padStack

Create padstack object

Since R2025a

Description

A padstack is a 3D structure associated with holes that pass through multiple layers in a PCB allowing for the interconnection of components in different layers.

Create a padStack object from a pcbFileReadObject.

Creation

Syntax

stackobj = padStack(pfile,'PadStackName')

Description

stackobj = padStack(pfile,'PadStackName') creates a pcbFileRead and a 'PadStackName.

Input Arguments

pfile — Input file

object

pcbFileRead object specified as a string.

Example: stackobj = padStack(pfilename,'MHYC012') creates a padStack object.

'PadStackName' — Name of padstack

string

Name of the padstack in the pcb database.

Example: stackobj = padStack(pfilename,'MHYC012') creates apadStack object using PadStackName set to 'MHYC012'.

Data Types: string

Properties

NumPads — Number of pads

Read-only: scalar

This property is read-only.

Number of pads in a padStack.

Example: 4

Data Types: int8

PadType — Pad type

Read-only: via | pin

This property is read-only.

Types of pads in the padStack

Example: 'pin'

Data Types: string

PadShape — Pad shape

Read-only: Circle | Rectangle | Polygon

This property is read-only.

Shape of the pads in the padStack.

Example: 1x1 Polygon

Data Types: cell

PadCenter — Center of pad

Read-only: cell

This property is read-only.

Center location of the pad.

Example: [6x2 double]

Data Types: cell

PadLength — Length of pad

Read-only: scalar

This property is read-only.

Length of the pad in inches when PadShape is Rectangle.

Example: 0.05

Data Types: double

PadWidth — Width of pad

Read-only: scalar

This property is read-only.

Width of the pad in inches when Padshape is Rectangle.

Example: 0.025

Data Types: double

HoleDiameter — Hole diameter

Read-only: scalar

This property is read-only.

Hole diameter of the pad in inches when Padshape is Circle.

Example: 0.005

Data Types: double

PadDiameter — Pad diameter

Read-only: scalar

This property is read-only.

Pad diameter in inches when PadShape is Circle.

Example: 0.012

Data Types: double

AntipadShape — Shape of antipad

Read-only: Circle | Rectangle | Polygon

This property is read-only.

Shape of the antipad when PadType is Via.

Example: 'Circle'

Data Types: string

AntipadDiameter — Antipad diameter

Read-only: scalar

This property is read-only.

Diameter of the antipad in inches when AntipadShape is Circle.

Example: 0.012

Data Types: double

AntipadWidth — Antipad width

Read-only: scalar

This property is read-only.

Width of the antipad in inches when AntipadShape is Rectangle.

Example: 0.03

Data Types: double

AntipadHeight — Height of antipad

scalar

Height of the antipad in inches when AntipadShape is Rectangle.

Example: 0.02

Data Types: double

ViaPadInfo — Via pad information

table

Information table of the pads when padType is Via.

Via Pad Information

Name	Information
PadIndex	Index of each pad
StartLayerNumber	Start layer number of the pad
StartLayerName	Start layer name of the pad
StopLayerNumber	Stop layer of the pad
StopLayerName	Stop layer name of the pad
LayerHeight	Layer height in inches from the bottom to the pad

Data Types: table

PadPinInfo — Pin pad information

Read-only: table

This property is read-only.

Information table of the pads when PadType is Pin.

Pin Pad Information

Name	Information
PadIndex	Index of each pad
Component	Name of the component associated with the pad
PinNumber	Pin number of the component with which the pad is associated.
StartLayerNumber	Start layer number of the pad
StartLayerName	Start layer name of the pad
StopLayerNumber	Stop layer number of the pad
StopLayerName	Stop layer name of the pad
LayerHeight	Layer height in inches from the bottom to the pad

Object Functions

shapes

Extract all metal layer shapes of PCB component

Examples

Read Allegro PCB File and Extract information

This example shows how to read an Allegro file and create a pcbFileRead object. After this the following opertations will be executed:

• Create layer, cadnet, padstack, part, and component objects form the pcbFileRead object

• Create a powerDistributionNetwork object from the cadnet object

• Set the properties of the powerDistributionNetwork object for voltage and current density anlysis

• Analyse and visualize the voltage and current density

Here is the circuit:

Here is the pcb layout:

Read file

Read a native format Allegro file and look at the propeties of the pcb

pfile = pcbFileRead('native_ExampleBoard_Allegro')

pfile = 
  pcbFileRead with properties:

           FileName: 'native_ExampleBoard_Allegro'
          NumLayers: 5
         MetalLayer: [1 3 5]
    DielectricLayer: [2 4]
        LayerHeight: [0.0184 0.0104 0.0092 0.0012 0]
         NumCadnets: 7
       NumPadStacks: 6
      NumComponents: 8
           NumParts: 5

cadnetList(pfile)

ans=7×4 table
    CadnetIdx        CadnetName         NumPins    Length
    _________    ___________________    _______    ______

