Engineering & Scientific Software
Antenna, Electromagnetics & Transmission Line Simulators
Manufacturers & Services

Antenna, electromagnetics and transmission line simulators are a special breed of software because of the sophisticated 3-dimensional electromagnetic equations that must be applied. Designing antennas for first-pass success requires a very high level of sophistication by the software. It must contain component models (including substrates and enclosures) that accurately compute values that take into account the many parasitic effects of lead inductance, interwinding capacitance, resistance of the component, etc. Generally, price correlates directly to the capability of the software. At the top of the list is software that is free and/or offers free trial versions with either reduced functionality or use for a limited time.

Here is a mixture of Payware, Shareware and Freeware for science and engineering.
Antenna, EM & Transmission Line Simulators | Circuit Simulators | System Simulators

Schematic Capture, Layout, Block Diagram | Photonics Simulators | Everything Else


4nec2 Electromagnetic Simulator free - RF Cafe4nec2

4nec2 is a completely free nec2, nec4 and windows based tool for creating, viewing, optimizing and checking 2D and 3D style antenna geometry structures and generate, display and/or compare near/far-field radiation patterns for both the starting and experienced antenna modeler. When running frequency sweeps, linear or logarithmic style SWR, Gain, F/B-ratio and impedance line-charts are produced. With the included Optimizer and Sweeper one is able to optimize antenna- and/or other environment-variables for Gain, resonance, SWR, efficiency and/or F/B, F/R-ratio. Free full.

 

Sonnet Lite™ free trial - RF CafeSonnet Lite™

Sonnet Lite™ is a feature-limited version of Sonnet's professional Sonnet Suites, which provides EM analysis to thousands of companies across the globe. Many major manufacturers of high-frequency components and boards depend on Sonnet to analyze their predominantly planar high-frequency designs from 1 MHz through several THz. Free lite.

 

Finite Element Method Magnetics free download - RF CafeFinite Element Method Magnetics

Created by Dr. David Meeker, FEMM is a suite of programs for solving low frequency electro magnetic problems on two-dimensional planar and axisymmetric domains. The program currently addresses linear/nonlinear magneto- static problems, linear/nonlinear time harmonic magnetic problems, linear electrostatic problems, and steady-state heat flow problems. Free full.

 

 

FEKO Student Edition - RF CafeFEKO

Altair's electromagnetics solver suite in HyperWorks, FEKO, is a global leading comprehensive electromagnetic software widely used mainly in the aerospace, defense, automotive, communications, consumer electronics, energy and healthcare industries. The suite includes a set of accurate, powerful and reliable solvers with true hybridization, i.e. solvers can be combined in the same problem to more easily and efficiently solve it. FEKO is easy to use and it has an integrated GUI from geometry modeling to results visualization, post-processing and report generation. Free student.

MicrowaveSoft Simulation Software free trial - RF CafeSimulation Software

MicrowaveSoft Inc. offers solutions for electromagnetic design challenges. We provide you with full wave 3D finite element simulation software both for high and low frequency. If you are a SolidWorks user your life will be so easy as both of our softwares are fully integrated inside SolidWorks. We distribute EMS and HFWORKS. Free trial.

 

Ni / AWR Axien free trial - RF CafeAxiem 

AXIEM is the 3D planar electromagnetic (EM) analysis software found within the NI AWR Design Environment platform. Its fast solver technology readily addresses passive structures, transmission lines, large planar antenna and patch array problems with more than 100K unknowns. Whether characterizing and optimizing passive components on RF PCBs, modules, LTCCs, MMICs, RFICs, or antennas, AXIEM has the accuracy, capacity, and speed designers need. Free trial.

4nec2 Antenna Simulator | The Netherlands

4nec2 is a completely free Nec2, Nec4 and windows based tool for creating, viewing, optimizing and checking 2D and 3D style antenna geometry structures and generate, display and/or compare near/far-field radiation patterns for both the starting and experienced antenna modeler.

