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Solving RFIC and RF Module Design Issues

By Kim Khoury | 5 Jun 2020

When creating new RFIC modules, designers typically need an array of tools and applications from various vendors to complete the design process. In 2018, Cadence launched the Virtuoso® RF Solution to enable designers to create faster design...

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RF | Virtuoso RF Designer | ICADVM18.1 | RFIC | Virtuoso Meets Maxwell | Virtuoso RF | RF design | Custom IC Design | Custom IC
Measurement of Phase Noise in Oscillators

By Jommy | 7 Sep 2018

The other day, I happened to sneak out some time for myself after having sent the kids to play in the neighborhood park. I made myself a hot cup of coffee and settled on the couch hoping to enjoy the silence in the house. But was it really ...

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HBnoise | HB | Spectre RF | pnoise | phase noise | harmonic balance | pss | Oscillator
How to Set Up and Plot Large-Signal S Parameters?

By KamalKishore | 4 Dec 2017

Large-signal S-parameters (LSSPs) are an extension of small-signal S-parameters and are defined as the ratio of reflected (or transmitted) waves to incident waves.

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RF Simulation | Spectre RF | Virtuoso ADE | Virtuoso
Triple Beat Analysis: What, Why & How?

By kmayank | 30 Nov 2017

The Triple Beat analysis is similar to Rapid IP2/IP3 analysis except that it uses three tones instead of two. It is used in cases where two closely-spaced small-signal inputs from a transmitter leak in to the receiver along with an intended small-signal RF input signal.

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Virtuoso ADE | Virtuoso | Spectre | RF design
Measuring Rapid IP3

By Jommy | 27 Nov 2017

In the world of analog design, IP3—the third order intercept point, is a known parameter that is used to measure the linearity in the radio frequency (RF) components. The extracted IP3 values are very essential to determine the operating power ...

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RF Simulation | Rapid IP3 | spectreRF
Link to: 7 Habits of Highly Successful S-Parameters: How to Simulate Those Pesky S-Parameters in a Time Domain Simulator

By Tawna | 6 Jul 2017

Hi All, If you were unable to attend IMS 2017 in June 2017, the IMS MicroApp “7 Habits of Highly Successful S-Parameters” is on our Cadence website. On Cadence Online Support , the in-depth AppNote is here: 20466646 . Best regards, Tawna

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nport | analog/RF | APS | S-parameter | Virtuoso Spectre | Spectre RF | broadband SPICE | nport settings | RF spectre spectreRF | spectreRF | s parameter simulation
7 Habits of Highly Successful S-Parameters: How to Simulate Those Pesky S-Parameters in a Time Domain Simulator

By Tawna | 16 May 2017

Hello Spectre Users, Simulating S-parameters in a time domain (transient, periodic steady state) simulator has been and continues to be a challenge for many analog and RF designers. I'm often asked: What is required in order to achieve accurate...

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S-parameter | Spectre RF | Spectre | International Microwave Symposium
Noise Simulation in Spectre RF Using Improved Pnoise/Hbnoise and Direct Plot Form Options

By Jommy | 18 Apr 2017

Did you check out the new Pnoise and Hbnoise Choosing Analyses forms in the MMSIM 15.1 and IC6.1.7 /ICADV12.2 releases? These forms have been significantly improved and simplified. The Direct Plot Form has also been enhanced and is much easy to use. Let...

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HBnoise | HB | Spectre RF | pnoise | noise simulation | Virtuoso | RF design | pss
Cadence Presenting Four Spectre RF MicroApp Papers at IMS2016, May 22-27

By Tawna | 16 May 2016

Hello Spectre RF Users, Next week is my all time favorite technical conference - the International Microwave Symposium IMS2016 , May 22-27 in San Francisco, CA at the Moscone Center. If you're at the conference, please stop by the Cadence booth and say...

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RF | RF Simulation | wireless | analog/RF | HBnoise | Circuit simulation | Wilsey | HB | Spectre RF | pnoise | phase noise | Schaldenbrand | spectreRF | RF design | harmonic balance | pss
Distortion Summary in New CDNLive YouTube Video and at IEEE IMS2014 Next Week!

By Tawna | 30 May 2014

Hi Folks, Check out this great new video on YouTube: CDNLive SV 2014: PMC Improves Visibility and Performance with Spectre APS In this video from CDNLive Silicon Valley 2014, Jurgen Hissen, principal engineer, MSCAD, at PMC, discusses an aggressive...

