RF Design Blogs

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 has been completely revised. It is a great source of information! Yeah, I know...you hear the word "documentation" and think UGH...the brain shuts off...time for a coffee break.   But really, I just love the new documentation.  It explains the "why" and not just the "how" of doing RF Simulation using Spectre.  Check it out at:

  Virtuoso® Spectre® Circuit Simulator and Accelerated Parallel Simulator RF Analysis User Guide (https://support.cadence.com/apex/techpubDocViewerPage?path=spectreRF/spectreRF13.1/Chap1.html)

  Virtuoso® Spectre® Circuit Simulator RF Analysis Library Reference  (Specifically, check out the new transmission line additions to the rfTlineLib and the new wireless additions to rfLib)  (https://support.cadence.com/apex/techpubDocViewerPage?path=rflibrary/rflibrary13.1/rflibraryTOC.html)

   

• There are new SpectreRF design workshops.  These are tutorials designed specifically for the newer SpectreRF user in Appendix A of the SpectreRF User Guide.

(https://support.cadence.com/apex/techpubDocViewerPage?path=spectreRF/spectreRF13.1/AppA.html )- 

The Workshops include:  

• Simulating Low Noise Amplifiers
• Simulating Oscillators:   LC and Ring Oscillators
• Simulating Mixers: Receive and Transmit Mixers

The new library RF_Doc_Database is located in the MMSIM hierarchy at:

<MMSIM12.1.1 or MMSIM13.1>/tools/spectre/examples/SpectreRF_workshop/RF_Doc_Database.tar.gz

Important Note: You will need to contact Cadence Customer Support to get the necessary GPDK180 to run the workshop (Reference Article 20158565).   

• The following SpectreRF Workshops located in the MMSIM hierarchy have been updated:

  RFworkshop:  LNA, Mixer, PA, and VCO workshops    

And...we've added two new workshops!

Transmission Line Workshop:  Shows the new rfTlineLib followed by four examples demonstrating how to use them to simulate transmission line circuits

Wireless Analysis Workshop:  Contains an example PA design showing the whole 802.11n standard simulation flow.

The documentation and databases for the RFworkshop, TransmissionLineWorkshop, and WirelessAnalysisWorkshop are located in the MMSIM hierarchy at: 

<MMSIM12.1.1 or MMSIM13.1>/tools/spectre/examples/SpectreRF_workshop/rfworkshop.tar.Z

 

• To see a list of our other "Secret" Tutorials and AppNotes, visit my previous blog post

  from 2012:  SpectreRF AppNotes and Tutorials....Still One of our Best Kept Secrets!

Tell me...what is your favorite SpectreRF AppNote or Workshop?

And if there was one workshop you'd like to see...what would it be?

Happy Holidays!

Tawna