PML and Master Slave Boundary Conditions

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

Advanced Boundary Conditions

This section looks at two different types of advanced

boundary conditions available in HFSS:
Perfectly Matched Layers (PMLs)
Periodic boundary conditions Master and Slave boundaries.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

What are Perfectly Matched Layers?

Perfectly Matched Layers (PMLs) are fictitious materials that fully
absorb the electromagnetic fields acting upon them.
There are two types of PML applications: free space termination and
reflection-free termination of guided waves.
In free space termination, all PML objects must be included in a
surface that radiates into free space equally in every direction.
PMLs can be superior to radiation boundaries in this case because
PMLs enable radiation surfaces to be located closer to radiating
objects, reducing the problem domain. Any homogenous isotropic
material, including lossy materials such as ocean water, can
surround the model.
In reflection-free termination of guided waves, the structure
continues uniformly to infinity. The termination surface of the
structure radiates in the direction in which the wave is guided.
Reflection-free PMLs are superior to free space or radiation
boundary terminations in this kind of application. Reflection-free
PMLs are also superior for simulating phased array antennas
because the antenna radiates in a certain direction.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Implementation in HFSS
HFSS uses an adaptive PML:
In classic implementation, one needs several layers, one over
the other, to achieve desired attenuation.
With adaptive PML, one layer is enough.
Adaptive meshing takes care of the rest.
Advantages:
Easier implementation.
More robust.
Smaller mesh.
HFSS contains a PML setup wizard for:
Perfectly Matched Layer object creation.
Material creation and assignment.
PML boundaries can also be set-up manually.
HFSS automatically identifies PML objects by a naming convention:
Any object with a name beginning with the letters PML is
identified as a PML and is subject to:
special adaptive meshing.
incident-wave treatment.
user-defined radiation surfaces during post processing.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Radiation boundary versus PML

Radiation Boundary Condition
Sensitive to the incident angle, less accurate for non-normal
incidence.
Fully automatic.
Easy to use.
Radiation boundaries need to be placed around /4 away from
radiating objects.
Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)
Accurate, boundary has zero reflection.
A fictitious biaxial anisotropic material.
Reasonably automatic to create using PML setup wizard.
More accurate for calculating radiation parameters.
PMLs can be brought much closer to radiating objects (as close as
/10), resulting in a smaller problem space and smaller mesh.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Automatic PML creation

Three basic steps:
1. Create device objects.
2. Select surfaces for PML objects to be created on. (note you may
want to create a face list at this point for post processing later on.
This can be done using 3D Modeler > List > Create > Face
List.)

Here radiation is allowed through

three faces.
Two other faces will later be
assigned symmetry boundaries.

3.

Launch PML setup wizard:

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Automatic PML creation, continued.

PML setup wizard has a two step process, firstly creating the PML cover
objects:

Specify layer thicknesses normally set this to be /4

of the lowest frequency to be solved for

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Automatic PML creation, continued.

PML cover is added to the box on all radiation surfaces:

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Automatic PML creation, continued.

Secondly defining the PML material properties:
Note for this problem the fields radiate equally in free space in all
directions hence PML Objects Accept Free Radiation is selected.
Set minimum frequency
to be solved in problem

Minimum radiating
distance is the minimum
distance between the
boundary and any
radiating object.
Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

The PML setup wizard:

Automatically creates PML materials.
Automatically calculates PML material matrices.
PML material properties are automatically assigned to the cover
objects using default names.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

10

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Open-ended waveguide results

Magnitude of S11 of an open-ended waveguide.
Note that the boundary PML is closer to aperture than the radiation
boundary and requires fewer tetrahedra for better accuracy.

PML: d/=0.15, 1782

tetrahedra
ABC: d/=0.32, 6736
tetrahedra

Mesh of an open-ended waveguide

The non-uniform PML mesh is
evident.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

11

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Creating PMLs manually

The PML setup wizard can only create rectangular PML objects. If
another shape of PML object is required (e.g. to terminate a
circular waveguide) then PMLs must be created manually:

Draw the PML object at

the radiation surface, and
then select it.

Give the object a name with the prefix

PML. Object names that start with PML
are necessary for HFSS to recognize them
as PMLs.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

12

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Creating PMLs manually, cont.

Launch the PML setup wizard.

Select use selected object as PML cover.

Choose the corresponding base object.

