GettingStarted:Ansoft

HFSS8.0
Section 6: Boundary Module

5-1

Synopsis

General Overview

Boundary Types, Definitions, and Parameters

Source Types, Definitions, and Parameters
Interface Layout

Assigning Boundaries

Boundary Setup Exercise Part 1: Define Boundaries in Example

Model

Face Selection
Precedence
Assumptions (the outer Boundary)

Details of Port Definition and Creation

Size and Position
Mode Count
Degenerate Modes
Calibration, Impedance, and Polarization
Gap Source Ports

Boundary Setup Exercise Part 2: Add ports to Example Model

5-2

HFSS Boundary List

Perfect E and Perfect H/Natural

Ideal Electrically or Magnetically Conducting Boundaries
Natural denotes Perfect E cancellation behavior
Finite Conductivity
Lossy Electrically Conducting Boundary, with user-provided conductivity
and permeability
Impedance
Used for simulating thin film resistor materials, with user-provided
resistance and reactance in /
Radiation
An absorbing boundary condition, used at the periphery of a project in
which radiation is expected such as an antenna structure
Symmetry
A boundary which enables modeling of only a sub-section of a structure
in which field symmetry behavior is assured.
Perfect E and Perfect H subcategories
Master and Slave
Linked boundary conditions for unit-cell studies of infinitely replicating
geometry (e.g. an antenna array)
5-3

HFSS Boundary Descriptions: Perfect E and

Perfect H/Natural

Parameters: None
E perpendicular

Perfect E is a perfect electrical conductor*

Perfect E Boundary*

E parallel

Perfect H is a perfect magnetic conductor

Perfect H Boundary

E continuous

Natural Boundary

*NOTE: When you define a solid object as a

perf_conductor in the Material Setup, a
Perfect E boundary condition is applied to its
exterior surfaces!!

Forces E-field perpendicular to the surface

Represent metal surfaces, ground planes,
ideal cavity walls, etc.
Forces H-field perpendicular to surface, Efield tangential
Does not exist in the real world, but
represents useful boundary constraint for
modeling

Natural denotes effect of Perfect H applied

on top of some other (e.g. Perfect E)
boundary

Deletes the Perfect E condition, permitting

but not requiring tangential electrical fields.
Opens a hole in the Perfect E plane
5-4

HFSS Boundary Descriptions: Finite

Conductivity

E perpendicular , attenuating

Parameters: Conductivity and

Permeability

Finite Conductivity is a lossy

electrical conductor

Finite Conductivity Boundary

*NOTE: When you define a solid object

as a non-ideal metal (e.g. copper,
aluminum) in the Material Setup module,
and it is set to Solve Surface, a Finite
Conductivity boundary is automatically
applied to its exterior faces!!

E-field forced perpendicular, as with

Perfect E
However, surface impedance takes
into account resistive and reactive
surface losses

User inputs conductivity (in

siemens/meter) and relative
permeability (unitless)
Used for non-ideal conductor
analysis*

5-5

HFSS Boundary Descriptions: Impedance

Parameters: Resistance and

Reactance, ohms/square (/)

Impedance boundary is a direct, userdefined surface impedance

EXAMPLE: Resistor in Wilkenson Power Divider

Resistor is 3.5 mils long (in direction of flow) and
4 mils wide. Desired lumped value is 35 ohms.

3.5
N
0.875
4
R
35
Rsheet lumped
40 / square
N
.875

Use to represent thin film resistors

Use to represent reactive loads
Reactance will NOT vary with
frequency, so does not represent
a lumped capacitor or inductor
over a frequency band.

Calculate required impedance from

desired lumped value, width, and length

Length (in direction of current flow)

Width = number of squares
Impedance per square = Desired
Lumped Impedance number of
squares
5-6

HFSS Boundary Descriptions: Radiation

Parameters: None

Boundary is /4 away from

horn aperture in all directions.

Note boundary does not

follow break at tail end
of horn. Doing so
would result in a convex
surface to interior
radiation.

