CST Unveils Characteristic Mode Analysis Tool

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Computer Simulation Technology AG (CST) will unveil its Characteristic Mode Analysis tool for CST STUDIO SUITE 2016 at European Microwave Week (EuMW) 2015, booth 311.

Antenna engineers, in particular in the mobile communications industry, are faced with the challenge of optimizing antenna performance while complying with the functional and geometrical constraints of integrating multi-band antennas into compact devices.  These engineers’ tasks can be simplified with the latest extension to the CST STUDIO SUITE integral equation solver, the Characteristic Mode Analysis (CMA) tool.  CMA is a technique developed to provide physical insight into the behavior of a conducting surface. CMA calculates a set of orthogonal current-modes which are supported on a conducting surface – for example, the current modes of a metal plate. By using CMA, engineers can tune an antenna to the correct resonant frequencies and work out where to place the feed to couple into a particular radiating mode.

The CMA tool, which is built into the integral equation solver module of CST STUDIO SUITE, automates the process of calculating these modes, and calculates the modal significance (a measure of which modes are dominant at a particular frequency), farfield radiation pattern and surface current distribution associated with each mode, with automatic mode-tracking. This offers users significant insight into their device. For example, when developing a multi-band printed antenna, the CMA tool can be used to calculate the current modes on the antenna at the desired resonant frequency, and then optimize the geometry to increase the coupling to the desired mode.

CST engineers will be available to discuss the CMA solver at their booth, #311.

“We have a large customer base working on mobile devices, and these users require fast, accurate methods for their designs,” said Dr. Peter Thoma, managing director of R&D. “CMA is one of the most effective techniques for analyzing and optimizing printed antennas, especially when the antennas need to be compact and integrated into a complex environment.”

Availability

The CMA tool will be available with CST STUDIO SUITE 2016, which is due for release at the end of Q1 2016.

About CST

Founded in 1992, CST offers the market’s widest range of 3D electromagnetic field simulation tools through a global network of sales and support staff and representatives. CST develops CST STUDIO SUITE, a package of high-performance software for the simulation of electromagnetic fields in all frequency bands, and also sells and supports complementary third-party products. Its success is based on a combination of leading edge technology, a user-friendly interface and knowledgeable support staff. CST’s customers are market leaders in industries as diverse as telecommunications, defense, automotive, electronics and healthcare. Today, the company enjoys a leading position in the high-frequency 3D EM simulation market and employs 280 sales, development, and support personnel around the world.  

CST STUDIO SUITE is the culmination of many years of research and development into the most accurate and efficient computational solutions for electromagnetic designs. From static to optical, and from the nanoscale to the electrically large, CST STUDIO SUITE includes tools for the design, simulation and optimization of a wide range of devices. Analysis is not limited to pure EM, but can also include thermal and mechanical effects and circuit simulation. CST STUDIO SUITE can offer considerable product to market advantages such as shorter development cycles, virtual prototyping before physical trials, and optimization instead of experimentation. Further information about CST is available at www.cst.com.