Electromagnetics

Introducing Ensemble® v8.0

PITTSBURGH - May 23 , 2001 --Ansoft Corporation (NASDAQ: ANST) today announced the latest release of Ensemble (Version 8.0) with new functionality targeting the needs of RFIC, MMIC, PCB, and planar antenna designers. This new version of Ensemble expands the speed and accuracy needed for characterizing all planar structures found in wireless, broadband, and optical components.

"Ensemble 8.0 provides designers with the unique combination of powerful full wave planar simulation and advanced simulation features such as SVD FastSolve™ and adaptive meshing," said Dr. Richard Hall, Director of Planar Technology Development. "In the latest version, Ansoft developers have made technical advancements that result in 40% more memory efficiency and faster simulations over the previous version."

New features in Ensemble 8.0 include Full-Wave™ Spice capability, improved modeling, speed and user-interface enhancements, and second-generation Optimetrics™. Ensemble and its links to other Ansoft products offer a comprehensive solution for today's high-frequency design needs.

Full-Wave™ Spice

"Full-Wave Spice is our latest technological innovation," said Dr. Zoltan Cendes, Ansoft's Founder and Chief Technology Officer. "For the first time ever, full-wave electromagnetic field solvers can produce accurate broadband SPICE models for high-speed interconnects. Our Full-Wave Spice technology enables users to design components while taking gigahertz-frequency effects into account." With the Full-Wave Spice add-on module, Ensemble users can generate high-accuracy frequency-dependent SPICE models automatically from full-wave electromagnetic field simulation of their planar structures. Ensemble determines the precise electromagnetic signal propagation through electronic interconnects over a broad frequency band, then generates frequency-dependent SPICE models that may be used in HSPICE, PSpice or Maxwell Spice.

New Modeling Capability

The latest version of Ensemble adds enhanced true thick metal simulation for modeling the behavior of non-zero thick trace metals and non-vertical vias. This capability enhances the designer's ability to predict and make design decisions based on the performance of non-ideal structures such as tapered or offset vias.

Ensemble's new Voltage Gap source capability allows accurate simulation of structures down to very low frequency (~1Hz). Accurate low frequency characterization can be critical when the structure performance is used in a non-linear circuit simulator such as Ansoft's Harmonica. Accurate S-parameter representation of a structure's low frequency response ensures proper simulation of broadband circuits.

New Speed Enhancements

Ensemble version 8.0 offers the second generation of SVD FastSolve technology. This technology developed by Lucent Technologies and licensed exclusively by Ansoft employs a matrix compression algorithm based on singular value decomposition (SVD) that extends by 10X or more the size and complexity of structures that can be analyzed.

Ensemble version 8.0 also offers the industry's first triangular adaptive edge meshing. This technique offers speed and memory savings over previous versions by combining the benefits of targeting a finer mesh along metal edges with the efficiency of Ansoft's unique triangle adaptive meshing technology.

Optimetrics 2.0

Optimetrics is an add-on module that allows users to perform parametric analysis, optimization, sensitivity analysis, and many other design studies from an easy to use interface. The new version now features automatic design point sensitivity analysis, interactive geometry creation and editing.

Ansoft is a leading developer of high performance EDA software. Ansoft products are used by engineers to design high performance electrical devices and systems, such as cellular phones, internet networks, satellites, computer chips, circuit boards, electronic sensors, and motors. Ansoft markets its products worldwide through its direct sales force and provides comprehensive customer support and training.

Optimetrics and Ensemble are registered trademarks of Ansoft Corporation.
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