A Radiation boundary is an absorbing

boundary condition, used to mimic continued
propagation beyond the boundary plane
Absorption is achieved via a secondorder impedance calculation
Boundary should be constructed correctly for
proper absorption
Distance: For strong radiators (e.g.
antennas) no closer than /4 to any
structure. For weak radiators (e.g. a
bent circuit trace) no closer than /10 to
any structure
Orientation: The radiation boundary
absorbs best when incident energy flow
is normal to its surface
Shape: The boundary must be
concave to all incident fields from within
the modeled space
5-7

HFSS Boundary Descriptions: Radiation,

cont.

Refection Coefcient (dB)

Radiation boundary absorption profile

vs. incidence angle is shown at left

20
Reflection Coefficient (dB)

0
-20

-40
-60

-80
-100

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

theta (deg)

Reflection of Radiation Boundary in dB, vs.

Angle of Incidence relative to boundary
normal (i.e. for normal incidence, = 0)

Note that absorption falls off

significantly as incidence exceeds 40
degrees from normal
Any incident energy not absorbed is
reflected back into the model,
altering the resulting field solution!

Implication: For steered-beam arrays,

the standard radiation boundary may
be insufficient for proper analysis.
Solution: Use a Perfectly Matched
Layer (PML) construction instead.

Incorporation of PMLs is covered in

the Advanced HFSS training course.
Details available upon request.

5-8

HFSS Boundary Descriptions: Symmetry

Conductive edges, 4 sides

Parameters: Type (Perfect E or Perfect H)

This rectangular waveguide contains a

symmetric propagating mode, which could
be modeled using half the volume
vertically....
Perfect E Symmetry (top)

...or horizontally.

Symmetry boundaries permit modeling of

only a fraction of the entire structure under
analysis
Two Symmetry Options:

Symmetry boundaries also have further

implications to the Boundary Manager and
Fields Post Processing

Perfect H Symmetry
(left side)

Perfect E : E-fields are perpendicular to the

symmetry surface
Perfect H : E-fields are tangential to the
symmetry surface

Existence of a Symmetry Boundary will

prompt Port Impedance Multiplier verification
Existence of a symmetry boundary allows for
near- and far-field calculation of the entire
structure
5-9

HFSS Boundary Descriptions: Symmetry,

cont.

TE20 Mode in WR90

Geometric symmetry does not

necessarily imply field symmetry
for higher-order modes
Symmetry boundaries can act as
mode filters

Perfect E Symmetry (top)

Properly represented with

Perfect E Symmetry

Mode can not occur properly

with Perfect H Symmetry

As shown at left, the next higher

propagating waveguide mode is
not symmetric about the vertical
center plane of the waveguide
Therefore one symmetry case is
valid, while the other is not!

Implication: Use caution when

using symmetry to assure that real
behavior in the device is not filtered
out by your boundary conditions!!

Perfect H Symmetry
(right side)

5-10

HFSS Boundary Descriptions: Master/Slave

Boundaries
Perfectly Matched Layer
(top)

Parameters: Coordinate system,

master/slave pairing, and phasing

Master Boundary

Slave Boundary

Master and Slave boundaries are used

to model a unit cell of a repeating
structure

V-axis

Origin

WG Port
(bottom)

U-axis

Constraints:

Ground Plane

Unit Cell Model of End-Fire Waveguide Array

Also referred to as linked boundaries

Master and Slave boundaries are
always paired: one master to one slave
The fields on the slave surface are
constrained to be identical to those on
the master surface, with a phase shift.

The master and slave surfaces must be

of identical shapes and sizes
A coordinate system must be identified
on the master and slave boundary to
identify point-to-point correspondence
5-11

HFSS Source List

Port

Incident Wave

Used for RCS or Propagation Studies (e.g. Frequency-Selective

Surfaces)
Results must be post-processed in Fields Module; no S-parameters
can be provided
Applies to entire volume of modeled space

Voltage Drop or Current Source

Most Commonly Used Source. Its use results in S-parameter output

from HFSS.
Two Subcategories: Standard Ports and Gap Source Ports
Apply to Surface(s) of solids or to sheet objects

