Unique simulation capabilities for the design of sophisticated RF, microwave, and photonics components, making it easier to study components and systems dealing with propagating electromagnetic waves
The RF Module for Comsol Multiphysics enables unique simulation capabilities for the design of today's sophisticated RF, microwave, and photonics components, and in general the software makes it easier than ever to study components and systems that deal with propagating electromagnetic waves.
With it users can design and prototype devices for the transmission, guiding, receiving, and filtering/processing of electromagnetic waves in applications where the range of frequencies spans from radio to optical.
With the module, users can consider all sorts of multiphysics effects including the interconnection of electromagnetics phenomena with heat transfer, structural mechanics, and more.
For instance, it is possible to see what effects heating has upon the frequency response of a microwave filter.
Users can also see in high-power microwave waveguides or switches how close a design gets to safety margins before electric breakdown of air or a gas occurs.
They can then experiment with software on a better physical design or choice of materials to increase safety margins.
To make such analyses easier, the module provides a ready-made multiphysics coupling for microwave heating.
Here users no longer have to determine which physics they must select to solve this problem and then struggle to decide which boundaries couple them together; the software automates this process with a few mouse clicks.
A key feature in the RF Module is the characterisation of S-parameters / reflection-transmission coefficients.
For a given geometry and set of physics, users can determine such values over a wide range of frequencies.
This S-parameter analysis is ideal for waveguides, antennas, filters, directional couplers, switches, microwave amplifiers, transmission lines, and impedance-matching networks.
Designing stealth technology and T-rays applications.
The module also serves to help scientists learn more about a fascinating new field called metamaterials, also known as left-handed or negative-index materials - in which the permeability and permittivity are simultaneously negative.
These materials create all sorts of unusual phenomena: they break the diffraction limit to improve resolution in optical devices such as microscopes, they reverse the Doppler effect, and they can create very low reflectance, which is useful in stealth technology.
With the RF Module scientists can analyze the frequency-dependent properties of such materials and learn how to build optical or microwave components using them.
An important emerging technology in electromagnetic-wave engineering is the transmission of terahertz rays.
These so-called T-rays are well suited for applications such as the detection of explosives or contraband, defect analysis, moisture monitoring, medical diagnostics, trace-gas detection, and biomedical imaging.
Comments Jason Deibel of the Mittleman terahertz research group at Rice University, "Comsol Multiphysics can be effectively and efficiently used to model engineering problems and phenomena associated with terahertz wave propagation".
Specifically, he successfully used this software to evaluate the design of a radial photoconductive terahertz antenna.
The RF Module starts shipping September 1, 2006.
A single-user license for RF Module costs US$2995 and requires Comsol Multiphysics.
