Remcom announces a suite of powerful new tools designed to address the evolving challenges of modern antenna design in the latest release of XFdtd 3D EM Simulation Software, including a phase difference post-processing tool for phased array analysis, enhanced flexibility for far-zone pattern visualization, and significant performance improvements to expedite workflows.
The highlight of the release is a new far-zone post-processing tool that enables engineers to calculate and plot the phase difference between antenna elements. This capability is critical for designers of phased arrays used in angle of arrival (AoA) estimation for direction-finding systems. With the rapid growth of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology for high-precision indoor localization and tracking, the ability to accurately simulate the phase difference of arrival (PDoA) is essential for predicting system performance. By including a phase unwrapping option, XFdtd automatically resolves a key signal processing challenge in PDoA systems, providing engineers with unambiguous results that are comparable to real-world measurements and eliminating a time-consuming manual correction step.
Additionally, the far-zone spherical coordinate system can now be reoriented, allowing users to generate 2D pattern cuts along any arbitrary plane. This provides a more discerning method for analyzing as-installed antenna performance on intricate platforms such as vehicles and aircraft. By providing insight into an antenna’s full 3D radiation characteristics, engineers can evaluate devices’ real-world performance, such as a smartphone, as it is held in various orientations.
To further enhance simulation fidelity, XFdtd now supports waveguide ports with its XACT Accurate Cell Technology conformal meshing feature. XACT is a sub-cellular conformal meshing technique that allows the FDTD solver to represent curved surfaces and fine geometric features with high precision without the need for an excessively fine and computationally expensive grid. Applying this technology to waveguide ports improves simulation accuracy and higher-fidelity results for complex microwave components like filters and couplers without sacrificing speed and efficiency.
Filed Under: Development tool, Passive Components, Test & Measurement, Tools
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