Open Source Software

ChipDesign uses and contributes to open-source EDA software in order to lower costs.

NF2FF

NF2FF is a planar near field to far field transformation for near field antenna measurement setups (Link).

rfLib

ChipDesign has developed a general-purpose RF/microwave library for CadSoft Eagle, which it offers free-of-charge. PCB designers are nowadays confronted with transmission line effects, as the bandwidth of high-speed serial interfaces (DDR RAM, ethernet, PCI Express, SATA, USB), as well as the carrier frequency of wireless standards (2.45/5 GHz "dual-band" WiFi"), continuously increases. The use of the RF components of said library reduces risk and time-to-market (Download, Screenshot).

1. Parts:
1. 25/sqrt(25*59)/50/sqrt(50*100)/100 Ω GCPW and microstrip transmission line parts (straight sections, bends)
2. 0402 SMD element in series or in shunt with a 25/sqrt(25*50)/50/sqrt(50*100)/100 Ω GCPW and microstrip transmission line
3. U.FL connectorized 50 Ω short-open-load-thru (SOLT) GCPW and microstrip calibration standards
2. Features:
   1. Designed for following substrates: Isola I-Tera (.25 & .5 mm thick); coming next: FR4 (1.55 mm thick), Rogers 4003 & 4350 (.25 & .5 mm thick)
   2. DRC clean against the design rules of Eurocircuits, LeitOn and Q-Print
   3. The dimensions of the parts have been calculated using a transmission line calculator, but the RF performance can be verified with the openEMS FDTD field solver.

rfMaxima

rfMaxima is an RF toolbox for the wxMaxima computer algebra system. rfMaxima allows for symbolic derivation, as well as numerical evaluation (incl. Bode and Smith chart plotting), of 2-port network (ABCD, G, InverseABCD, H, S, Y, and Z), noise and stability parameters. Derivations are based on the solution of the set of Kirchoff current and voltage law equations representing the 2-port. Expressions can be exported to HTML or TeX. Figures can be exported to EPS or PNG (Link).

1. ABCD and S matrix of a lossy transmission line (Link)

2. Amplitude-frequency hysteresis in flexural-mode vibrating RF MEMS resonators (Link)

3. AT-cut quartz resonator notebook (Link)

4. Butterworth filter design (Link)

5. Class-D power amplifier notebook (Link)

6. Constant-k section analysis (Link)

7. Gm-C filter design (Link)

8. FBAR notebook (Link)

9. MESFET notebook (Link)

10. Equivalent input noise generators (Link)

11. Offset analysis (Link)

12. Capacitive fixed-fixed beam RF MEMS SPST switch notebook (Link)

13. Smith chart plotting (Link)

14. Waveguide loss (TE₁₀ mode) notebook (Link)

Verilog-A RF MEMS Models

The Verilog-AMS models can be used with SPICE solvers for DC, small-signal (AC, S-parameters (SP)) and large-signal (harmonic balance (HB), periodic steady-state (PSS), quasi-periodic steady-state (QPSS)) simulation of analog/RF circuits based on RF MEMS components (Link).

1. Fixed-fixed beam RF MEMS capacitive switch, switched capacitor or varactor (AEL, VA)

2. Fixed-fixed beam RF MEMS resonator (AEL, VA)

3. Free-free beam RF MEMS resonator (AEL, VA)

4. Ohmic cantilever RF MEMS switch (AEL, VA)

5. Reference oscillator (MEMSXO) based on the fixed-fixed beam RF MEMS resonator (SCS, PNG)