EdgeFeed

R2026b

Create an edge feed

Since R2024b

Description

Use the EdgeFeed object to specify the FeedDefinitions property in a parent pcbComponent object.

The EdgeFeed object excites the structure from the edge of the PCB, typically representing a microstrip or stripline launch.

Creation

Syntax

f1 = EdgeFeed

f1 = EdgeFeed(PropertyName=Value)

Description

f1 = EdgeFeed creates a defaultEdgeFeed object.

f1 = EdgeFeed(PropertyName=Value) sets object properties using one or more name-value arguments. PropertyName is the property name, and Value is the corresponding value. You can specify several name-value arguments in any order as PropertyName1=Value1,...,PropertyNameN=ValueN. Properties that you do not specify retain their default values.

Properties

SignalLocations — Location to apply positive excitation

[-0.01,0] (default) | 1-by-2 vector

Location to apply positive excitation, specified as a 1-by-2 vector in meters.

The first and the second elements correspond to the X- and Y-coordinates in meters, respectively. This location must lie on the edge of a metal layer. Locations of negative excitation are assumed to lie directly above (+z) and/or below (-z) the location of positive excitation.

Example: [-0.02,0]

Data Types: double

SignalLayers — Layer index for positive excitation site

1 (default) | positive integer scalar

Layer index for positive excitation site, specified as a positive integer scalar. SignalLayers is the layer index into the pcbComponent layer stack.

Example: 2

Data Types: double

GroundLayers — Layer indices for all negative excitation sites

3 (default) | N-by-1 vector of integers

Layer indices for all negative excitation sites, specified as a N-by-1 vector of integers. GroundLayers(n) is the layer index into the pcbComponent layer stack.

Example: 5

Data Types: double

SignalWidths — Width of positive excitation site

0.002 (default) | positive scalar

Width of the positive excitation site, specified as a positive scalar in meters.

Example: 0.003

Data Types: double

Examples

Edge Feed Setup for a Stripline-style pcbComponent

This example shows how to instantiate edge feed objects to excite a pcbComponent in stripline configuration.

Convert the default pcbComponent from microstrip format to stripline format by copying its bottom two layers to the top of the layer stack.

p = pcbComponent;
layersTemp = p.Layers;
p.BoardThickness = p.BoardThickness * 2;
p.Layers = [layersTemp(3), layersTemp(2), layersTemp];

The default FeedLocations property has the correct positions for the two feeds. Save this information to a temporary variable. To expose the pcbComponent's FeedDefinitions property set the FeedFormat property to FeedDefinitions.

feedsTemp = p.FeedLocations;
p.FeedFormat = 'FeedDefinitions';

Introduce two EdgeFeed objects to excite the strip against both ground planes simultaneously. The second is a copy of the first with an updated position.

f1 = EdgeFeed('SignalLocations', feedsTemp(1, 1:2), 'SignalLayers', 3, 'GroundLayers', [1; 5], 'SignalWidths', p.Layers{3}.Width);
f2 = copy(f1);
f2.SignalLocations = feedsTemp(2, 1:2);

Write the EdgeFeed objects to the pcbComponent's FeedDefinitions property, then show the pcbComponent and calculate its S-parameters.

p.FeedDefinitions = [f1 f2];

figure; show(p);

s = sparameters(p, linspace(1e9, 5e9, 10));
figure; rfplot(s);

Version History

Introduced in R2024b