CR-5000 Lightning Add-On Tools

A range of add-on modules for CR-5000 Lightning are available, including: 

 

Scenario Editor

Provides a ‘what-if’ scratchpad, allowing you to create scenarios which can be simulated to test design strategies. You can create purely experimental circuits or extract equivalent circuits from the schematic or physical layout.

You can retain Scenarios to check assumptions later in the design cycle or to keep an audit trail. You can save templates that you can use to constrain topology.

Topology Editor

Uses the same graphics and interaction as the Scenario Editor but instead of creating scenarios it is used to constrain net topology (physical connection patterns). It allows you to assign pre-defined topologies, apply templates you defined in Scenario Editor, or define custom connection patterns.

 

 

 

Configuration Editor

Is used for editing and solving track cross-sections. You can characterize transmission lines visible in the Scenario or Topology Editor, modify the conductor and dielectric cross-sections and solve for simulation using an advanced Field Solver. You can extract cross-sections from a physical design, and save your own arrangements as templates. Configuration Editor allows you to evaluate the effects of proposed layer stacks, track widths and track-to-track spacing before physical layout.

 

SI Simulation

Accurate simulation is seamlessly integrated in Lightning to provide Pre-Design, Concurrent and Post-Layout verification for Signal Integrity, including eye diagram generation for high-speed differential and single-ended communications channels. It uses an accurate transmission line simulation approach to analyze reflection and crosstalk effects, and to calculate the relevant timing information and delays. It can be used interactively to analyze selected nets as well as in batch mode for complete PCB sign-off simulation.

Lossy transmission line parameters (phase velocity, inductance and capacitance matrices, characteristic impedances) are determined by a 2D field solver. Time domain simulation is used to generate detailed waveforms including the effects of line loss, coupling and packaging. You can compare Test load (nominal load) results with actual to see if your routing has moved out of the nominal response envelope. Frequency-domain simulation, within the same environment, lets you generate input such as S-Parameters for external tools.

Parameter sweep can be used to experiment with values of passive devices or lengths of transmission lines in order to determine the optimal values to meet performance requirements. A representation of all waveforms can be exported to XML or CSV, enabling results review in MS-Excel or other tools.

Powerful functionality is available to define multi-bit stimulus bit patterns including Jitter with Gaussian or Uniform distribution, duty cycle, and pre-defined coding schemes. Simulation results are represented as time domain waveforms or eye diagrams. Automatic and interactive measurement on simulation results, with snap to both data and graphic points is provided so you can compare them precisely with pre-defined constraints. Enhanced via modelling includes the effects of resistance, capacitance and inductance, crucial for designs featuring sub-one-nanosecond transition times.

 

Simulation Library Manager

Used for adding and editing behavioral models. You can import IBIS (see http://www.eigroup.org/ibis/ibis.htm) standard device models and Electrical Board Descriptions (EBDs) or easily define your own board and device models. You can map to device models and EBDs in your master library or use simple mouse click selection in the Constraint Manager. You can also define passive circuit models including resistors, capacitor, inductors and transmission lines for items such as low-pass filters.