Your entire PCB flow in one tool, from schematic to 3D layout and simulation.
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RF and Antenna DesignAt high frequencies, the copper matters.
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Your entire PCB flow in one tool, from schematic to 3D layout and simulation.
Try for free for 30 daysYour entire PCB flow in one tool, from schematic to 3D layout and simulation.
Try for free for 30 days AWR Design Environment
AWR is Cadence's platform for RF and microwave design. It covers everything from system architecture, through the circuit, to the electromagnetic analysis of the physical structure — in a single environment where schematic and layout are fully synchronized.
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PORTFOLIO
An RF design is defined in three places: in the architecture, in the circuit, and in the physical structure. The tools cover each of these distinct areas.
System · architecture and requirements
Verify the architecture and determine what the individual blocks need to achieve before anyone begins designing them.
Circuit · design and simulation
The core of the platform. Schematic and layout are fully synchronized, and harmonic balance provides clear insight into how the circuit performs at actual signal levels.
Structure · planar EM
Method of moments for planar structures: transmission lines, passive components, large antennas, and patch arrays.
Structure · 3D EM
Finite element analysis for non-planar geometries — transitions, connectors, and three-dimensional structures.
The challenge
The solution
HOW IT CONNECTS
VSS determines what each block must deliver for the overall system to perform. It is far more cost-effective to adjust a requirement in the architecture than to fix it in an amplifier design later on.
Microwave Office is where most of the work takes place. Schematic and layout remain synchronized, ensuring the physical reality is accounted for at every stage.
AXIEM and Analyst calculate directly on what has actually been designed. At high frequencies, physical geometry determines the outcome, not component values alone.
THE FULL SUITE
Resources
Webinars, articles, e-books, and events covering everything related to RF and antenna design.
Ready?
A brief conversation is usually enough to clarify which part of AWR is relevant for your team — and whether you need anything beyond Microwave Office. No sales pitch. No pressure. Just a direct technical discussion about your specific frequencies and technology.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
No. Most engineers begin with Microwave Office because that is where the circuit design happens. EM tools and the system level are added when specific project demands require them.
AXIEM is a planar solver based on the method of moments. It is fastest and most precise for flat structures: transmission lines, passive structures, and planar antennas. Analyst is a 3D solver used when geometry is non-planar — transitions, connectors, and true 3D structures.
Both are 3D EM tools. Analyst is integrated into the RF flow in AWR and is used for high-frequency structures alongside circuit design. Clarity belongs to the electronics simulation portfolio and is typically used for interconnects, packages, and connectors in high-speed digital designs. Which tool is right depends more on the design flow you work in than on the physical geometry alone.
Yes. The RF section is designed in AWR, and the result can be transferred directly into the PCB flow in Allegro. The extent of the exchange depends on whether the RF circuit resides on a dedicated board or as part of a larger system board.
Contact us
A brief dialogue is often enough to clarify if Nordcad is the right choice for you. No pitch. No pressure.
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