LATEST RELEASE: BetaMatch version 3.4.0 - Get it here!
Data can be exported in both directions between BetaMatch and CST Microwave Studio:
BetaMatch can be started from CST via a macro: Macros –> Matching Circuits –> Launch BetaMatch. When the macro runs the current simulation data will be sent to BetaMatch where a matching network can be designed.
If AR-data is present in the simulation the user will be given a choice to use those data instead of the normal simulation data.
If the simulation model in CST has more then one port that is selected as stimulus, the user will be asked to choose which port to send to BetaMatch.
Note
From BetaMatch version 3.3 he name of the macro has been changed to Launch BetaMatch. In earlier versions it was called “BetaMatch Launcher”.
The matching network can be exported back to CST a new Design Studio canvas in a few different formats. The CST Export window is opened by selecting File Menu –> Export and Open in CST Design Studio...:
The Network Settings gives the choice between using Touchstone files for the components (which will give exactly the same results) or to convert the components into ideal equivalent components. In the last case the results may differ between CST and BetaMatch due to differences between ideal and measured components.
The first option will cascade all the components into one single Touchstone block whereas the second option will create a Touchstone block for each components.
In the Load settings box you can chose to include the load or not. If the load is not included the network will be stand-alone and two external ports will automatically be created in Design Studio. If the load is included it will be exported as a one-port Touchstone block.
There is an option to also export the MWS project (if available), but because stability problems on certain platforms this option is disabled by default. If you wish to use this functionality please contact MNW Scan to obtain instructions on how to enable it.
You can automatically set up an S-parameter task and calculate the simulation results in CST Design Studio by ticking the boxes in the Task and Simulation settings. This will only have effect if the load is included.
The BetaMatch Calculations Result Template will automatically calculate accepted power for the best possible matching network after each solver run in CST.
The way this works is that BetaMatch is called by CST to calculate an optimized matching network and then send the result back to CST. This can for instance be used from the optimizer in CST MWS to optimize the radiator while applying best possible matching network for each iteration. This way you will optimize the antenna structure and the matching network simultaneously and radiator structures that has a hig potential can be found even if they are not naturally matched to 50 Ω
The result from BetaMatch to CST is the minimum accepted power into the DUT within the give frequency bands (see settings below) for the best matching network. This will be a real number between 0 and 1, with 1 corresponding to 100% accepted power into the DUT. When you run with the optimizer in CST you would like to maximize this result.
To use the BetaMatch Calculations Result Template select BetaMatch Calculations from Results –> Template Based Postprocessing. In the Template Based Postprocessing window select Misc from the upper choice-list and BetaMatch Calculations from the lower selection-list. An window where all options can be set is shown:
Here you select which network type that should be used for the optimization and Frequency band (in MHz). Any band can be set to be a reject band by ticking the box at the right hand side of the band.
You can chose to use AR-filter data if it is available.
If the model has more than one port set a stimulus you need to select which port to use.
Other settings, such as component series and source impedance, needs to be changed in BetaMatch. To do this start BetaMatch and change the relevant settings before the template is evaluated in CST.
Finally there is a timeout setting. When the timeout has passed CST will assume that the call to BetaMatch failed for some reason and the resulting value will be set to -1.
Note
The BetaMatch Calculations has been relocated and can now be found under Misc in the Template Based Postprocessing window. In earlier versions it could be found under Farfield and Antenna Properties.
The scripts that links CST and BetaMatch will be shipped with CST and this should normally be totally transparent to the user. However, if the scripts are not installed or not of the latest version BetaMatch will offer to install them if an CST installation is found. This can happen if you, for example, are running an older version of CST or the scripts that comes with BetaMatch are newer than the current scripts in your CST installation.
Simply press YES to install the scripts. The Launch BetaMatch macro will be installed in:
<CST installation dir>\Library\Macros\Matching Circuits
and the BetaMatch Calculations Result Template in:
<CST installation dir>\Library\Result Templates\Misc
Note
During this installation any old versions of the macro and result template will be removed. This includes the previous version of the macro named “BetaMatch Launcher” and any result template “BetaMatch Calculations” that is located in the “Farfield and Antenna Properties” folder.