FEKO--Powerful three-dimensional full-wave electromagnetic simulation software

Overview

Under the leadership of Dr. Gronum Smith, the numerical method Method of Moments (MOM), which was popular in the 1980s, was successfully introduced into FEKO. On this basis, a Multilevel Fast Multipole Method (MLFMM) was introduced. The FEKO was the first in the world to Method to market the commercial software. This method makes it possible to accurately analyze the problem of electricity.

FEKO supports finite element method (FEM), and MLFMM and FEM mixed solution, MLFMM + FEM hybrid algorithm can solve the high degree of non-uniform dielectric large size problem. Particularly suitable for the problem of free space coupling between structures, the space between the MLFMM region (for example, the radiation region) and the FEM region (for example, the dielectric region) does not need to be divided into meshes, which makes the matrix size small, so the computational resources FEKO uses a rectangular method based on higher order basis function (HOBF) to support the use of large-sized triangular elements to accurately calculate the current distribution of the model, while ensuring the accuracy of the required reduction of memory, shorten the calculation time; FEKO also contains rich High-frequency calculation methods, such as physical optics (PO), large element physics (GO), geometrical optics (GO), Uniformity of Diffraction(UTD), can use less resources to quickly solve Superpower size problem.

Based on the powerful solver, FEKO software has become a leading product in the field of electromagnetic simulation, especially in the field of electromagnetic simulation analysis, especially the analysis of electric and large size problems.

The Solution Technology

Core algorithmAlgorithm Features Application direction

Method of Moments(MOM)Based on the Maxwell integral equation, high precision, especially suitable for calculating the general electrical size and small problems, such as: line antenna, microstrip antenna, microwave devices, microstrip circuit, small antenna array.

ACA technologyVery suitable for dense problems, such as the problem of complex media or low frequency geometric size is a big problem, this method is computationally efficient.

Multilevel Fast Multipole Method (MLFMM)The MLFMM method is based on the idea of grouping, and the interaction between the modules is calculated as the N * log (N). This method is very suitable for the radiation and scattering problems of large and small size structures.

Finite Element Method (FEM)Finite element algorithm is very suitable for the calculation of complex media, fine structure of the model.

Multilevel Fast Multipole Method +Finite Element Method (MLFMM + FEM)The hybrid method deals with the target body containing the electric carrier and the complex medium, the multipole method simulates the large size part, and the finite element method simulates the fine part or the complex medium.

High-order Method of Moments

(High Order MoM)Based on the higher order basis function (HOBF), the large size triangular element is used to accurately calculate the current distribution of the model. Large-sized units mean fewer units and unknowns, reduce the amount of memory required to ensure accuracy, shorten the computation time, and are suitable for large-scale radiation and scattering problems.

Windscreen technologyWind tunnel antenna simulation technology, the calculation accuracy is good, the simulation efficiency is high, suitable for automobile wind turbine and other related industries.

Plane Green functionSuitable for flat microstrip circuits, antennas. The media body does not need to be divided into meshes, computationally fast, and can be used for large-scale microstrip structural problems simulation and to simulate infinite ground plane and sea level.

Physical Optics (PO)The mesh division is consistent with the rule of the moment, adding the Fokker current to improve the accuracy. Suitable for large-size antenna antenna, antenna layout, radar stealth and other issues of rapid calculation.

Large element physical optics (LE-PO)The method can be used to scale the target with a wavelength equal to or even several wavelengths, which greatly reduces the number of meshes. For super-large problems such as ships, relative to the traditional physical optics, the use of this large area PO method, can greatly improve the speed of calculation, expansion of the problem of solving the scale.

Geometrical optics ( GO )

The grid is only required to fit geometrically, and is ideal for radiation and scattering analysis of super-large size problems such as radomes, reflector antennas, and dielectric lens antennas.

Uniformity of Diffraction ( UTD )

UTD is an asymptotic approach, and the size of the structure no longer affects memory requirements

Main Application

FEKO has the following typical applications:

(1) antenna design: line antenna, speakers and caliber antenna, reflective antenna,microstrip antenna, phased array antenna, helical antenna.

