Current Release: 7.11.1
XFdtd Release 7.11.1 introduces several enhancements designed to elevate simulation accuracy, expand analysis capabilities, and streamline the engineering workflow. This release reflects Remcom’s continued focus on solving high-value challenges in antenna design, PCB modeling, and phased array system development.New Phase Difference Tool for Far-Zone Sensors
Purpose-built for AoA/PDoA system designers
This release introduces a new post-processing tool that calculates and plots the phase difference of the radiated E-field between two antennas in the far field. Engineers can now visualize phase as a function of either angle (θ or φ) or frequency—complete with phase unwrapping for accurate interpretation of results.Benefit: This tool is essential for engineers developing UWB-based direction-finding systems, such as Angle of Arrival (AoA) and Phase Difference of Arrival (PDoA) architectures. By enabling more accurate simulation of phase delays, it allows for precise evaluation of antenna array behavior under real-world conditions.
Ideal Applications:
- Micro-location-based applications
Arbitrary Far-Zone Radiation Pattern Slices
Advanced diagnostics for real-world antenna placement
Engineers are no longer limited to E-plane and H-plane cuts. With this release, users can define arbitrary 2D slices of the radiation pattern in any plane—regardless of model orientation.
Benefit: This provides critical insight into antenna performance when mounted on complex platforms such as aircraft, vehicles, or satellites. Engineers can evaluate real-world antenna interactions, co-site interference, or signal nulls that are not visible in traditional principal-plane analyses.
Ideal Applications:
- Automotive radar and V2X systems
- Satellite communication antennas
XACT Accurate Cell Technology® for Waveguide Ports
High-fidelity modeling of curved port geometries
XFdtd's conformal meshing capability—XACT Accurate Cell Technology—now extends to waveguide ports, enabling more geometrically accurate excitation sources in high-frequency simulations.
Benefit: Waveguide port fidelity directly impacts the accuracy of electromagnetic excitation. In mmWave designs where curvature is common, this feature significantly improves the realism and precision of the entire simulation—without drastically increasing grid complexity or simulation time.
Ideal Applications:
- mmWave antenna design for 5G/6G
- High-frequency filters and couplers
- Automotive radar RF layout
Enhanced Performance for PCB Import
Workflow efficiency gains for multi-layer board designs
Release 7.11.1 delivers significant speed improvements when importing large and complex PCB files from ODB++ and Cadence® Allegro®.brd formats.
Benefit: PCB import is often a bottleneck in the design workflow. This update hastens generating results, giving engineers more time to iterate and analyze. Faster setup also simplifies workflows and improves throughput for teams working on tight schedules or large simulation projects.
Ideal Applications:
- Mobile device and IoT design
- Automotive sensor design and placement
Summary of Feature-to-Application Impact
With XFdtd 7.11.1, Remcom continues to provide tools that are both technically useful and practical. Whether you're simulating mmWave antennas for next-gen wireless or debugging PCB geometries in a high-speed computing system, this release gives you finer control, greater accuracy, and faster throughput.
For detailed documentation or to request training on any of these features, please contact Remcom or visit the support site.
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