Enter the thickness of the PML layer object.

Select the orientation of the PML object in terms of the
direction of outward propagation in this case
radiation would be in the y-direction.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

13

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Creating PMLs manually, cont

As this is a waveguide termination, PML Objects Continue
Guided Wave option is selected.
The propagation constant at the minimum frequency must then
be entered.
The minimum radiating distance is specified as before.

Once completed the summary box will appear as for the

automatic PML creation (see page 10).

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

14

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Post processing Far Field data with PMLs

To insert a far field setup where a PML has been used, you need
to first create a face list of the radiating surfaces (note
sometimes it is easier to create this when you first select the
faces for creating the PML objects):

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

15

Perfectly Matched Layer (PML)

Post processing Far Field data with PMLs

This list appears in the lists section of the model tree.
When you create a far field radiation setup, under the Radiation
Surface tab select Use Custom Radiation Surface and select
this face list from the drop down menu.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

16

Master and Slave Boundary Conditions

Master and Slave Boundaries

Master and slave boundaries enable you to model planes of periodicity
where the E-field on one surface matches the E-field on another to
within a phase difference. They force the E-field at each point on the
slave boundary match the E-field to within a phase difference at each
corresponding point on the master boundary. They are useful for
simulating devices such as infinite arrays.
Unlike symmetry boundaries, E does not have to be tangential or
normal to these boundaries. The only condition is that the fields on the
two boundaries must have the same magnitude and direction (or the
same magnitude and opposite directions).
When creating matching boundaries, keep the following points in mind:
Master and slave boundaries can only be assigned to planar
surfaces. These may be the faces of 2D or 3D objects.
The geometry of the surface on one boundary must match the
geometry on the surface of the other boundary. For example, if
the master is a rectangular surface, the slave must be a
rectangular surface of the same size.
If the mesh on the master boundary does not match the mesh on
the slave boundary exactly, the solution will fail. Normally HFSS
automatically forces the mesh to match on each boundary;
however, in some cases, the mesh cannot be forced to match. To
prevent the solution from failing, create a virtual object on the
slave boundary that exactly matches any extra object on the
master boundary, or create a virtual object on the master
boundary that exactly matches any extra object on the slave
boundary.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

17

Master and Slave Boundary Conditions

Master and Slave Boundaries

To make a surface a master or slave boundary, you must specify a
coordinate system that defines the plane on which the selected surface
exists. When HFSS attempts to match the two boundaries, the two
coordinate systems must also match each other. If they do not, HFSS
will transpose the slave boundary to match the master boundary. When
doing this, the surface to which the slave boundary is assigned is also
transposed. If, after doing this, the two surfaces do not occupy the
same position relative to their combined defined coordinate system, an
error message appears.
For example, consider the following figure:

To match the coordinate system of the master boundary, the

coordinate system on the slave boundary must rotate 90 degrees
counterclockwise; however, when this is done, you get the following:

The two surfaces do not correspond and thus the mesh will not match,
causing an error message.
The angle between the axes defined by the u point and v point must be
identical for the master and slave boundary.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

18

Master and Slave Boundary Conditions

Assigning Master boundary

Ensure plane is set

to that of desired
face

Select face for master

boundary and launch master
boundary assignment

Under Coordinate system

select new vector to assign
U
Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

19

Master and Slave Boundary Conditions

Assigning Master boundary

Note reverse direction

changes orientation of V with
respect to U

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

20

Master and Slave Boundary Conditions

Assigning Slave boundary

Ensure plane is set

to that of desired
face

Select face for slave boundary

and launch slave boundary
assignment

Select Master boundary

slave is associated with

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

21

Master and Slave Boundary Conditions

Assigning Slave boundary

Define directions for U and

V on slave boundary
remember these must
match the Master boundary
assignment

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

22

Master and Slave Boundary Conditions

Assigning Slave boundary

You have the option to relate the slave boundarys E-fields to the
master boundarys E-fields in one of the following ways:
Select Scan Angles, and then enter the scan angle in the Phi box
and the scan angle in the Theta box. The phase delay is
calculated from the scan angles; however, if you know the phase
delay, you may enter it directly in the Phase Difference box below.
Select Field Radiation, and then enter the phase difference, or
phase delay, between the boundaries E-fields in the Phase
Difference box.

Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator v.9.0: Advanced Notes

23