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Wilsey | Spectre RF | spectreRF | RF design | harmonic balance | Distortion
How to Specify Phase Noise as an Instance Parameter in Spectre Sources (e.g. vsource, isource, Port)

By Tawna | 20 May 2014

Last year, I wrote a blog post entitled Modeling Oscillators with Arbitrary Phase Noise Profiles . We now have an easier way to do this. Starting in MMSIM 13.1 , you can specify the phase noise as an instance parameter in Spectre sources, including port...

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Spectre RF | phase noise | spectreRF | analogLib | port | noise profiles
See Cadence RF Technologies at IEEE International Microwave Symposium 2014

By Nebabie | 8 May 2014

RF Enthusiasts, Come connect with Cadence RF experts and discover the latest advances in Cadence RF technologies, including Spectre RF at the IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS) 2014. This year, IMS will be held in Tampa, Florida. Cadence will...

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RF Simulation | IMS | RFIC | Spectre RF | Virtuoso | International Microwave Symposium | IEEE
Broadband SPICE -- New Tool for S-Parameter Simulation in Spectre RF

By Tawna | 24 Apr 2014

Hi All, Here's another great new feature that I've found very helpful... Broadband SPICE is a new tool for S-parameter simulation in Spectre RF. In the MMSIM13.1.1 ( MMSIM13.1 USR1) release (now available on http://downloads.cadence.com), a...

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nport | Spectre RF | broadband SPICE | nport settings | Spectre | s parameter simulation
New Memory Estimator Helps Determine Amount of Memory Required for Large Harmonic Balance Simulations

By Tawna | 24 Apr 2014

Hi Folks, A question that I've often received from designers, "Is there a method to determine the amount of memory required before I submit a job? I use distributed processing and need to provide an estimate before submitting jobs." The...

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HB | Spectre RF | MMSIM | spectreRF | harmonic balance | memory estimator
Have You Tried the New Transmission Line Library (rfTlineLib)?

By Tawna | 3 Jan 2014

Happy New Year! Have you tried the new Transmission Line Library (rfTlineLib) yet? In case you missed it, rfTlineLib was introduced in IC 6.1.6 ISR1 plus MMSIM 12.1.1 -or- MMSIM13.1. You may wonder....Why should I use the new rfTlineLib ? Well.....here...

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RF | RF Simulation | transmission line | RFIC | Wilsey | Spectre RF | rfTlineLib | spectreRF | SpectreRF tutorials
SpectreRF Tutorials and Appnotes... Shhhh... We Have a NEW Best Kept Secret!

By Tawna | 17 Dec 2013

It's been a while since you've heard from me...it has been a busy year for sure. One of the reasons I've been so quiet is that I was part of a team working diligently on our latest best kept secret: The MMSIM 12.1.1/MMSIM 13.1 Documentation...

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RF Simulation | wireless | Wilsey | tutorial | spectreRF | Appnote | RF design | transmission lines | harmonic balance | SpectreRF tutorials
SpectreRF at 2013 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium in Seattle, Washington

By Tawna | 23 May 2013

If you are attending the International Microwave Symposium ( IMS 2013 ) in Seattle (June 2-7, 2013) stop by the Cadence Design Systems booth, #427. We will be showing new MMSIM12.1.1 features including “Smart” HB GUI, Robust and easy to...

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nport | RF | RF Simulation | analog/RF | Circuit simulation | RFIC | Wilsey | shooting newton | Virtuoso Spectre | HB | Spectre RF | ADE-L | Analog Simulation | nport settings | MMSIM 12.1 | RF spectre spectreRF | spectreRF | RF design | International Microwave Symposium | harmonic balance
Simulating Crystal Oscillators is Much Easier in MMSIM12.1 - Part 2

By Tawna | 20 Dec 2012

Greetings, Simulating crystal oscillators got a lot easier in MMSIM12.1... We have made enhancements to both Harmonic Balance and transient analyses. In Part 1 , I discussed Improvements to the Harmonic Balance use model. With the new streamlined Choosing...

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RF | RF Simulation | analog/RF | APS | Circuit simulation | Virtuoso Spectre | HB | Spectre RF | Analog Simulation | MMSIM | Virtuoso Spectre Simulator GXL | MMSIM 12.1 | analog | Analysis | ADE | Virtuoso Spectre Simulator XL | spectreRF | Spectre | RF design | Circuit Design | VCO | crystal oscillator | Oscillator | simulation
Simulating Crystal Oscillators is Much Easier in MMSIM12.1 - Part 1

By Tawna | 19 Dec 2012

Greetings! Simulating Crystal Oscillators got a lot easier in MMSIM12.1... We have made enhancments to both Harmonic Balance and Transient analyses. In Part 1, I’ll cover Improvements to the Harmonic Balance use model. With a streamlined Choosing...