(2) Antenna layout: In fact, the antenna is always installed in a structure, which will change the antenna "free space" radiation performance.

(3) EMC / EMI analysis: Because MoM only needs discrete current flowing through the surface, FEKO is very suitable for all types of EMC simulation.

(4) Planar microstrip antenna: FEKO uses the full-wave method to analyze the microstrip antenna, and can obtain the coupling, near field, far field, radiation pattern, current distribution, impedance and other parameters accurately.

(5) Cable system: FEKO combined with CableMod, can be very efficient to deal with the system responsible for the cable bundle coupling and cable and antenna coupling problems.

(6) SAR calculation: field values in different media parameter areas can be calculated and then these field values are used to calculate the standard absorption ratio (SAR).

(7) Radar cross section (RCS) calculation: The RCS radar cross section (target recognition) calculation for large targets, ground targets, etc. is also usually a large size problem. Similarly, FEKO's hybrid high frequency algorithm is also good for this problem The calculation effect.

(8) Mesh and ferromagnetic materials: FEKO's equivalent principle and body equivalence principle provide an effective calculation method for the structure of the dielectric body and the ferromagnetic material body. At the same time, it in the plane of multi-layer media, coating lines, media substrates and other applications also provide the appropriate means of treatment.

Features

FEKO is based on the classical MoM, and combines the efficient and fast algorithm to solve the multilayer fast multilevel (MLFMM), and combines the finite element method (FEM) which is especially suitable for dealing with inhomogeneous media. In addition, FEKO also supports fast high frequency approximation algorithm, as well as MoM and high frequency method, finite element method of hybrid algorithm, greatly expanded the scope of a single algorithm to solve the large size problem solving capacity greatly enhanced.

1)A comprehensive method of moments

FEKO achieved a very complete moment method, and the first multi-layer fast multi-level sub-algorithm into the commercial software greatly improved the computational efficiency. Considering the influence of lumped parameters, skin effect, loss, and biological absorption, it can deal with metal, free space, homogeneous medium, nonuniform medium and multilayer medium.

2)Unmatched advantage in open-domain radiation or in the area of the size of RTVU

The combination of the moment method and the high frequency approximation method greatly expands the scale of the problem that can be solved, especially the advantages of radiation, scattering and electric size for the open field.

3)high precision

The solution of the complete moment method is usually very close to the analytical solution, and it is better than other methods. Calculate radiation, scattering and other issues, Feko no need to set the truncated boundary, there is no numerical dispersion error.

4)Hybrid simulation technology greatly reduces the amount of computation and storage

In the calculation of large and small size problems, hybrid simulation technology greatly reduces the calculation and storage capacity, to ensure the efficiency of the solution.

5)Friendly user interface and perfect CAD interface

6)Excellent parallel computing power

FEKO's parallel function after years of development has been very mature, efficiency is also rising, the current parallel efficiency factor has reached 0.8.

7)interface with CableMod and PCBMod

FEKO interfaces with EMC / EMI, SI analysis modules (PCBMod and CableMod) for PCB and complex cable routing to handle EMC / EMI issues from chips, devices, cables to chassis, systems, and so on.

8)adaptive broadband sweep technology

Automatically adjust the frequency interval, using much less sampling point analysis system of broadband response, greatly reducing the amount of calculation.

9)Multi-parameter optimization

It is possible to optimize the analysis of multiple structural parameters simultaneously with the objective function specified by the user, such as gain and near field, and provide a variety of optimization algorithms.

Function

1)FEKO provides a way to solve the problem of large size problem by MLFMM, MoM / PO and MoM / UTD.

2)There are different approaches to different problems: FEKO offers a variety of core algorithms, MoM, multilayer fast multipole (MLFMM), physical optics (PO), coherent diffraction theory (UTD), finite (FEM), the Green's function of planar multi-layer media, and their hybrid algorithms to deal with various different problems efficiently.

3)With its unique calculation technique, FEKO can deal with the problem of uniform background media and layered media, which can be used to analyze the multi-layer structure problems such as microstrip circuit and microstrip antenna, and consider the reflection effect of ground and sea surface.