When running frequency sweeps, linear or logarithmic style SWR, Gain, F/B-ratio and impedance line-charts are produced. With the included Optimizer and Sweeper one is able to optimize antenna- and/or other environment-variables for Gain, resonance, SWR, efficiency and/or F/B, F/R-ratio.

Keysight Technologies | 800-452-4844 | Santa Clara, CA

Test equipment, racks, cables, adapters, amplifiers, cables, RF switches, EEsof EDA products.

Ansoft | 412-261-3200 | Pittsburgh, PA

Ansoft Designer™ is the seamless solution for physics-based RF, high-speed, & communication design. By linking physical attributes to electrical performance, Ansoft Designer makes it possible to get it right the first time. With Ansoft's Solver on Demand™ technology & seamless integration, the software eliminates design risk & uncertainty by providing engineers with the information necessary to make correct decisions during all stages of the design process.

Antenna Design Associates | 413-548-9919 | Leverett, MA

PC and workstation software for the analysis and design of antennas and phased arrays. founded in 1990 by Dr. David M. Pozar, a well-known researcher and author in the areas of antennas and wireless communications. Smith Chart for Windows, PCAAD Personal Computer Aided Antenna Design, Specialized Microstrip Antenna Analysis Software Packages.

APLAC Corporation (now NI/AWR)

Applied Wave Research (now NI/AWR)

Aurora Software and Testing | +34963543263 | Valencia, Spain

FEST3D is a very efficient software tool for the analysis and design of passive RF and microwave components using advanced modal techniques based on waveguide technology, and is the first commercial software capable to integrate high power effects in the design process.

Bay Technology | 831-688-8919 | Aptos, CA

TraceSim transmission line simulator, and LinkCAD file format translator.

Comsol | 781-273-3322 | Burlington, MA

Provides software solutions for multiphysics modeling.

Concerto EM Solver | Concerto is an advanced analysis package for RF and Microwave design. It includes a 3D Geometric Modeler that allows easy data import from CAD systems, as well as the facility to create and parameterize new models.

Computer Simulation Technology (CST) | 508-665-4400 | Framingham , MA

Microwave Studio is a specialist tool for the 3D EM simulation of high frequency components. Microstripes is a powerful 3D electromagnetic simulation tool, used extensively for solving challenging radiation problems including complex antenna structures, installed performance, EMC/EMI/E3 issues. Design Studio is a versatile tool that facilitates 3D EM/circuit co-simulation and synthesis. Antenna Magus is the first antenna design tool of its kind - has a huge database of antennas that can be explored to find, design and export models of designed antennas to Microwave Studio.

Clemson University Vehicular Electronics Laboratory | The Clemson Vehicular Electronics Laboratory (CVEL) collaborates with industrial sponsors to provide research and education services involving all aspects of automotive and aerospace vehicle electronics including electronic components, circuits, sensors, communications, power distribution and mechatronics with an emphasis on systems integration, electromagnetic compatibility and modeling.

CST Computer Simulation Technology | CST STUDIO SUITE™ - comprises CST's full 3D electromagnetic simulation as well as other tools, dedicated to specific problems such as cable harness or EM/circuit co-simulation. Antenna Magus – the first antenna design tool of its kind – has a huge database of antennas that can be explored to find, design and export models of designed antennas to CST MICROWAVE STUDIO®. MicroStripes is the most powerful electromagnetic simulation software for microwave, antenna design and installed antenna performance. Its 64-bit parallel-executing TLM technology enables you to solve complex electromagnetic problems beyond the scope of other EM analysis tools.

Efield AB | +46 8 410 03 510 | Stockholm, Sweden

Provides an integrated environment for computational electromagnetics containing a complete set of solution techniques in both time and frequency domain. Geometry import from all common CAD systems and a productive graphical user interface makes it feasible to compute and visualise accurate solutions to real world problems for example in antenna design and EMC problems.

