ANSYS Tutorial: Capacitance

(GUI Method)
Todd Kaiser
Montana State University
EE505 MEMS

Capacitance Modeling Method

Model Dielectric and Mesh
Select nodes on surface of each conductor
Group them into node components and
name: cond#
The last conductor is assumed ground
Use CMATRIX command

Capacitance Matrix
C13
3

C23

C12
C11

C33

2
C22

c11

c12

c13

C = c21 c22

c23

c31

c33

c32

Example: Coax Cable 2D

Inner radius: 1mm
Outer radius: 2mm
Teflon filled: r = 2.1
C =

a
b

2 2 (2.1) 8.854 10 12 (F / m )
= 168.5 10 12 (F / m )
=
3
b
(
)

m
2
10
ln
ln
a
1 10 3 (m )

Start ANSYS

Preferences > Electric

Select Element
Preprocessor > Element Type >
Add/Edit/Delete
Add: Electrostatic: 2D Quad 121

Define Material Properties

Preprocessor > Material Props > Material
Models > Electromagnetics > Relative
Permittivity > Constant > PERX = 2.1

Model Structure
Preprocessor > Modeling > Create > Areas > Circle >
Annulus

WP X = 0
WP Y = 0
Rad-1 = 0.001
Rad-2 = 0.002

Mesh the Area

Preprocessor > Meshing > Mesh
Tool Smart Size:1 > Mesh
Select area > OK

Select Edge Nodes

Utility Menu > Select > Entities Nodes > Exterior
Utility Menu > Plot > Nodes

Select Inner Conductor Nodes

Utility Menu > Select > Entities >
Nodes Reselect Box inner circle
of nodes

Create & Name Component of

inner nodes
Utility Menu > Select > Comp/Assembly >
Create Component > Cond1

Select Edge Nodes

Utility Menu > Select > Everything
Utility Menu > Select > Entities Nodes > Exterior
Utility Menu > Plot > Nodes

Select Outer Conductor Nodes

Utility Menu > Select > Entities > Nodes
Reselect Box both circles of nodes
unpick Box inner circle of nodes to select
only the outer circle of nodes

Create Component of Outer nodes

Utility Menu > Select > Comp/Assembly >
Create Component > Cond2

Calculate Capacitance Matrix

Type in command window:
cmatrix, 1,cond,2,0

Allow the computer to continue even after

it has said solved.
This generates the following results
window

Results

*** Ground Capacitance Matrix ***

Self Capacitance of conductor 1. = 0.16854E-09
Ground capacitance matrix is stored in 3d array parameter cmatrix ( 1., 1.,1)
*** Lumped Capacitance Matrix ***
Self Capacitance of conductor 1. = 0.16854E-09
Lumped capacitance matrix is stored in 3d array parameter cmatrix ( 1., 1.,2)

Capacitance values are per unit length

Capacitance matricies are stored in file cmatrix .txt

_____________________________________________________________

________________ CMATRIX SOLUTION SUMMARY ___________________

To look at the potentials and fields

Solution > Analysis Type > New Analysis
Steady State

Apply Load to Inner Conductor

Solution > Define Loads > Apply
> Electric > Boundary > Voltage
> On Lines
Box inner circle
Constant value: 1 (volt)

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Apply Load to Outer Conductor

Solution > Define Loads >
Apply > Electric > Boundary
> Voltage > On Lines
Box entire structure
Select Unpick: Box inner
circle
Constant value: 0 (ground)

Solve
Solution > Solve > Current LS

11

PostProcessing
General
PostProcessing >
Plot Results >
Contour Plot >
Nodal Solution
DOF Solution >
Electric Potential

Equipotential Contours

12

Modify Legend Scale

Utility Menu >
Plot Controls >
Style >
Contours >
Uniform
Contours
Number of
contours = 8

8 levels (defaults to 9)

13

Move Legend & Date

Utility Menu > Plot Controls > Style > Multilegend
Options > Contour Legend right of window
Utility Menu > Plot Controls > Style > Text > Date left
of window

Contour Plot of the Electric Field

General PostProcessing > Plot Results > Contour Plot >
Nodal Solution Electric Field > Electric Field Vector
Sum

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Vector Plot of Electric Field

General Postprocessing > Plot results > Vector
Plot > Predefined Elec Field EF, VRATIO =
0.2

Parallel 3D (neglect fringing)

Area: 100 microns x 100 microns
Separation 10 microns
Air filled: r = 1
C=

A
d

(8.854 10 (F / m))(100 10 (m ))
12

10 10

(m )

= 8.854 10 15 (F )

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Start ANSYS

Preferences > Electric

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Select Element
Preprocessor > Element Type >
Add/Edit/Delete
Add: Electrostatic: 3D Quad 123

Define Material Properties

Preprocessor > Material Props > Material
Models > Electromagnetics > Relative
Permittivity > Constant > PERX = 1

17

Define Units (microns)

Preprocessor > Material Properties >
Electromag Units > User Defined
Specify Free space Permittivity = 8.854e-6
Capacitance will be in pF

Model Structure
Preprocessor > Modeling > Create Volume > Block > By
Dimensions
X = 50,-50
Y = 50, -50
Z = 5, -5

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Plot Views
Utility Menu > PlotCtrls
Pan Zoom Rotate
Iso

