Johnstech's Electrical Modeling Services

Your Challenge: Maximize device-Contactor-PCB electrical performance to minimize product financial and market timing risk

The Solution: Simulate, modify, model and re-simulate – before PCB and Contactor Fabrication

If you’re developing RF Applications at >1 GHz, high gain amplifiers >24dB or if your circuit measurements <10mΩ - our electrical modeling expertise is just what you need.

Our system-level approach integrates the components, device, load board and Contactor into a single interrelated and integrated electronic system. Modeling allows you to simulate actual signal performance of the system. A typical application of our services, your S-parameter data files are imported into Advanced Design Systems (ADS) to simulate actual signal performance in the Contactor. To account for potential electrical performance, High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) simulations are conducted to measure variations attributable to PCB trace routing, pad placement or effects of manufacturing tolerance, as well as base material changes. The simulations provide a 3-D analysis of scenarios, exposing potential signal distorting risks or enhancement opportunities.

These modeling and simulation techniques, along with our experienced professional electrical engineers, allow us to measure anticipated crosstalk, insertion loss, amplifier gain, susceptibility to ground inductance and isolation, and other variables. Following simulations, and before fabrication, our engineers consult with you on strategies for optimizing performance, including changes in PCB layouts, contactor designs or the package chip interface. Then, we conduct additional re-simulation or modeling to reveal the effects of system modifications. The net benefit; a high degree of confidence in device-Contactor-PCB success and a reduction in financial and market timing risk in ATE designs – all prior to committing fabrication dollars.

Typical modifications resulting from simulation result in:

Load board materials, thickness and plane locations
Trace and pad characteristics
Impedance matching
Housing modification effects
Contact design choice
Ground inductance/plane changes

Service	Service Description
Non-standard geometry	HFSS: Determines electrical effects of making geometry or material alterations to Contactor housing
Johnstech equivalent circuit model 10 GHz+	ADS: Provides an accurate model simulating the entire system at the target device frequency range
Customer equivalent circuit model 10 GHz+	ADS: Provides an accurate model simulating the entire system at the target device frequency range
Crosstalk	ADS: Measured or modeled between adjacent signal paths
Pitch, lead length variation analysis	HFSS: Simulates the effects of varying pitch or lead length with the same package
Device measurement modeling	ADS & HFSS: Simulates effects of component placement accuracy relative to device performance
Equivalent circuit to data conversion	ADS: Converts actual test data to equivalent circuit model
Package modeling	HFSS: Simulates overall performance characteristic changes based on package configuration
Package, lead, pad variation	HFSS: Simulates performance deviation associated with package test location variation
Comparative modeling	HFSS and ADS: Compares systems and configurations against one another
Load board model	HFSS & ADS: Models load board to maximize performance or trouble shoot existing designs
Physical load board evaluation	Evaluation of plating, plating thickness, mounting and tooling hole locations, Contact-to-PCB pad alignment and general design rule compliance
Load board optimization	Impedance matching, 50 ohms to the device. A scope of work is required, including application requirements
Load board evaluation	Pre- or post- build PCB evaluation of the layout as it applies to a particular application