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The RLC Extraction Panel

This panel, brought up by the Extract RLC button in the Extract Menu, controls the interface that allows capacitance to be extracted with the FastCap program, and resistance and inductance to be extracted with the FastHenry program. The interface can also be controlled to a large extent with the !fx prompt line command.

At the top of the panel is the Dataset Name text entry field. This allows the user to enter a word which is taken as a name for the current set of data in the interface. This word will be used as a base name for files generated with the interface, for input to FastHenry or FastCap, and for other purposes. If no data set name has been entered, the default name used will be ``unnamed''.

To the right is a Help button which will bring up text describing this panel.

Below are two columns or entry widgets: text entries on the left, push buttons on the right. The left column entries are the following:

FxUnits
This is an option menu which is used to set the length units used in FastCap and FastHenry files produced by the interface. Choices are meters, centimeters, millimeters, microns (the default), inches, and mils. The selection, if not the default, will set the FxUnits variable. Similarly, setting the variable with the !set command will update the state of the menu. The choice currently in effect will be applied when FastCap of FastHenry files are generated.

The text entries in the left column control default sizes assumed in the interface for processing geometry. Each has an associated !set variable, which will be set or updated when a non-default entry is given in the text area. If the variable is set with the !set command, the text shown in the text area will be updated unless frozen.

Once the interface processes the saved objects, the geometric factors are no longer relevant, and the entry areas are frozen to the values currently in use in the interface. In this state, the entries can not be changed, and setting the associated variables will have no effect. If the interface is reset with the Reset button or cleared with the Clear Saved button, then the entries revert to the normal behavior.

FxMinRectSize
This numerical entry field is used to specify the minimum rectangle width or height used when non-Manhattan objects are converted to a Manhattan approximation when they are saved in the interface. The value is entered in microns, and the default value is 1.0. This is tied to the FxMinRectSize variable, which can also be set directly with the !set command.

FxPlaneBloat
This numerical entry field specifies the distance outside the bounding box of all conductors that FastCap interface planes and dark-field conductors in FastHenry or FastCap will extend. The value is given in microns, and the default is 10.0. This entry field is tied to the FxPlaneBloat variable, which can also be set with the !set command.

FcPartMax
This is used to set the maximum length or width of a FastCap partition panel used on the top of bottom surface of a conductor, or in a dielectric interface. The value is given in microns, with 10.0 being the default. This entry is tied to the FcPartMax variable, which can also be set with the !set command.

FcEdgeMax
This numeric value is used to set the maximum length (along the edge) of a ``vertical'' edge panel used for FastCap. The width of these partition panels is always the layer thickness. The value is given in microns, with 10.0 the default. The entry is tied to the FcEdgeMax variable, which can also be set with the !set command.

FcThinEdge
This numerical entry specifies the width (normal to the edge) of the thin panels used along top/bottom conductor outside edges for FastCap. The value is given in microns, with 0.5 being the default. The entry is tied to the FcThinEdge variable, which can also be set with the !set command.

Reset
This button will destroy all partitioning and revert the interface to the state just after all objects have been saved. This will un-freeze the text areas listed above,

The right column consists entirely of push-buttons, each of which performs an operation or enters a mode. These are described below.

Save Selections
When pressed, selected objects are deselected, and conducting objects are read into the interface. The label at the bottom of the panel will change to reflect the number of objects that have been saved.

This can be invoked at any time, while in any other command, and will operate on the selections in effect. While in the Paths and Quick Paths commands, all of the objects in the current path are added to the storage.

If the interface has already been ``run'', i.e., a file generated or the program executed (the text entries are frozen in this state), then the interface will be reset, as if the Reset button was pressed. All partitioning will be destroyed.

Clear Selections
The interface will be cleared of all geometry and partitioning.

Dump Saved
The state of the interface, including the geometry, partitioning, and layer sequencing and parameters, will be saved to a file. The default name for this file is the data set name followed by a ``.sav'' extension, but this can be changed from the dialog that will pop up. This function can be used to save a data set for later use.

