Linking circuit simulation with full-wave solver for board-level EMC design

In the fast paced electronics world, simulation has become an indispensable tool for every designer in recent years. In this paper, we present a guide to setting up a coupled simulation method from a SPICE-like circuit simulation and a full wave 3D simulation. This coupling offers the possibility to calculate the field distribution in a structure considering the effects of an attached circuit by applying the superposition theorem. As long as only elements on the circuit are modified, it allows fields to be calculated at the speed of a circuit simulation. The paper contains an introduction to the properties of time and frequency domain 3D solvers, discussing their effectiveness for different applications. In the main part of the paper we deal with the definition of ports in the 3D and circuit as the set-up of a coupled model needs special attention to the ground concept. Finally, the method is applied to the simulation of radiated and conducted emission on a realistic PCB.