Target Condition: Are Autorouters Friend or Foe?
Fresh PCB Concepts: Assembly Challenges with Micro Components and Standard Solder Mask Practices
Elementary Mr. Watson: Retro Routers vs. Modern Boards—The Silent Struggle on Your Screen
Keysight PathWave Software Selected by Menlo Micro
July 19, 2021 | Keysight Technologies, Inc.Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Keysight Technologies, Inc., a leading technology company that delivers advanced design and validation solutions to help accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, announced that Menlo Micro has selected the company’s PathWave Advanced Design System (ADS) and Electromagnetic (EM) Design software to innovate advances in material science and develop high-performance microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switches.
Menlo Micro needed to resolve customer challenges relating to accurate 3D electromagnetic simulation and integrated design, test and measurement workflows in the development of its new MM5130, an ultra-low-loss radio-frequency (RF) SP4T switch, to address high-power switching applications up to 26 GHz. With an eye on time to market, Menlo targeted a short design cycle of three to four months.
Menlo Micro wanted to validate performance of its new MM5130 switch early in the development process, so it chose to implement its own PCB de-embedding algorithms into Keysight’s PathWave ADS software. “In choosing design tools, we needed to consider the whole flow, from the schematic to the 3D simulations,” said Dr. Xu Zhu, Menlo Micro’s director of technology. “Our engineers need to be familiar with the tools, and that is one of the reasons why we chose Keysight’s PathWave Advanced Design System as the core tool.”
Menlo chose Keysight’s EM Design software, including EMPro and RFPro, integrated into the PathWave ADS platform, to create a familiar design environment for their engineering team. Because the engineers were constantly changing and adjusting the layout in PathWave ADS, a smooth workflow from circuit layout to 3D EM simulation was critical.
Keysight’s EMPro and RFPro enabled Menlo to make smooth translations from the 2D layout to the 3D model files. Keysight’s RFPro, with the SmartMount and Mesh Domain Optimization technologies, solved the mesh optimization challenges. Menlo Micro’s design flow includes tools from multiple vendors, so interoperability was critical.
As a result, Menlo Micro was able to shorten the design cycle of its new MEMS switch by 65 percent with measurements correlating closely to simulation. Previous projects of this scale could take up to nine months. When comparing key banner specifications against other alternatives, Menlo Micro verified its innovative technology offered significant improvements in power density (SP4T 25 W power handling), RF insertion loss, linearity and ultra-low power consumption.
"Menlo Micro designed a complex, multi-technology module comprised of a wide range of geometries from micron-scale MEMs to millimeter-scale PCBs,” stated Tom Lillig, general manager of Keysight’s PathWave Design business. “Leveraging Keysight’s fast, high capacity, 3D EM circuit simulators they achieved a successful implementation in one pass.”
Menlo also created device prototypes and conducted measurements by wafer probing, which demonstrated first-pass manufacturing success. Next, their engineering team performed measurements on Keysight’s vector network analyzer (VNA) to compare its simulation results against actual de-embedded device measurements as a proof of concept for customers.
Share on:
Suggested Items
DownStream Acquisition Fits Siemens’ ‘Left-Shift’ Model
06/26/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007I recently spoke to DownStream Technologies founder Joe Clark about the company’s acquisition by Siemens. We were later joined by A.J. Incorvaia, Siemens’ senior VP of electronic board systems. Joe discussed how he, Rick Almeida, and Ken Tepper launched the company in the months after 9/11 and how the acquisition came about. A.J. provides some background on the acquisition and explains why the companies’ tools are complementary.
Elementary Mr. Watson: Retro Routers vs. Modern Boards—The Silent Struggle on Your Screen
06/26/2025 | John Watson -- Column: Elementary, Mr. WatsonThere's a story about a young woman preparing a holiday ham. Before putting it in the pan, she cuts off the ends. When asked why, she shrugs and says, "That's how my mom always did it." She asks her mother, who gives the same answer. Eventually, the question reaches Grandma, who laughs and says, "Oh, I only cut the ends off because my pan was too small." This story is a powerful analogy for how many PCB designers approach routing today.
Connect the Dots: The Future of PCB Design and Manufacturing
07/02/2025 | Matt Stevenson -- Column: Connect the DotsFor some time, I have been discussing the increasing complexity of PCBs and how designers can address the constantly evolving design requirements associated with them. My book, "The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to… Designing for Reality," details best practices for creating manufacturable boards in a modern production environment.
Siemens Turbocharges Semiconductor and PCB Design Portfolio with Generative and Agentic AI
06/24/2025 | SiemensAt the 2025 Design Automation Conference, Siemens Digital Industries Software today unveiled its AI-enhanced toolset for the EDA design flow.
Cadence AI Autorouter May Transform the Landscape
06/19/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazinePatrick Davis, product management director with Cadence Design Systems, discusses advancements in autorouting technology, including AI. He emphasizes a holistic approach that enhances placement and power distribution before routing. He points out that younger engineers seem more likely to embrace autorouting, while the veteran designers are still wary of giving up too much control. Will AI help autorouters finally gain industry-wide acceptance?