of antenna structures and address numerous far-field and near-field effects. Below is just a partial list:

•Obtain the vector frequency response of an arbitrary 3D antenna structures.
•Obtain the radiation pattern of an antenna over a frequency range.
•Compute the resonant frequency of an antenna.
•Eliminate the reactance of an antenna.
•Maximize the ratio of the radiation resistance to ohmic resistance of an antenna.
•Achieve a good matching over a frequency range.
•Respect the power rating of a transmitting antenna to avoid sparking and arcing.
•Optimize the noise rejection of a receiving antenna.
•Study the effect of radomes on the antenna parameters.
•Obtain all antenna parameters including gain, directivity, efficiency, axial ratio, input impedance, radiation resistance, etc.
•Account for both dielectric and conductor losses.
•Study the fidelity of an antenna.
•Minimize the side lobes.
•Study the EMI/EMC of a structure.
•Study the effect of material and dimension on the antenna and field parameters.
•Study the effect of the environment on the antenna performance, especially the ground.
•Design efficient radomes to protect and hide the antenna.
•Design radar absorbing materials (RAM).

The Resonance module can help study a large number of RF & microwave devices and address numerous resonance and loss effects. Below is just a partial list:

• Design a resonator around a specific resonant frequency.
• Predict dielectric breakdown in a dielectric resonator and avoid it.
• Compute conductor and dielectric quality factors separately.
• Account for both conductivity and surface roughness of a conductor wall.
• Design high Q structures.
• Properly dimension the resonators in of multi-pole filters and optimize pole-zero placement.
• Adjust circuit housing to push resonances out the operational band and have a resonance-free structure.
• Compute the specific absorption rate (SAR) in microwave heating applications.
• Predict if a given design will resonate and locate resonance areas.
• Study the effect of material and dimension on the resonant frequency and the field distribution.

Yes, HFWorks has TDR capabilities.

Yes. In addition to conductivity, you may define a surface roughness of the conductor.

No. Simulating at discrete frequency point may take a long computational time. For faster simulation time, you should use HFWorks's Fast Frequency Sweep (FFS) feature.

Yes.

Yes, HFWorks has both adaptive and manual meshing.

Yes.

No worries. HFWorks allows you to run a ports-only solution which, as you may expect, is much faster than full 3D solution.

Yes.