Enabling Discrete Optimization of Surface Mount Component Values in Microwave Circuit Design

This paper will present the concept of discrete part value optimization as a powerful tool in electronic circuit design and simulation. The implementation of this feature in efficient “first-pass” design flows is made possible by innovative scalable passive models combined with the latest advances in industry leading microwave circuit simulators. This work will summarize advantages, implementations and applications of discrete part-value optimizations over traditional tuning and continuous optimization techniques.