HFSS15: Creating Smith Charts

A Smith chart is a 2D polar plot of S-parameters upon which a normalized impedance grid has been superimposed. Following is the general procedure for creating a Smith chart of results:

1. On the Results menu ( HFSS menu or right-click on Results on the Project tree), click Create <type> Report, and select Smith Chart from the report type menu.

The Report dialog appears.

2. In the Trace tab Polar Component area, specify the information to plot:

a. On the Category drop down list, click the type of information to plot.

b. On the Quantity list, click the values to plot. Use CTRL-click to make multiple selections.

c. In the Function list, click the mathematical function to apply to the quantity for the plot.

d. The Value field displays the currently specified Quantity and Function. You can edit this field directly.

e. Range Function button -- opens the Set Range Function dialog. This applies currently specified Quantity and Function.

3. Click New Report.

This creates a new report in Project tree, displays the report with the defined trace, and enables the Add Trace button on the Report dialog.

The function of the selected quantity will be plotted against the values you specified on a polar plot. In addition, each circle on the plot is labeled with values of R, measuring normalized resistance, and each line is labeled with values of X, measuring normalized reactance. The plot is listed under Results in the project tree and the traces are listed under the plot. When you select the traces or plots, their properties are displayed in the Properties window. These properties can be edited directly to modify the plot.

4. Optionally, add another trace to the plot by following the procedure above, using Add Trace rather than New Report.