Electric Field | 976-11301769 | Mongolia

Very cool program where you place charges on the grid and it draws equipotential electric and magnetic field lines. Other features, too.

emGine Environment | +49-176-24030711 | München, Germany

The emGine Environment is a full-wave time-domain 3D electromagnetic simulation environment. It is used for the modeling, characterization and optimization of microwave circuits (planar, 3D), antennas, resonators, hollow waveguides, etc. The emGine Environment includes an open source graphical user interface - the emGine GUI - and a free EM simulator (for non-commercial purposes) in binary format - the tlmGine simulator - and is highly portable, running on Microsoft Windows, Linux/Unix and Mac OS X.

EM Software & Systems | 27 21 880 1880 | South Africa

FEKO is a full wave, method of moments (MoM) based, computer code for the analysis of electromagnetic problems such as: EMC, shielding, coupling, antenna design, antenna placement analysis, microstrip antennas, & circuits, striplines, dielectric media, scattering analysis etc.

EMWonder | Norcross, GA

EMtoSPICE™ S-parameter to SPICE model coverter, generates SPICE macromodels (or subcircuits) using S-parameter data, allowing SPICE simluation of S-parameters in time & frequency domain, unprecedented accuracy over broadband frequencies.

EZNEC | Antenna software by W7EL.

Fast Field Solvers | 514-849-8752

Lots of FREE EM field solver software, like FastHenry and FastCap.

Dr. Fritz Dellsperger | Berne Institute of Technology | Switzerland

Smith 2.03 - advanced Smith Chart software, interactive user input builds schematic by clicking in chart area, constant gain, noise, stability & Q circles.

Line V1.0- Planar Line Calculator for Stripline, Microstrip, CWG, Coax, Twisted Wire, Coupled Stripline, Coupled Microstrip. IM V1.0 - Intermodulation Calculator.

FEKO | 757-224-0548 | Hampton, VA

FEKO is a software suite for the analysis of a wide range of electromagnetic problems. Application include EMC analysis, antenna design, microstrip antennas and circuits, dielectric media, scattering analysis, etc.

HFWorks free trial - RF Cafe

HFWorks 

HFWorks is an antenna and electromagnetic (EM) simulation software for RF, microwave, and mm-wave electronic devices and circuits that solves EM radiation, waves, and propagation; EMI and EMC problems. Field parameters include near and far EM fields and waves such as electric field, magnetic field, and electromagnetic energy. Antenna parameters include antenna pattern, antenna gain, antenna directivity, axial ratio, and antenna efficiency. Circuit parameters include scattering parameters, impedance, and VSWR. Free trial.

µWave Wizard™ free trial - RF CafeµWave Wizard™

µWave Wizard is a design tool using the well-known fast and accurate Mode-Matching technique. This method is particularly suitable for simulation and optimization of passive microwave systems and components, including antennas. The mode matching method (MM) and their derivatives is the only method capable of simultaneously offering fastest processing speed and highest accuracy. Free trial.

 

 

Keysight EEsof EMPro free trial - RF CafeElectromagnetic Professional (EMPro)

EMPro EM simulation software features a modern design, simulation and analysis environment, high capacity simulation technologies and integration with the industry's leading RF and microwave circuit design environment. A design platform for analyzing the 3D EM effects of components such as high-speed and RF IC packages, bondwires, antennas, on-chip and off-chip embedded passives and PCB interconnects. Free trial.

 

Keysight Momentum 3D Planar EM Simulator free trial - RF CafeMomentum 3D Planar EM Simulator

Momentum is the leading 3D planar electromagnetic (EM) simulator used for passive circuit modeling and analysis. It accepts arbitrary design geometries and uses frequency-domain Method of Moments (MoM) technology to accurately simulate complex EM effects including coupling and parasitics. Accurate EM simulation enables RF/MMIC designers, RF/high-speed board designers, RF module and antenna designers to improve design performance and increase confidence that the product will meet spec. Free trial.

