regardin IE3D

I want to know that in IE3D when we are giving Z co-ordinate, this value is top or bottom of height. e.g i have 200mm thick susbstrate and on this substrate I want two lines of different metal thickness. how to get it?

changing metal thicknes is ok .but while making strucutre I dodn't know hoe to give Z-coordinates.

Hi, Poonam:

There are 2 layer systems on IE3D: (1) substrates (2) metallic layers. They are kind of independent and some users may mis-understand it. They always use layer system in IC for it. Since IE3D is excellent for planar strucutres and many full 3D structures. It is not limited to the planar layer system. It is using 2 layer systems.

(1) Substrates: On the substrates, you define the layer stack ups for the substrate only. The z-coordinates are the top surface coordinates.

(2) Metallic layers: On the metallic layers, it lists all the z-coordinates of the veritces of the polygons for it. If you define a polygon at z = 100 microns. It normally considers it as the bottom surface. By default, thickness is modeled using formula while the structure is physically modeled as infinitely thin strip (all planar EM simulators do it in this way by default). In this sense, the z-coordinate is also the bottom surface in the default mode.

However, if you want more accuracy when the strip thickness is no longer small compared to stirp width, you should use the EDIT->LAYERS->GROW THICKNESS ON LAYERS to grow thickness on all the polygons on the selected layer or EDIT->GROW THICKNESS ON POLYGONS to grow thickness on the selected polygons.

Each polygon is associated with a metallic type defined in the Basic Parameters. The thickness defined in the metallic type will be used to build the true thickness on each polygon when you grow thickness on them. If you have 2 strips of different thickness, you can define each of them to a different metallic type. You grow thickness on them. IE3D will automatically build the thickness based upon the metallic types.

IE3D's thickness model is very accurate and robust. It includes top surface, bottom surface and the edge surfaces. The current on all the surfaces in all directions is modeled precisely and this feature has been there for more than 10 years.

Any question, please feel free to contact me (jian@zeland.com). Thanks!