Circuit => Metal types

Project Editor Menu - Circuit Menu - Metal Types dialog box

You select Circuit => Metal Types to open the Metal Types dialog box which allows you to define the characteristics of metals for use in your circuit. The default metal type is Lossless; this is defined for all projects. All metal types may be used on all levels and multiple metal types may be used on the same level. These metal types may also be used for the box top and bottom.

A metal type specifies the metalization loss used by em. Since the metalization loss is unrelated to the level on which a polygon is located, changing the metal type of a polygon does not change the physical location of the polygon. It changes only the metalization loss.

A list of presently defined metals for this project appears in this dialog box. All geometry files initially contain the metal type, Lossless, whose bulk conductivity is infinite (INF). You may not edit this metal type. Lossless is also the default metal used for all new polygons when a project is created. If you wish to use another metal as the default metal for new polygons, select another metal from the Metal for New Polygons drop list. Click on a metal in the list to select it.

Metal for New Polygons: Select the metal you wish to use for all new polygons in your circuit. This does not change the metal used for any existing polygons, but any metalization added to your circuit after this will use the selected metal. The default metal used for new projects is Lossless.

Add: Click on this button to open the Metal Editor dialog box which allows you to define a new metal type or add an existing defined metal from a metal library to your project.

Edit: Click on this button to edit the selected metal in the metal list to the left. The Metal Editor dialog box is opened displaying the present values of the metal. You may edit the name and properties of the metal in this dialog box.

Remove: Click on this button to remove the selected metal in the metal list from your project.

Library: Click on this button to open the Metal Library dialog box which allows you to edit the contents of your metal library or global metal library.

For more details on defining loss for a metal, see How do I define metal loss?