Mesh the Volume

Preprocessor > Meshing > Mesh Tool Smart
Size:6 > Mesh Select Volume > OK

19

Select Top Area

Utility Menu > Select > Entities > Areas by Num/Pick

Plot Selected Area

Utility Menu > Plot > Areas

20

Select nodes attached to area

Utility Menu > Select Nodes attached to
areas, all

Create Conductor Component 1

Utility Menu > Select > Comp/Assembly >
Create Component cond1

21

Select Bottom Area

Utility Menu > Select > Everything

Utility Menu > Plot > Elements
Utility Menu > Select > Entities > Areas by Num/Pick

Select nodes attached to area

Utility Menu > Select Nodes attached to
areas, all

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Create Conductor Component 2

Utility Menu > Select > Comp/Assembly >
Create Component cond2

Calculate Capacitance Matrix

Type in command window:
cmatrix, 1,cond,2,0

Allow the computer to continue even after

it has said solved.
This generates the following results
window

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Results

________________ CMATRIX SOLUTION SUMMARY ___________________

*** Ground Capacitance Matrix ***
Self Capacitance of conductor 1. = 0.88540E-02
Ground capacitance matrix is stored in 3d array parameter cmatrix ( 1., 1.,1)
*** Lumped Capacitance Matrix ***
Self Capacitance of conductor 1. = 0.88540E-02
Lumped capacitance matrix is stored in 3d array parameter cmatrix ( 1., 1.,2)
Capacitance matricies are stored in file cmatrix .txt

_____________________________________________________________

More Complex Geometries

Import or draw geometry (2D)
Extrude to metal thickness
Create block of air between metal
structures
Group nodes on metal into conductor
assemblies
Ground plane is the highest number
assembly
Use Cmatrix command

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GUI to Batch
Utilities Menu > File > Write DB log File

/BATCH
! /COM,ANSYS RELEASE 11.0 UP20070125
15:07:18 07/30/2008
/input,start110,ans,'C:\Program Files\ANSYS Inc\v110\ANSYS\apdl\',,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,1
!*
/NOPR
/PMETH,OFF,0
KEYW,PR_SET,1
KEYW,PR_STRUC,1
KEYW,PR_THERM,0
KEYW,PR_FLUID,0
KEYW,PR_ELMAG,0
KEYW,MAGNOD,0
KEYW,MAGEDG,0
KEYW,MAGHFE,0
KEYW,MAGELC,0
KEYW,PR_MULTI,0
KEYW,PR_CFD,0
/GO
!*
! /COM,
! /COM,Preferences for GUI filtering have been set to display:
! /COM, Structural
!*
!*
/NOPR
/PMETH,OFF,1
KEYW,PR_SET,1
KEYW,PR_STRUC,1
KEYW,PR_THERM,0
KEYW,PR_FLUID,0
KEYW,PR_ELMAG,1
KEYW,MAGNOD,0
KEYW,MAGEDG,0
KEYW,MAGHFE,0
KEYW,MAGELC,1
KEYW,PR_MULTI,1
KEYW,PR_CFD,0
/GO
!*
! /COM,
! /COM,Preferences for GUI filtering have been set to display:
! /COM, Structural
! /COM, Electric
!*
/PREP7
!*
!*
/NOPR
/PMETH,OFF,1
KEYW,PR_SET,1
KEYW,PR_STRUC,0
KEYW,PR_THERM,0
KEYW,PR_FLUID,0
KEYW,PR_ELMAG,1
KEYW,MAGNOD,0

KEYW,MAGEDG,0
KEYW,MAGHFE,0
KEYW,MAGELC,1
KEYW,PR_MULTI,0
KEYW,PR_CFD,0
/GO
!*
! /COM,
! /COM,Preferences for GUI filtering have been set to display:
! /COM, Electric
!*
!*
ET,1,SOLID123
!*
!*
!*
EMUNIT,MUZRO,0.125663706144E-05
EMUNIT,EPZRO,0.885399999845E-05
!*
!*
MPTEMP,,,,,,,,
MPTEMP,1,0
MPDATA,PERX,1,,1
BLOCK,-50,50,-50,50,-5,5,
! VPLOT
! /VIEW, 1 ,1,1,1
! /ANG, 1
! /REP,FAST
SMRT,6
MSHAPE,1,3D
MSHKEY,0
!*
CM,_Y,VOLU
VSEL, , , ,
1
CM,_Y1,VOLU
CHKMSH,'VOLU'
CMSEL,S,_Y
!*
VMESH,_Y1
!*
CMDELE,_Y
CMDELE,_Y1
CMDELE,_Y2
!*
! EPLOT
ASEL,S, , ,
2
NSLA,S,1
! NPLOT
! /VIEW, 1 ,-1
! /ANG, 1
! /REP,FAST
! /VIEW, 1 ,,,1
! /ANG, 1
! /REP,FAST
! /VIEW, 1 ,1,1,1

! /ANG, 1
! /REP,FAST
! /VIEW, 1 ,-1
! /ANG, 1
! /REP,FAST
! /VIEW, 1 ,,,1
! /ANG, 1
! /REP,FAST
CM,cond1,NODE
ALLSEL,ALL
! /VIEW, 1 ,1,1,1
! /ANG, 1
! /REP,FAST
! EPLOT
ASEL,S, , ,
1
NSLA,S,1
! NPLOT
! /VIEW, 1 ,1
! /ANG, 1
! /REP,FAST
CM,cond2,NODE
cmatrix,1,'cond',2,0
! /COM,ANSYS RELEASE 11.0 UP20070125
15:11:22 07/30/2008
!
LGWRITE,'captutorial','lgw','C:\DOCUME~1\tjkai
ser\Desktop\',COMMENT

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