Ideal voltage or current excitations

Apply to Surface(s) of solids or to sheet objects

Magnetic Bias

Internal H Field Bias for nonreciprocal (ferrite) material problems

Applies to entire solid object representing ferrite material
5-12

HFSS Source Descriptions: Port

EXAMPLE STANDARD PORTS

Parameters: Mode Count, Calibration,

Impedance, Polarization, Imp. Multiplier

A port is an aperture through which

guided electromagnetic field energy is
injected into a 3D HFSS model. There
are two types:

EXAMPLE GAP-SOURCE PORTS

Standard Ports: The aperture is solved

using a 2D eigensolution which locates
all requested propagating modes
Characteristic impedance is
calculated from the 2D solution
Impedance and Calibration Lines
provide further control
Gap Source Ports: Approximated field
excitation is placed on the gap source
port surface
Characteristic impedance is
provided by the user during setup
5-13

HFSS Source Descriptions: Incident Wave

Parameters: Poynting Vector, Efield Magnitude and Vector

Used for radar cross section (RCS)

scattering problems.
Defined by Poynting Vector
(direction of propagation) and Efield magnitude and orientation

In the above example, a plane incident wave is

directed at a solid made from dielectrics, to view
the resultant scattering fields.

Poynting and E-field vectors must

be orthogonal.
Multiple plane waves can be
created for the same project.

If no ports are present in the

model, S-parameter output is not
provided

Analysis data obtained by postprocessing on the Fields using the

Field Calculator, or by generating
RCS Patterns
5-14

HFSS Source Descriptions: Voltage Drop and

Current Source
Example Current
Source (along trace
or across gap)

Parameters: Direction and Magnitude

Example Voltage
Drop (between
trace and ground)

A voltage drop would be used to

excite a voltage between two metal
structures (e.g. a trace and a ground)
A current source would be used to
excite a current along a trace, or
across a gap (e.g. across a slot
antenna)
Both are ideal source excitations,
without impedance definitions

No S-Parameter Output

User applies condition to a 2D or 3D

object created in the geometry

Vector identifying the direction of the

voltage drop or the direction of the
current flow is also required

5-15

HFSS Source Descriptions: Magnetic Bias

Parameters: Magnitude and

Direction or Externally Provided

The magnetic bias source is used

only to provide internal biasing Hfield values for models containing
nonreciprocal (ferrite) materials.

Bias may be uniform field (enter

parameters directly in HFSS)...
Parameters are direction and
magnitude of the field
...or bias may be non-uniform
(imported from external
Magnetostatic solution package)
Ansofts 3D EM Field
Simulator provides this
analysis and output

Apply source to selected 3D solid

object (e.g. ferrite puck)
5-16

Sources/Boundaries and Eigenmode

Solutions

An Eigenmode solution is a direct solution of the resonant

modes of a closed structure
As a result, some of the sources and boundaries discussed so
far are not available for an Eigenmode project. These are:

All Excitation Sources:

Ports
Voltage Drop and Current Sources
Magnetic Bias
Incident Waves

The only unavailable boundary type is:

Radiation Boundary
A Perfectly Matched Layer construction is possible as a
replacement

5-17

The HFSS Source/Boundary Setup Interface

Menu and Toolbar
Side Window
Coordinate Fields and
Snap Options

Pick Options
Controls selection options
in graphical window

Source/Boundary List
Shows all sources and
boundaries currently
assigned to the project
and their status; allows
selection for viewing,
editing, and deletion
Source/Boundary Control
Allows Naming, contains execution
controls (Assign, Clear, Units...)

Graphical View Window

Shows geometry, permits
point-and-click selection,
vector definition, and
assignment.

Source/Boundary Selection Buttons

Source/Boundary Drop-Down
Lists all source or boundary types,
based on radio button selected
Boundary Attributes Field
Region Layout changes to provide
entry fields for selected source or boundary
characteristics and options.
5-18

Boundary Manager: Object/Face Selection

2.

1.

NOTE: The same graphical view manipulation

shortcuts for rotation, panning, and zooming found
in the Draw module also work here; the visibility
icon also assists object/face selection by hiding
exterior objects.

