Environment Setting

In this section, PollEx Environment setting methods are explained.

From the menu bar, click Setting > Environment to open the Environment dialog. Select General from the navigation tree window.

Default File Path

Select General to set the default file paths and directory.


Figure 1.
  • Default net class file path: The net class file will be used to group DDR bus nets according to their electrical characteristics.
  • Default material file path: you can set default material file path. This file contains parameter information for all materials that make up the PCB.
  • Default MPN reference file path: you can set default MPN reference excel file path. This file contains information that matches MPN and CPN.
  • Default part library directory: you can set default UPF directory path. The UPF contains electrical libraries such as footprints, logical symbols, 3 dimensional shapes, data sheets, simulation model, mount data for electrical/thermal analysis.

Linear Model

Select Analysis to set the linear device model file path.



Figure 2.

IO buffer device models of input and output pins of signal nets are stored in the part data file of individual components. When the device models are not available in the part data, the default device models defined here are used for transient simulation of signal integrity analyses. With the use of Linear Device Modeler, users can create linear output (driver) and input (receiver) device models and store them in a linear device model file. PollEx SI provides you with a system default linear device model file, UDVS.dmf.

In the Environment menu, you can select a linear device model to use for current design. Among the models in the file, a linear driver model and a linear receiver model needs to be chosen for the default device models.


Figure 3.

Allowable Minimum Trace Width

Select Analysis to assign values to the minimum trace width.


Figure 4.

During Transmission Line Analysis, you can let the program find the trace widths whose characteristic impedance values match the target impedance values by selecting the Get Impedance Matching Trace menu.

A built-in electromagnetic field solver is employed for the calculation of characteristic impedances and finding impedance matching trace widths. Finding impedance matching trace widths is performed under the constraints of minimum signal trace widths value defined in this setting item. If an impedance matching trace width cannot be found within the constraints, users need to change layer stack properties such as dielectric layer thickness and location of power or ground plane layer.
  • Core layer trace min width: Minimum trace width of PCB limited by PCB manufacturer (Outer Layer)
  • Microvia layer trace min width: Minimum trace width of PCB limited by PCB manufacturer (Inner Layer)

Default String for Differential Pair Net Pairing

Select Analysis to set the default string.


Figure 5.
When combining differential pair nets in the Properties > Nets menu, the string pair set here is used by default.


Figure 6.