6 Comments

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RF | RF Simulation | analog/RF | 12.1 | HB | Spectre RF | ADE-L | Analog Simulation | MMSIM | MMSIM 12.1 | analog | RF spectre spectreRF | Virtuoso Spectre Simulator XL | spectreRF | RF design | Circuit Design | harmonic balance | VCO | crystal oscillator | Oscillator
MMSIM 12.1 SpectreRF -- Preview of Coming nport Attractions! Part 2

By Tawna | 19 Nov 2012

Greetings, MMSIM 12.1 contains many new features to aid RF designers. Many of these changes are described in my Part 1 blog post. I've saved my favorite for last....here's a preview of the changes to the nport component in MMSIM12.1. 1. The Edit Object...

5 Comments

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nport | RF | RF Simulation | analog/RF | Circuit simulation | Wilsey | Virtuoso Spectre | HB | Spectre RF | spectre spectreRF | ADE-L | Analog Simulation | MMSIM | nport settings | Virtuoso Spectre Simulator GXL | analog | ADE | RF spectre spectreRF | spectreRF | Spectre | harmonic balance | simulation
MMSIM12.1 SpectreRF Preview of Coming Attractions! - Part 1

By Tawna | 12 Nov 2012

Greetings! MMSIM 12.1 contains many new features to aid RF designers. Here's a preview of the changes... Documentation Improvements The SpectreRF User Guide is being completely rewritten and updated for MMSIM12.1. Check it out - I'm sure you'll really...

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RF | RF Simulation | analog/RF | envelope | Circuit simulation | Wilsey | shooting newton | Virtuoso Spectre | HB | Spectre RF | spectre spectreRF | ADE-L | Analog Simulation | MMSIM | fast envelope | analog | ADE | RF spectre spectreRF | spectreRF | Spectre | RF design | harmonic balance
Measuring Bipolar Transistor ft with Fixed Base-Collector Voltage

By Art3 | 12 Jun 2012

Recently I had a question from reader. He asked a good question: "How do you to measure a bipolar transistor's ft when the base-collector voltage, Vbc, is fixed?" Attached is a modified version of the testbench that allows a user to measure ft with a...

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RF | RF Simulation | fixed base-collector voltage | parametric analysis | RFIC | bipolar transistor | measuring bipolar transistor ft | Schaldenbrand | analog | ADE | Vbc | Virtuoso | ViVA | RF design | transistor ft | testbench
Modeling Oscillators with Arbitrary Phase Noise Profiles

By Tawna | 24 May 2012

When you need to include noisy oscillators in SpectreRF transceiver simulations, you have at least 3 options: 1) Semi-autonomous simulation is the most accurate approach, recommended whenever the transistor-level model of the oscillator is available. 2...

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RF | RF Simulation | analog/RF | APS | HBnoise | Circuit simulation | RFIC | Virtuoso Spectre | HB | Spectre RF | Analog Simulation | MMSIM | pnoise | phase noise | Virtuoso Spectre Simulator GXL | analog | ADE | Spectre | RF design | harmonic balance | VCO | Oscillator | simulation | noise profiles
Measuring 2-Tone Intermodulation Using Envelope-Following Analysis

By Tawna | 16 May 2012

From time to time, SpectreRF users simulate very large, extracted-view circuits in 2+ tone QPSS. In many of those cases, memory requirements exceed the available resources. When that happens and small-signal approximations aren’t applicable, the user...

2 Comments

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RF | RF Simulation | analog/RF | envelope | RFIC | HB | Spectre RF | spectre spectreRF | RF designer | Analog Simulation | MMSIM | RF Block Simulation | Virtuoso Spectre Simulator GXL | fast envelope | analog | ADE | RF spectre spectreRF | spectreRF | Spectre | RF design | harmonic balance | SpectreRF tutorials | simulation | wireless integrated circuit verification
Guidelines for Maximizing Speed vs. Accuracy in SpectreRF simulations - Part 3

By Tawna | 7 Mar 2012

Several months ago, I started a 3 part series on Guidelines for Maximizing Speed vs Accuracy for Harmonic Balance simulations. Today, I'll discuss part 3 of the 3 part series consisting of: Which Engine: Spectre or APS? Oversample vs Number of Harmon...

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RF | RF Simulation | analog/RF | Circuit simulation | RFIC | QPSS Analysis | shooting newton | HB | Spectre RF | spectre spectreRF | Analog Simulation | MMSIM | RF spectre spectreRF | harmonic trimming | spectreRF | RF design | harmonic balance | mixer

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