ElectroMagnetic 3D Simulator free trial - RF CafeEM3DS

ElectroMagnetic 3D Simulator is an integral equation-based full wave simulator, using an approach called Generalized Transverse Resonance Diffraction (GTRD). This simulator accounts for finite-thickness, finite conductivity real conductors / dielectrics by using volume currents. The structure is still layered and defined layer-by-layer, much like a standard process to realize integrated circuits or printed circuit board- but current induced in conductors appears to be arbitrarily oriented (Jx, Jy and Jz are always present in the 3D mode. Free limited.

GNECView | 814-867-3992 | State College, PA

OpenGL based, very fast, the application reads E/H fields & displays them, along with calculation of the Poynting vector when the E/H's are aligned, FREE from Bradley Flubacher.

Guided Wave Technology | Denmark

Waveguide EM Filter Analysis and Design - microwave online waveguide filter design using exact EM software tools, Filter Coupling Matrix Calculator.

Infolytica | 514-849-8752 | Canada

Full Wave - generates full-wave solutions of arbitrary-shaped 3D high frequency structures including animations of 3D electromagnetic fieldsludes resonant modes, scattering parameters, & port solutions.

Integrated Engineering Software | 204-632-5636 | Canada

Huge collection of EM simulators. SINGULA 3D electromagnetic analysis software.

Interactive Products Corp | 919-932-3033 | Cary, NC

IPC focuses on the development of Electromagnetic and Signal Integrity Computer Aided Engineering tools that offer accurate and quick solutions. Our tools solve the field equations by use of the boundary element method. Our user interface is designed for speed allowing you to choose from Stack Up Templates, Pseudo Arbitrary Design, and Completely Arbitrary Design using your CAD tool DXF exports.

Kovac Software | +44 (0)1889 508094 | England

AutoTRAX schematic capture, simulation, layout, autorouting.

LC - Cray | LC is a Unix-based simulation tool for the analysis of the EM properties of electrical interconnects. The full 3-D circuit is modeled, so all interactions are automatically included in the solution. Circuit parameters such as inductance, capacitance, and impedance can be derived from the transient response, and frequency-domain results such as S-parameters can also be calculated. Far field radiation patterns can be obtained. Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FD-TD) technique used.

linSmith | Argentina, So. America

A Smith Chart program for Linux!!! linSmith is a Smith Charting program, mainly designed for educational use. As such, there is an emphasis on capabilities that improve the 'showing the effect of'-style of operation. Lots of other resources, too. By John Coppens ON6JC/LW3HAZ.

Lorentz Solutions | 408-922-0765 | Milpitas, CA

Lorentz Solution is an EDA company delivering the industry's first IC-focused EM Design & Verification solution. The company's product suite, PeakView™, provides a fully automatic 3D EM Synthesis and flexible EM Design Verification for users of the Cadence™ custom IC design and circuit simulation environments.

Where in the world is Max Froding?

MEM Research | +39 347 8279009 | Italy

EM3DS (Electromagnetic 3D Simulator) is a novel, full-featured, frequency-domain full-wave simulation tool tailored to efficiently accomplish the analysis of quasi-planar structures. EM3DS (ElectroMagnetic 3D Solver), a novel, full-featured, frequency-domain full-wave simulation tool tailored to efficiently accomplish the analysis of quasi-planar structures – specifically planar structures over complex substrates, where the finite conductors' thickness and the dielectric discontinuities are accounted for with no compromise – thus, rendering EM3DS a full 3D tool., Download a completely free version, having some functional limitations, MEM Research also offers services in terms of design of Microwave devices (especially filters & mux) & consumer electronics.

MiCIAN | +49 (421) 168 993 51 | Germany

EM CAD µWave Wizard, waveguide network simulator.

MiG Microwave Innovation Group | +49 421 220 8299 | Germany

WASP-NET (WAveguide Synthesis Program) hybrid EM CAD solver, MoM/FE/FD, OpenGL visualization, DXF output.

