LayoutAnalyzer (beta for server and cloud environments)

Release notes for supported features:

• Validity of updated installation instructions
  • Adjustments made based on build changes in dependencies
  • No support given for environment-specific installation issues in the instructions
• GDSII file input and simulation file input
  • Support for all 7 standards-compliant GDSII file elements
  • Must state physical extents in each Cartesian dimension, the frequency sweep, the bottom z-coordinate and height and relative permittivity of each layer, and the coordinates of each port (must only have a single coordinate differ between source and return) along with the port direction in the simulation input file
  • Capable of handling a logarithmic or linear frequency sweep of any reasonable number of points
  • RAM limitations generally prevent more than 10 ports at this time and discretization smaller than manufacturing tolerances
• SPICE subcircuit file output of all linear components
  • SPICE subcircuit file meant to be used with Sandia Xyce
  • Alternative: SPEF file output without ability to consider nonlinear effects or DC biasing in post-simulation
  • Notice: Output files with circuit-based representations are presently limited in validity only to narrowband signals about the lowest frequency
• Essential solver capability for Z-parameter output
  • Able to report Z-parameters, Y-parameters, or S-parameters in Keysight CITIfile or Touchstone file formats
  • Notice: inductive and high-frequency effects omitted in present release (only RC-behavior included)
• User must supply transistor model and identify ports defined for each I/O pin and each transistor of interest
  • The post-simulation step uses Sandia Xyce to combine the SPICE subcircuit, transistor models, and port excitation signals to run arbitrary circuit simulations of the system with large-signal effects and biasing

Performance changes since v0.1-beta:

• More timing information printed to terminal
• Overhauled parasitics matrix representation and handling
• Reduction of objects in fdtdMesh class
• Faster point-in-polygon algorithm implementation and more stable when run in polygons and circles
• Less reliant on unordered_map
• Faster generation of nullspace solutions in dielectric region and conductor region
• Experimentation with repository structure and compiler optimization in makefile recipes
• Part of Trusted Silicon Stratus (TSS) instance using mpirun