4)FEKO time domain electromagnetic field analysis function through Fourier transform and inverse transformation to achieve the time domain and frequency domain conversion, and provides a variety of commonly used electromagnetic pulse excitation mode. For the broadband response analysis in the project, the step-by-step or adaptive frequency selection is used to obtain the intra-band response.

5)FEKO has a good optimization design capability, based on a variety of optimization algorithms (such as simplex method, conjugate gradient method, quasi-Newton method, etc.), for gain, isolation, RCS, radiation pattern, impedance coefficient, reflection coefficient, near field Value and so on to optimize the analysis, to achieve the integration of analysis and design.

6)FEKO's unique Adaptive Frequency Sampling (AFS) technology enables fast and accurate swept computing. The technique uses the rational spline function to automatically select the sampling point of the sweep calculation. The comb-point distribution of the sampling point is directly related to the response curve (for example, the sampling point is automatically increased at the resonant frequency). At the same precision, The earth reduces the computational time of the sweep analysis.

7)FEKO supports distributed memory and shared memory parallel mode, provides a single multi-CPU parallel, multi-machine network parallel program version and support large memory (up to 16GB) to run the UNIX version, to meet the practical needs of the project. At the same time FEKO has excellent parallel computing efficiency.

8)Powerful modeling and post-processing features: FEKO provides 3D graphics modeling capabilities, providing a variety of unit entities and corresponding Boolean operations, can create a fairly complex model; while providing 3D graphics and 2D graphics post-processing capabilities, and support for animation Results; support for a variety of advanced CAD software (such as UG, Pro / E, CATIA, FEMAP Neutral, AUTOCAD, ASCII, NASTRAN, STL, ANSYS and all ParaSolid format) to create a geometric model. (RCS), far field and near field, antenna pattern, gain, polarization, special absorption ratio (SAR), etc., and the results of the cloud, vector , Animation, slice display.

9)Support for multiple hardware and software platforms: FEKO supports all major CPU platforms and operating systems, including advanced 64-bit systems and various parallel systems.

10)Secondary development: FEKO provides loop and branch control statements, can enter a custom function or the calculation process of the program run; open input and output files, can be Matlab, Frotran, C and other calls.

Process Module

FEKO suite of software consists of the following components:

Modeling Sub-network Pre-processing Module——CADFEKO

1.Powerful model building, import and model repair functions, providing a variety of common CAD model import interface: Unigraphics; Catia, Pro Engineer, Parasolid, IGES, ACIS;

2.You can import complex CAE grid models such as: FEMAP, Nastran, Ansys, Patran, STL, Abaqus, etc;

3.Media materials, metal materials, multi-layer thin layer of media, impedance layer, support for frequency change materials

4.Comprehensive feed port: waveguide port (coaxial port, rectangular waveguide, circular waveguide), microstrip, line port, edge feed port, FEM mode feed port, accurate calculation of port parameters;

5.Calculation method (MoM, high order MoM, MLFMM, FEM, GO, PO, LE_PO and UTD, etc.)

6.Integrated a rich optimization algorithm, such as simplex method, genetic algorithm, particle swarm algorithm and grid fast search method, can facilitate the realization of multi-parameter, multi-objective optimization;

7.Calculate the graphical settings for parameters (near field, far field, current, S parameter and SAR analysis, etc.).

Optional Advanced Preprocessing Module——Card Editing Tool EDITFEKO

1.You can edit the CADFFEKO generated .PRE file;

2.Parameterization .pre generate script templates, easy to use advanced programming tools such as C, C + +, MATLAB and other direct call FEKO solver;

3.Suitable for advanced users, the use of some advanced settings such as: phased array scanning feed, antenna and radome relative position changes in the calculation of the target error;

Calculate the underlying execution modules——Prefeko, FEKO, timefeko, and so on

Post-processing module——POSTFEKO

1.Such as: directional coefficient, gain, standing wave, S parameter, efficiency, coupling degree, RCS, polarization, field distribution, SAR, surface current and charge density, and so on.

