Simulation methods to determine cross-talk in three dimensional environment

Methods to simulate cross-talk in three-dimensional environments have been discussed. The finite element method (FEM) will be used to predict cross-talk. A major limit of the finite element method in the past has been its relative difficulty in modelling three-dimensional open configurations found in EMC problems. The MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation Electromagnetic Analysis System (MSC/EMAS), with its open boundary elements, now enables problems to be solved in three-dimensions that were previously considered solvable only with method of moment (MoM) codes and other full-wave techniques. The major limitations for those methods are they are relatively difficult to model and they're very time consuming. The lumped parameter methods are relatively easy to use but are limited to simple geometries. This article will also discuss the method to simulate the lumped parameter 3D environment using FEM as the preprocessor and a circuit simulator (SABER) as the solver. The comparison between FEM simulation results and circuit simulation results shows that the circuit simulator can achieve similar results as one does in the FEM method with much less computing. Since the circuit simulation can easily link the other circuits into this cross-talk model, this approach has great potential to simulate the cross-talk in the system/module level.<>