ADS Layout Tutorial

Authors: Vipul Chawla and Dr. Dong S. Ha

3. About layers and vias

A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) can have multiple metallization layers. Additionally there are vias, which connect two metallization layers. These metallization layers and vias are represented in ADS as layers. In a multi-layered PCB layers can be chosen from either the pre-defined layers in ADS like "pc1", "pc2", "pcvia1" etc. For example in a two layered PCB "cond" is generally used for top layer, "cond2" is used for bottom layer and "hole" for vias connecting top metal layer to bottom metal layer, sometimes also called as metal 1 and metal 2 respectively. A list of layers available in a project can be found in layers selection window, as shown in figure 4.

Figure 5: Layer editor window.

Instead of using layers already defined in ADS, a user can define new layer using the layer editor window, as shown in figure 5. Layer editor can be started from layer selection window by clicking on Layers ? Ed

it Layers. A new layer can be defined by clicking "New" in the layers section and selecting suitable settings for "Color/pattern", "Shape", "Display", "Transparency" and "Line style".