SEATTLE, WA – Simberian Inc., a developer of electromagnetic software for high-speed and high frequency electronic design automation, has released Simbeor 2007, which is said to allow system designers to accurately generate in minutes transmission lines and via holes models for data rates of 100Gbs and faster.
Simbeor 2007 is a fully integrated graphical simulation environment with built-in 3D full-wave field solver for multilayered circuits (3DML solver). The solver accounts for losses and dispersion from transitions to skin effect, skin and proximity effects, and metal surface roughness.Simbeor 2007 uses broadband causal dielectric models and accounts for high-frequency dispersion in multilayered dielectrics while extracting causal RLGC per unit length and S-parameter models.It reportedly produces advanced full wave models of interconnects for accurate high-speed channel analysis.
Due in large part to the high costs of ownership, 3D full wave solvers have not been an option for most companies previously. Simbeor 2007 with Level 1 features is being released to compliment static and general-purpose electromagnetic solvers currently available.
WILSONVILLE, OR – LPKF Laser & Electronics introduced the new ProtoLaser 200, a laser system for prototyping and on-demand production of PCBs. This fully enclosed laser-based system works directly off of CAD data to produce circuits on a variety of materials including ceramic and PTFE based substrates. The protective cabinet is said to allow for a Class One laser safety rating and prevents any particles or evaporation from leaving the work area.
The ProtoLaser 200 reportedly combines advanced laser technology, optics and x/y table mechanisms, resulting in enhanced quality, speed and accuracy. The said improved performance and speed of this system makes it an ideal component in any RF and microwave engineering environment including antennas, RFID, filters and single layer components.
A visible laser image is projected on to the work surface, outlining the preferred work area, prior to the actual laser structuring, while alignment of two-sided artwork is automated with a fiducial recognition camera. This vision system also allows the ProtoLaser 200 to automatically set the proper laser focal point, visually inspect, and properly align the work piece.
PETERSBURGH, NY – The Advanced Dielectric Division of Taconic will feature a variety of products that offer low loss and high reliability for conventional and multilayer RF and high speed digital board fabrication at the MTT-S International Microwave Symposium in Honolulu, HI June 5 – 7.
Taconic’s TacPreg prepregs, constructed with BT epoxy/woven fiberglass/PTFE components, are said to offer reduced electrical loss and ease of fabrication for high-speed digital and RF commercial and military applications. These dimensionally stable laminates, available with a Dk of 3.00 – 3.5, reportedly enable production of 20+ layer boards at FR-4 laminating temperatures and pressures.
According to the company, HyRelex thin flexible interconnect materials offer exceptional thermal, mechanical, electrical and moisture resistant properties for multilayer, double sided and rigid flex circuits. Taconic reports that low dissipation factor, excellent peel strength and smooth surface profile make HyRelex ideal for applications involving high frequencies, high temperatures and harsh environments.
TSM-30, designed for consistent performance over broad temperatures and frequencies, offers the unique properties of both low loss and low moisture, and solvent absorption.
For heat dissipation in multilayer boards, Taconic’s heavy metal clad laminates provide thick layers of copper, brass and aluminum for reliability in temperature management.
SAN DIEGO, CA –FocalSpot Inc. has introduced the Verifier Plus X-Ray Inspection System, a mid-point addition to the Verifier Series of Portable X-Ray Inspection Systems.
The Verifier Plus is designed to provide high-quality imaging and inspection capabilities at a low price. Although the Verifier Plus is considered to be a mid-entry point system, it offers imaging and diagnostic abilities that reportedly rival many high-end systems.
The Verifier Plus has a large 40mm field-of-view for swift inspection of large board areas or components and provides >200X magnification for detailed viewing of the smallest BGA/SMT electrical interconnections. The system is said to be ideal for BGA/SMT solder quality assessment and low-density material analysis applications.
“X-ray inspection has become an indispensable tool for providing quality assessment and manufacturing process information. It is for this reason that x-ray inspection has become a process requirement by the vast majority of electronics manufacturers today,” said Glenn Olaes, X-Ray product manager for FocalSpot Inc. “Therefore, having in-house x-ray inspection capabilities has become a competitive advantage. The Verifier Plus provides an ideal solution by offering just the right mix of high-quality capabilities and affordability to fulfill both application and budget requirements; making this a practical solution for any thrifty buyer.”
SAN JOSE – Tessera Technologies Inc. has released the MicroPILR Interconnect platform, an innovative technology family designed to revolutionize the interconnect within semiconductor packages, substrates, PCBs and other electronic components.
The interconnection is achieved through low profile, pin-shaped contacts that replace conventional technologies used today, such as solder balls on semiconductor packages and plated vias in package substrates and PCBs. These contacts reportedly deliver a number of key benefits needed to meet emerging product roadmaps, including significantly reduced profile, fine pitch, improved electrical and thermal performance, and enhanced reliability.
Bruce McWilliams, Tessera's chairman, president and CEO, said, "Tessera developed the MicroPILR platform to enable the ongoing evolution of electronics, which will require breakthroughs in interconnect to achieve greater levels of integration and functionality at lower levels of cost. Tessera is actively engaged with key members of the supply chain, including leading semiconductor manufacturers, subcontract assemblers, and materials suppliers, to drive widespread adoption of Tessera's MicroPILR platform. We look forward to offering our customers and the global electronics industry a powerful tool in meeting next-generation product roadmaps."
TOKYO – Panasonic and Ansoft Corp. have released a new design kit for Any Layer Interstitial Via Hole (ALIVH) Board for Nexxim, HFSS and Ansoft Designer. The design kit can reportedly be used with Panasonic surface mount technology components. Engineers designing high-performance HDMI signal lines can utilize this design kit to ensure the signal quality of the digital signal content. The kit is equipped with scalable differential and common mode elements that can be applied in circuit- and system-level simulations to produce realistic waveforms.
"Panasonic is pleased to complement Ansoft's powerful simulation technologies with an ALIVH Design Kit together with our most advanced surface mount components," said Naoto Okamura, group leader, Device Application Center at Panasonic. "We look forward to expanding all the possibilities with Ansoft for board design to extend the library in the future to include LCR composites, noise suppression components, baluns, SAW devices and power supplies to benefit our mutual customers."
With Panasonic's ALIVH technology, it is said that engineers can design circuit boards that are more compact because via holes can be placed in all layers of the board. These compact board designs allow engineers to add greater circuit functionality due to the increased real estate and to shorten the effective trace length for high-speed signal circuits.
The design kit is available from Panasonic's Web site (http://industrial.panasonic.com/i/library.html).
