Development of Android app for circuit design and analysis

Abstract

In this dissertation, we aim to develop an interactive basic prototype android application to facilitate the design of two port circuit and simulate the frequency response using scattering parameters. This app design will be based on iOS app “μStripKit” developed last year by Prof. Tan Eng Leong. Our android app “MicroStrip”, mainly contains 4 screens. In the 1st screen, user can set different parameters for micro strip line segment. In the 2nd screen, user can select different lumped elements from selection list like series resistor, open end stub, shunt capacitor etc. Based on user input, certain characteristics parameter will be calculated for each component for example, admittance for shunt resistor, reactance for series capacitor etc. In the next step, user can select any of the lumped components and design two port circuit using drag and drop feature. Scattering parameters will be calculated and displayed dynamically. Calculation is performed using matrix multiplication, complex number arithmetic operations and standard formulae for ABCD to S parameter conversion. In the 3rd screen, user can analyse frequency response for the designed circuit with the help of graph of S11 and S21 parameter values plotted against the range of frequencies. This feature will be enhanced in future versions to provide more accurate results. In the last i.e.4th screen, timing efficiency of parameter calculation for each of the lumped components will be displayed. This app is of great use for students and engineers to learn and analyse microwave circuit principles in an interactive way using smart handheld and mobile devices and without any dedicated simulation and design software.