The Graphical Pick options (1) control

the result of clicking in the graphical
view window.
Object: mouse-click selects
exterior of entire object
Face: mouse-click selects
closest face of object
Boundary: mouse-click selects
closest existing boundary
condition (if any)
To shift your focus to an object or face
deeper into the model, use the right
mouse menu (2) choice Next Behind,
or the hotkey N
Selected faces will highlight in a grid
pattern; selected objects will have
their wireframe highlighted
Multiple faces may be selected
simultaneously; a second click
deselects already-selected faces
5-19

Boundary Manager: Object/Face Selection,

cont.

3.
4.

The Edit menu (3) provides further

Select options, including Faces
Intersection
Faces intersection opens a list
box containing all objects in
the model
Selecting two touching objects
from the list will prompt the
interface to automatically find
all intersecting faces
Note: only exterior faces in
intersection are selected, not
faces of one object which are
inside the volume of the other
The Edit menu Select option By
Name (4) provides a list of all faces
in the model, numbered and sorted
by object, for selection.

5-20

Boundary Assignment: General Procedure

2. Select face(s)
5. New Boundary will
appear in list
1. Select source or boundary and type
4. Name and Assign

3. Fill in Parameters as necessary

Select Source or
Boundary radio button,
and desired type from
the drop-down listing
Select the face or faces
on which you wish to
apply the
source/boundary
condition
(Above 2 steps
interchangeable)
Fill in any necessary
parameters for the
source/boundary
Name the
source/boundary, and
press the Assign button

5-21

Boundary Assignment: Precedence

Boundary assignments are

order dependent:

In the pictured example, the radiation

boundary overlays the orange rectangle
(on the back face) which was earlier
assigned as the port. Ports, however,
always take precedence, and show at the
bottom of the boundary listing.

Boundaries assigned later

supercede those
assigned earlier over any
shared surfaces
Ports are the exception;
they always supercede
any earlier or later
assignments
Ports will sort to the
bottom of the
boundary list to
reflect this fact
Boundaries can be
re-prioritized using
the Model menu

5-22

Boundary Assignment: Default Boundary

Any exterior face of the

modeled geometry not given
a user-defined boundary
condition is assumed to be
a Perfect E

Default boundary called

outer
Imagine entire model
buried in solid metal
unless you instruct
otherwise

To view boundaries and see

if you missed an
assignment, use the
Boundary Display pick from
the Model menu

Graphical window shows

both user and autoassigned boundaries
5-23

Boundary Setup Exercise Part 1

NOTE: The model for this exercise is nearly

identical to that used in the Material Setup
exercise, but has been split in half along the axis
of the microstrip and coax feed to demonstrate
symmetry boundary application as well.

We will practice by
assigning boundaries to a
Coax to Microstrip
transformer model
This exercise is only Part 1
of the entire operation;
excitation assignment will
be covered after a detailed
description of HFSS
sources and port
assignment
In the Maxwell Project
Manager, find the project
entitled bnd_exer and
Open it
Once open, proceed to
Setup Boundaries/Sources
5-24

Boundary Setup Exercise: Trace Metalization

NOTE: Since solid Material parameters are already
applied, there is already a boundary on the exterior of the
metal objects pin, pin1, and pin2. We only need to
apply the surface metalization for the actual microstrip
trace line, and define outer radiation, ground plane, and
symmetry boundaries.
5.

1. Select the Boundary radio Button.

2. From the list of available boundaries, select Perfect E.

3.

3. Set the Graphical Pick option to Face.

4. Click in the graphical window as if you are touching the
trace. The nearest face of the air box will highlight, since it
is between your view and the trace.

7.
4.

5. Right-click to bring up the pop-up menu and select

Next Behind, or use the N key on the keyboard to shift
focus deeper. Continue this operation until the trace is
selected.

6.

1.

2.

NOTE: If you appear to have selected the bottom-most

face of the model, you have gone too far. Use the rightclick menu to pick Deselect All and start over.
6. In the Name field, type in trace_metal, and click the
Assign button.
7. The boundary should appear in the boundary list at left.

5-25