National Instruments (Formerly AWR Corporation)  | 310-726-3000 | El Segundo, CA

NI AWR Design Environment is a portfolio of software products that RF/microwave designers can use to design, develop, and realize microwave/RF components, circuits, and systems including monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), RF printed circuit boards (PCBs), microwave modules, RF integrated circuits (RFICs), communication systems, radar systems, and antennas. It consists of high-frequency design environments inclusive of System simulation (Visual System Simulator™), Circuit simulation (Microwave Office and Analog Office), Electromagnetic analysis (AXIEM and Analyst™) and also AWR Connected™ modules which expands functionality through 3rd party tool collaboration.

NewFASANT | +34 91 88 56 701 |Guadalajara, Spain

Focused on the development of modern and efficient EM simulation software tools. In our products we have multiple tools designed to solve a wide range of problems including RCS and antenna analysis, antenna and circuits design, radio propagation, etc.

PowerSmith | RF circuit simulator for impedance analysis, matching, S-parameters, noise, & stability circles, DOS compatible, old, but works, Intuitive & no mouse needed, VA3DIW, OK1RR.

QuickSmith | This is a very popular Smith Chart program by Nathan Iyer, of RF Micro Devices, Windows-based, FREE. Other programs also available like Cascade, PLLSim, and CoilSim.

Remcom | 814-861-1299 | State College, PA

XFDTD - 3D full wave electromagnetic solver based on Finite Difference Time Domain, Wireless InSite - propagation prediction tool using ray-tracing models.

RTS Scientific | 905-882-2599 | Toronto, Canada

EMPIRE XCcel™ for microwave engineers, features a new GUI, designed from the ground up for ease of operation and is very intuitive. The XCcel replaces previous software tools available from IMST and now offers an even faster speed which has been accelerated even more by a highly advanced exploitation of modern processor architecture, full package includes a parametric OPTIMIZER. The new XCcel is for microwave engineers involved in the design of antennas, waveguides, filters, resonators, interconnects etc., as well as dosimetric investigations of mobile phones, EMC of implants and other body modeling work.

Sonnet Software | 315-453-3096 | Liverpool, NY

Sonnet Suites - 3D planar high-frequency electromagnetic software, CST MICROWAVE STUDIO - 3D high frequency EM simulator, Sonnet Lite - free EM software.

SWAN-Soft | +39 075 585 3658 | Perugia, Italy

SWAN (Slotted Waveguide ANtennas) is a powerful CAD tool for the design and analysis of very large slotted waveguide arrays having a wide range of capabilities: fixed or scanning beam, very low side lobe patterns, shaped beams such as cosecant or flat top patterns, customizable waveguide dimensions, dielectric filling of the waveguides, many different feeding configurations, etc.

Tera Analysis Ltd | 877-215-8688 | Denmark

QuickField electromagnetic simulator with plug-in modules for magnetics, heat transfer & stress analysis, Student Version FREE.

Zeland Software | 510-623-7162 | Fremont, CA

IE3D - MoM-based EM simulator, FIDELITY -  FDTD-based EM simulator, MDSPICE - mixed-domain SPICE simulator, COCAFIL - waveguide filter design suite, FilterSyn - planar/coaxial filter synthesis module for IE3DLibrary, LineGauge - transmission line design tool.

Related Pages on RF Cafe

- Antenna Patterns

- Antennas - Hardware & Controls

- Antennas - Manufacturers & Services

- Test Equipment & Calibration - Antenna Measurement

- Antenna Introduction / Basics

- Antenna Radiation Patterns

- Antenna Near Field

- Near-Field / Far-Field Transition Distance

- Intro to Wave Propagation, Transmission Lines, Antennas

- Antenna, Electromagnetics & X-mission Line Simulators

- Satellite Communications - Antennas

- Short Wire Antennas