Clarity – Tip of the week: How to set Max edge length for signal net in Clarity 3D Layout

Max edge length for signal net is also referred to as Signal Net Refinement or SNR. In Clarity 3D Layout, the option to specify Max edge length for signal net is set in the Geometry Options settings and is enabled when you select Local Map in DMesh options.

Shown below is the setting in Tools > Options > Edit Options > Clarity 3D Layout > Geometry Options. Here, you can set Max edge length for signal net.

When you select the Auto option, which is also the default selection, the tool automatically calculates the seeding value based on the trace dimensions during mesh generation. This is particularly useful for cases where there is large variation in trace widths. Select the Frequency dependent option to select the frequency-dependent initial mesh seeding.

To specify a value of your choice, select the Manual option and specify a non-negative value in the given field.

Setting a smaller Max edge length for signal net will create a denser initial mesh, which may result in the Adaptive Mesh Refinement process completing faster as compared to a larger Max edge length.

However, setting Max edge length for signal net too small may result in an overall larger mesh to be simulated, resulting in longer simulation times.