Recall Saved
This enables a data set that has been previously saved with Dump Saved to be recalled. Any existing information in the interface will be overwritten. If the recalled data set was created with a different technology file, a warning will be issued but any new layers will be created as needed, and the user can continue with any processing required.

C Partition Edit
This puts the interface into FastCap partition editing mode.

Extract C
This button will dump a temporary FastCap input file, run FastCap, and display the results. The result file is named dataset_name-pid.fc_log, where dataset_name is the name of the data set, or ``unnamed'' if this is not given, and pid is the process id of the spawned process used to run FastCap. The file contains listings of the input file produced by the interface and the output file produced by FastCap.

By default, FastCap is run in the background. The label at the bottom of the panel will indicate that the job is running. When complete, a File Browser window containing the result file will appear. While FastCap is running, one can continue using Xic.

If the FxForeg variable is set with the !set command, then FastCap will instead run in the foreground. In this case, the result file is named dataset_name.fc_log, and Xic will be unresponsive until the run completes.

Dump FastCap File
This button allows a FastCap input file to be produced. The default name for this file is dataset_name.lst, where dataset_name is the current data set name, or ``unnamed'' if none was given. This file is a combined list file readable by the version of FastCap distributed by Whiteley Research Inc.

RL Partition Edit
This button engages the partition editor for FastHenry.

RL Terminal Edit
This button enters the FastHenry terminal editing mode.

Extract RL
This button will dump a temporary FastHenry input file, run FastHenry, and display the results. The result file is named dataset_name-pid.fh_log, where dataset_name is the name of the data set, or ``unnamed'' if none was given. The pid is the process id of the spawned process used to run FastHenry. This file contains listings of the input file produced by the interface, and the output and impedance matrix files produced by FastHenry.

By default, FastHenry is run in the background. The label at the bottom of the panel will indicate that the job is running. When complete, a File Browser window containing the result file will appear. While FastHenry is running, one can continue using Xic.

If the FxForeg variable is set, with the !set command, then FastHenry will instead run in the foreground. In this case, the result file is named dataset_name.fh_log, and Xic will be unresponsive until the run completes.

The result file contains the results from the impedance matrix, converted to inductance, using the run frequency. In addition, if there are exactly two ports (four terminals), the ``transmission impedance'' will be computed for non-dc runs. This is

L1 + L2 -2L12
and represents the lumped inductance one would have for a transmission line.

Dump FastHenry File
This button allows a FastHenry input file to be produced. The default name for the file is dataset_name.inp, where dataset_name is the current data set name, or ``unnamed'' if none was given. If the Lambda parameter has been applied to any conductor, i.e., the conductor is a superconductor, then the version of FastHenry distributed by Whiteley Research Inc. should be used. Otherwise, the file should be compatible with any version of FastHenry.

There are three additional rows containing text entry areas, located below the two columns of input widgets just described.

FcArgs
This text entry area can be given a string, which will be included in the argument list when FastCap is run with the Extract C button. This allows specialized FastCap command line options to be provided during the run, which the user may require. This entry field is tied to the FcArgs variable, which can also be set with the !set command.

FhArgs
This text entry area can be given a string, which will be included in the argument list when FastHenry is run with the Extract RL button. This allows specialized FastHenry command line options to be provided during the run, which the user may require. This entry field is tied to the FhArgs variable, which can also be set with the !set command.

FhFreq
This consists of three entry areas, which take the starting and ending evaluation frequencies for FastHenry runs, and the number of intermediate frequencies to evaluate. This corresponds to the .Freq specification line in FastHenry input files. The frequencies are given in hertz. If the third field in empty, then evaluation is at the specified frequencies only. This variable is tied to the FhFreq variable, which can also be set with the !set command.


next up previous contents index
Next: The Edit Extraction Button: Up: The Extract RLC Button: Previous: FastCap Partition Editor   Contents   Index
Stephen R. Whiteley 2006-10-23