        1        {'Unconnected_Net'}       3           0 
        2        {'NET_OUTV'       }       2       0.615 
        3        {'NET_GND'        }       1        0.46 
        4        {'NET_IN22'       }       2       0.645 
        5        {'NET_IN11'       }       4       0.488 
        6        {'NET_INNEG'      }       2       0.515 
        7        {'NET_INPOS'      }       2       0.676 

componentList(pfile)

ans=8×3 table
    ComponentIdx    ComponentName    NumPins
    ____________    _____________    _______

         1            {'OUT_V'}         1   
         2            {'U1'   }         6   
         3            {'C3'   }         2   
         4            {'R1'   }         2   
         5            {'TP1'  }         1   
         6            {'R2'   }         2   
         7            {'IN_N' }         1   
         8            {'IN_P' }         1   

partList(pfile)

ans=5×2 table
    PartIdx       PartName    
    _______    _______________

       1       {'IOSINGLEPIN'}
       2       {'IC6ANT'     }
       3       {'CAPGEN080'  }
       4       {'RESGENH40'  }
       5       {'RESGEN080'  }

padStackList(pfile)

ans=6×2 table
    PadstackIdx        PadstackName    
    ___________    ____________________

         1         {'MHYCIRCLE009'    }
         2         {'MHYC012'         }
         3         {'MHYRECT46X59'    }
         4         {'MHYRECT80X60H40' }
         5         {'VIA'             }
         6         {'MHYRECT46X59_TOP'}

stackUp(pfile)

ans=5×8 table
    LayerNumber      LayerName         LayerType        Material     Thickness    EpsilonR    LossTangent    Conductivity
    ___________    ______________    ______________    __________    _________    ________    ___________    ____________

         1         {'TOP'       }    {'Signal'    }    {'COPPER'}     0.0012          1              0         5.96e+07  
         2         {'Dielectric'}    {'Dielectric'}    {'FR-4'  }      0.008        4.5          0.035                0  
         3         {'LAYER2'    }    {'Plane'     }    {'COPPER'}     0.0012          1              0         5.96e+07  
         4         {'Dielectric'}    {'Dielectric'}    {'FR-4'  }      0.008        4.5          0.035                0  
         5         {'BOTTOM'    }    {'Signal'    }    {'COPPER'}     0.0012          1              0         5.96e+07  

Create layer object

Create and visualize a layer object

layerobj = layer(pfile,1,Type= 'All')

layerobj = 
  layer with properties:

        pcBoard: [1×1 pcbFileRead]
    LayerNumber: 1
           Type: "All"
    LayerHeight: 0.0184
    NumSurfaces: 1
        NumPins: 14
        NumVias: 4
      NumTraces: []
     EntityList: [1×1 struct]

show(layerobj)

Create a cadnet object

Create cadnet object and look at it data

cadobj = cadnet(pfile,'NET_IN11')

cadobj = 
  cadnet with properties:

        pcBoard: [1×1 pcbFileRead]
     CadnetName: 'NET_IN11'
        NumPins: 4
    NumSurfaces: 2
        NumVias: 4
      NumTraces: 4
    TotalLength: 0.4880
        Voltage: 'NoDef'
     LayerRange: [1 3 5]
     EntityList: [1×1 struct]

figure
show(cadobj)

Create a padstack object

Create a padstack object and look at its data

stackobj = padStack(pfile,'MHYC012')

stackobj = 
  padStack with properties:

         pcBoard: [1×1 pcbFileRead]
    PadStackName: 'MHYC012'
         PadType: 'Pin'
        PadShape: 'Circle'
         NumPads: 6
       PadCenter: [6×2 double]
    HoleDiameter: 0
     PadDiameter: 0.0120
      PinPadInfo: [6×8 table]

shapes(stackobj)

ans=6×1 cell array
    {1×1 antenna.Polygon}
    {1×1 antenna.Polygon}
    {1×1 antenna.Polygon}
    {1×1 antenna.Polygon}
    {1×1 antenna.Polygon}
    {1×1 antenna.Polygon}

Create a part object

Create a part object and look at its data

partobj = part(pfile,"IC6ANT")

partobj = 
  part with properties:

          pcBoard: [1×1 pcbFileRead]
         PartName: 'IC6ANT'
    NumComponents: 1
    ComponentInfo: [1×7 table]

componentData(partobj)

ans = 
  component with properties:

             pcBoard: [1×1 pcbFileRead]
       ComponentName: 'U1'
            PartName: 'IC6ANT'
       ComponentType: 'IC'
             NumPins: 6
               Value: ''
            Facement: 'TOP'
    ComponentPinInfo: [6×7 table]

