iSugar: A Systems Design Framework that Integrates Lumped, Distributed, and System Analyses

摘要

We present a systems design framework called iSugar that integrates lumped, distributed, and system level analyses in a Matlab environment. For lumped analysis we use Sugar for its ease of device configuration, parameterization, and layout capabilities; for distributed analysis, we use COMSOL for its transparent interface; and for system analysis we use SIMULINK for its simple graphical building-block style of modeling. We also accommodate SPICE circuit analysis. For modeling some systems more completely, it may be necessary to model components of the system using different numerical methods so that computational efficiency is optimized without sacrificing model accuracy. A few commercial tools have the ability to integrate with MATLAB and be controlled by SIMULINK. However, iSugar has the ability to control all aspects of the integration from within itself. Doing so facilitates a more holistic approach to design and analysis. We demonstrate several benefits gained from Sugar's efficient and versatile capabilities.