2.POSTFEKO supports multiple windows to view multiple geometric models and graphical results

3.Support input / output of simulation results, and import external test data;

4.The 3D view supports the ruler grid for easy movement on the geometry to obtain geometric information;

5.Support a variety of display: support multiple, any direction of the tangent plane, cloud, animation, 2D curve, data list, Cartesian coordinates, polar coordinates, Smith chart,

6.RCS parameters can be directly obtained from the polarization of the RCS value: Ludwig III co- and cross-polarisations, and can be optimized for the polarization of the RCS;

7.Support LUA script, easy to batch processing of the results file (. Bof), the special engineering parameters (such as: phase center, aiming error, RCS variance, electromagnetic radiation safety area, etc.) more convenient results processing and display;

8.Integrated Integrated FFT / IFFT, to provide common time domain waveform, can be time domain crosstalk, lightning impulse and stealth imaging significantly;

9.Post-processing can display CAD models in 2D curves.

Among them, CADFEKO, EDITFEKO and POSTFEKO is the software graphical user interface, under normal circumstances, the user through these GUI interface to use the software.

Technical characteristics

FEKO for electromechanical problems

Multi-layer fast multipole

The MLFMM algorithm is the most effective method to solve the electric size problem accurately.

Finite element method + multi-layer fast multipole method: FEM + MLFMM hybrid processing contains the target body of TVU carrier and complex media body, give full play to the advantages of multipole and finite element algorithm;

Higher order moment method: The high order moment method is a new technique to solve the problem of large size radiation and scattering. It adopts the direct inverse of the matrix, and there is no problem of divergence and convergence slow, which is suitable for solving strong resonance problem : Inlet, waveguide crack array antenna) and single station RCS problem;

Moment method + high frequency mixing algorithm:

Moment method + physical optics - PO mixing;

Moment method + geometric optics - GO mixing;

Moment method + Consistency diffraction method - UTD mixing;

Efficient parallel technology

Based on MPI / OpenMP parallel technology, support distributed parallel, shared memory parallel, software support stand-alone multi-core parallel, but also support multi-machine multi-core parallel computing, with efficient, powerful parallel computing capabilities, support for Windows, Linux, Unix and other platforms ;

Rapid Convergence of Single Station RCS

By introducing the inheritance iterative technique, the result of the previous angle is corrected as the initial value of the latter angle, and the number of multi-layer fast multipole iterations is greatly reduced, and the single station RCS is calculated quickly and accurately.

Joint Simulation of Nonradiative Network and Antenna

FEKO software supports field, road joint simulation, FEKO can directly read the circuit S, Z, Y, Spice and other parameters of the file, the non-radiation circuit network and radiation unit together for the overall analysis, and FEKO can output the antenna S Parameters for circuit tool simulation.

GPU acceleration

FEKO supports GPU acceleration, which can increase the speed of the matrix solution by several times or even hundreds of times (related to the processing unit contained in the GPU), which is significant for large computational tasks.

Support Feature Mode Analysis (CMA) Acceleration Support Different tasks specify different GPU acceleration

Supports single task multi-GPU acceleration

GP-GPU cluster support

Wind window antenna simulation technology

Unique windscreen antenna processing technology to support MLFMM calculation, can analyze the vehicle model in the wind tunnel antenna radiation, receiving problems.

characteristical Mode Analysis(CMA)

CMA is a method of numerically calculating a series of orthogonal current modes (similar to waveguide modes) that can be supported on conductors (eg, mobile phones, aircraft, vehicles, etc.). It provides a systematic approach to help engineers understand the antenna's working principle more intuitively from a physical point of view, determine the resonant frequency of a particular pattern, and optimize the feed position.

Finite Large Array Fast Solving Technique

A new fast array solver based on the Domain Green function (DGFM) method is used to quickly analyze large and large antenna arrays with limited size. Users can predefine from a variety of settings more easily define a limited array of antennas, such as: linear array, planar array, round / cylindrical array, but also support a custom array and so on.

Enhance the cable bundle modeling function

Introduces a new cable schematic view that provides a rich cable type (single wire, twisted pair, cable, coaxial, and any complex wiring harness) to support automatic bundling of complex cable bundles (Auto bunding) function, support the braid structure shield etc.