Determining PCB Material Properties: Q2D and Nexxim Measurements for HFSS Simulation

This technical note describes how to determine Printed Circuit Board Material Properties (PCB) by using Ansys Electronics Desktop Q2D and Nexxim measurements for accurate simulation with HFSS. The necessary PCB properties are:

• Dielectric Constant (ε_r)
• Loss Tangent (tand )
• Metal Conductivity (σ )
• Surface Roughness Parameters (Hall-Huray Parameters)

In order to obtain the proper values for HFSS Simulation:

• Use the Beatty Standard to characterize loss
• Use proper calibration, or de-embedding to get to actual structure

Use Ansys Q2D and Nexxim to match the measured data.

• Use the properly de-embedded Device Under Test (DUT)
• Use Ansys Q2D to quickly vary the material properties
• Use Nexxim to cascade different line sections together to build the DUT

Validate the Extracted Parameters with HFSS Simulation

The following sections contain detailed information:

• The Beatty Standard and its Use
• De-embedding of the Device Under Test from Test Fixture
• Example using Nexxim and Q2D to obtain PCB properties for HFSS Simulation
• References for Determining PCB Material Properties