Creating a Planar Multilayer Substrate

Create a planar multilayer substrate using the properties method that contains two layers. Layer 1 is set to substrate2 and Layer2 is set to substrate1. The second layer has a PEC ground plane.

myProp = myProject.Contents.SolutionSettings.GroundPlane:GetProperties()
myProp.DefinitionMethod = cf.Enums.GroundPlaneDefinitionMethodEnum.MultilayerSubstrate
myProp.ZValue = "0.0"
myProp.Layers[1].Thickness = "0.351"
myProp.Layers[1].Medium = myDiel2
myProp.Layers[2] = {}
myProp.Layers[2].Thickness = "0.2"
myProp.Layers[2].Medium = myDiel1
myProp.Layers[1].GroundBottom = cf.Enums.GroundBottomTypeEnum.None
myProp.Layers[2].GroundBottom = cf.Enums.GroundBottomTypeEnum.PEC
myProject.Contents.SolutionSettings.GroundPlane:SetProperties(myProp)

Figure 1. Define a planar multilayer substrate with two layers.

1. Since we want to know the properties for a ground plane, search for GroundPlane (object) in the Help¹.
2. In the Help, under GroundPlane > Method List, note the following:

   GetProperties ()

3. Use GetProperties() method to obtain the properties of a ground plane:

   GroundPlane:GetProperties()

4. Determine the syntax to prepend to GroundPlane:
   1. In the Help, under GroundPlane > Usage locations, note the following:

      SolutionSettings object has property GroundPlane2.

   2. Click SolutionSettings.
   3. In the Help, under SolutionSettings > Usage locations, note the following:

      ModelContents object has property SolutionSettings.

   4. Click ModelContents.
   5. In the Help, under ModelContents > Usage locations, note the following:

      Model object has property Contents

      Since we know that Model is the one of the top levels in the model tree, the result is then:

      Contents.SolutionSettings.GroundPlane:GetProperties()

   6. Since the project is the highest level, we prepend our reference to the project:

      myProp = myProject.Contents.SolutionSettings.GroundPlane:GetProperties()

5. Set the ground plane type to planar multilayer substrate:
   1. In the Help, click on the link in GroundPlane > Property List > DefinitionMethod > (Read/Write GroundPlaneDefinitionMethodEnum).
   2. In the Help, under GroundPlaneDefinitionMethodEnum, note the option:

      MultilayerSubstrate

      The result is then:

      myProp.DefinitionMethod = cf.Enums.GroundPlaneDefinitionMethodEnum.MultilayerSubstrate

6. Next we want to specify the two layers:
   1. In the Help, under GroundPlane > Property List, note the properties of interest that still need to be specified:

      Layers
      ZValue

   2. For this example, layer 1 is located at Z = 0.

      myProp.ZValue = "0.0"

7. To specify the layers, search for PlanarSubstrate (object) in the Help.
   1. In the Help, under PlanarSubstrate > Property List, note the following properties of interest:

      GroundBottom
      Medium
      Thickness

   2. The result is then:

      myProp.Layers[1].Thickness = "0.351"
      myProp.Layers[1].Medium = myDiel2
      myProp.Layers[2] = {}
      myProp.Layers[2].Thickness = "0.2"
      myProp.Layers[2].Medium = myDiel1

   3. To specify the PEC ground plane below the layers, under Property List > GroundBottomTypeEnum.
   4. The result is then:

      myProp.Layers[1].GroundBottom = cf.Enums.GroundBottomTypeEnum.None
      myProp.Layers[2].GroundBottom = cf.Enums.GroundBottomTypeEnum.PEC

8. Update myProp with its new properties using SetProperties ():

   application.Project.Contents.SolutionSettings.GroundPlane:SetProperties(myProp)