How to use S-parameter data files

in Libra
Ray Woodward
This tells how to design a diode detector
circuit to convert AC to DC voltage

Read through the whole tutorial before you start.

You will go through two sections:
Simulation and Layout
 Simulation
• Use this (as you have in previous tutorials) to simulate the RF
performance of your circuit. You need to include the lengths of all
lines (including the pads for soldering elements to). These are found in
the layout section, so you will do some back-and-forth between layout
and simulation.
• Some elements are available in the standard libraries (the cap in this
lab), others are not (the diode in this lab). When they are not available,
you will have to “create” them using user-defined S-parameters and
lines (MLIN). These can come from data sheets (like the HP website)
or from measurements (like for this lab).
 Layout:
• “Artwork” is used to define the size and shape of solder connects for
components like capacitors, diodes, RF chips, etc.
• The dimensions of solder pads (where you actually connect your
circuit) are specified on data sheets. They are also available in the
libra “library” for many standard elements.
• The size of pads add length to your lines, so you will need to include
them in your simulation for most accurate results. This means you
need to figure out their size before you simulate the circuit, so you will
do some back-and-forth between layout and simulation.
 Simulation:

First you need the S-parameters of your diode… .

There are two ways to get your S-
parameters:
• Measure them (most accurate)
• Find them on the web or other data sheet
(we’d like this to be most accurate, but for
this lab it isn’t)

• These methods are described below, for

your reference. Measured values are given
at the end.
 To measure S-parameters of the
diode
• Build the circuit with just a length of line
attached to the device.
• Measure the input impedance using the
network analyzer
• Compensate for the length of the line to find
the S-parameters of your device (matlab
code to do this is included)
OR: To find the S parameters of your HP diode, Look on this
web page:http://www.hp.com/HP-
COMP/rf/hprfhelp/products/diodes/hsms285x.htm#s-data
Copy and Paste the data into a text file (diode.txt). Put this
text file into your project directory.

S11 (Mag, Phase(degrees))

You may have measured or acquired only the S11 values of a diode.

Find the other S-parameters (such as with the included matlab code),
and create a text file that has 2-port S-parameters as shown on the
next slide.
S11 = reflection coefficient
S21 = 1+S11
S22 = reflection coefficient (1+j0 for a diode)
S12 = 1 + S22 (or in this case, for a diode, it is zero)
 Measured 2-port S-parameters of
your diode including the pads:
filename is diode2pt.txt
!BEGIN ACDATA
# GHz S MA R 50.0
!% F n11x n11y n21x n21y n12x n12y n22x n22y
1.75 0.9683 -23.8255 1.9259 -11.7179 0 0 1.0000 0
2.0 0.9683 -29.8098 1.9021 -14.6593 0 0 1.0000 0
2.4 0.9521 -35.1478 1.8610 -17.1282 0 0 1.0000 0
2.6 0.9529 -35.7572 1.8586 -17.4327 0 0 1.0000 0
3.0 0.8956 -44.0234 1.7578 -20.7357 0 0 1.0000 0
!END

Copy diode2pt.txt to the data folder in your current project

directory.
Click on the Element Library
Choose Linear Data File,
2-Port S-parameters
Insert Filename
You will get a 3-port picture of a diode. Add a ground to the
extra port on the bottom.
 Now add a capacitor pad for soldering.
Cap_pad1 represents a capacitor WITH its
solder pads.
Use the library again:
Define C, W,S,L from the data
sheet. Units are from your
default.
Units here are
pF and mils
 Put the capacitor on the circuit.
Cap_pad1 is the artwork for the capacitor
(pads that will be used for soldering and
sufficient space between them.
Add components as needed:
(Explanations follow)
 Diode and Capacitor

Capacitor with
layout artwork
A short for solder pads,
length of line to
drill for ground pin
good for simulation
and milling.

Your diode S-parameters for simulation.

For milling, you will need artwork instead.
 Diode Solder pads
IF you use diode S-parameters from the HP website, you will need to add the
solder pads (which add length of lines). Find the size of solder pads in the data
sheets OR the diode artwork. (See layout slide # 27 below.) Do NOT add these
pads if you are using measured data, because they are already part of the
measurements.

Pads for soldering

your diode. See
artwork (slide #27) to
determine the
size.
Physical connection of capacitor
You will attach
your DC voltmeter
These pads are on this port.
NOT needed
for the simulation
with measured S DC output line
parameters. Long enough to
Leave them OFF get some separation
until you put on the between diode and
artwork for milling. cap (so they aren’t on top of
You need them
eachother). Doesn’t
when you do the
layout for milling. matter much how long this is, as
long as you account for it in the
simulation, which is what you
are doing here.

Ground pad (in Circuit Cam

Remember a port you will need to drill a hole for milling).
 Now:
• Simulate the circuit in testbench and find
Z11 for both frequencies (2.4 and 2.6 GHz)
• Use Tline or Smith Chart to design a stub-
matching network. A short circuited stub is
preferred.
• Follow the single-stub tutorial from here to
add a stub matching network to the front of
your circuit.
• Check your circuit (in testbench) to be sure
your matching is good.
 Layout:
Everything is OK for the layout except for your diode, which
does not yet have proper artwork.
Choose any diode with an SOT23
package from the library
 Remove the S-parameter diode, and replace
with the artwork diode. Don’t simulate it, just
use this for layout.

Be sure to
add the pad
for soldering.

The diode you will use in your lab (HP 2850) is

BACKWARDS from the standard package, so turn the
artwork around.
Synchronize, and take to layout.
This is what it looks like without
your matching circuit
Diode

Look here to find the Cap

size of diode solder space
pads for including in
your simulation.
Delete the diode from the picture to be milled, but remember
what it looks like for soldering the diode.
Remember to put holes for all the shorts (ground,
short ckt. stubs, etc.) when you mill the circuit
That’s it! You are done!