Create component object

Create a component object and look at its pin data

componentobj = component(pfile,'U1')

componentobj = 
  component with properties:

             pcBoard: [1×1 pcbFileRead]
       ComponentName: 'U1'
            PartName: 'IC6ANT'
       ComponentType: 'IC'
             NumPins: 6
               Value: ''
            Facement: 'TOP'
    ComponentPinInfo: [6×7 table]

componentPinData(componentobj,1)

ans = 
  pinsData with properties:

             PinShape: 'Circle'
           PartNumber: 'IC6ANT'
            Component: 'U1'
            PinNumber: 'A3'
                Value: ''
             PadStack: 'MHYC012'
           CadnetName: 'NET_OUTV'
           StartLayer: 1
            StopLayer: 1

   Circular pin dimensions:
               Center: [0.1010 0.2690]
             Diameter: 0.0120
    DrillHoleDiameter: 0

Create a power distribution network object

Create a power distribution network object from a cadnet object. After this the following operations can be performed:

• Set up the the Network Parameters, DC Parameters, and DC Rules properties of the power distribution network for power integrity analysis

• Analyse and visualize the voltage and current desnsity of the power distribution network

Here is the cadnet for power integrity analysis

pdnobj = powerDistributionNetwork(cadobj)

pdnobj = 
  powerDistributionNetwork with properties:

   Network Parameters:
              NetType: [1×1 cadnet]
               Source: []
                 Load: []
                Sense: []
     PlatingThickness: []

   DC Parameters:
       NominalVoltage: []
          LoadCurrent: []

   DC Rules
    MaxCurrentDensity: []
           MinVoltage: []
           MaxVoltage: []
        MaxViaCurrent: []

To Analyse PDN:
Set Network Parameters: setNetworkParameters
Set DC Parameters: setDCParameters
Set DC Rules: setDCRules

Find the pins connected to the cadnet using the findComponents function

ConnPins = findComponents(cadobj)

ConnPins=4×5 table
    ComponentIndex    Refdes    PinList    ComponentType          Part      
    ______________    ______    _______    ______________    _______________

          1           "C3"       "1"       {'Capacitor' }    {'CAPGEN080'  }
          2           "R2"       "2"       {'Resistor'  }    {'RESGEN080'  }
          3           "TP1"      "1"       {'Test Point'}    {'IOSINGLEPIN'}
          4           "U1"       "A1"      {'IC'        }    {'IC6ANT'     }

in = ConnPins.Refdes(2);
out = [ConnPins.Refdes(1),ConnPins.Refdes(4)];
SensePin = ConnPins.Refdes(3);

Set the network parameters

setNetworkParameters(pdnobj,Source=in,Load=out,Sense=SensePin,PlatingThickness=0.0003);

  powerDistributionNetwork with properties:

   Network Parameters:
              NetType: [1×1 cadnet]
               Source: "R2"
                 Load: ["C3"    "U1"]
                Sense: "TP1"
     PlatingThickness: 3.0000e-04

   DC Parameters:
       NominalVoltage: []
          LoadCurrent: []

   DC Rules
    MaxCurrentDensity: []
           MinVoltage: []
           MaxVoltage: []
        MaxViaCurrent: []

To Analyse PDN:
Set DC Parameters: setDCParameters
Set DC Rules: setDCRules

Set the DC parameters

setDCParameters(pdnobj,"LoadCurrent",[10e-3,10e-3],"NominalVoltage",2)

  powerDistributionNetwork with properties:

   Network Parameters:
              NetType: [1×1 cadnet]
               Source: "R2"
                 Load: ["C3"    "U1"]
                Sense: "TP1"
     PlatingThickness: 3.0000e-04

   DC Parameters:
       NominalVoltage: 2
          LoadCurrent: [0.0100 0.0100]

   DC Rules
    MaxCurrentDensity: []
           MinVoltage: []
           MaxVoltage: []
        MaxViaCurrent: []

To Analyse PDN:
Set DC Rules: setDCRules

Set the DC rules

setDCRules(pdnobj,MinVoltage=1,MaxVoltage=2.00002,MaxCurrentDensity=4,MaxViaCurrent=2)

  powerDistributionNetwork with properties:

   Network Parameters:
              NetType: [1×1 cadnet]
               Source: "R2"
                 Load: ["C3"    "U1"]
                Sense: "TP1"
     PlatingThickness: 3.0000e-04

   DC Parameters:
       NominalVoltage: 2
          LoadCurrent: [0.0100 0.0100]

   DC Rules
    MaxCurrentDensity: 4
           MinVoltage: 1
           MaxVoltage: 2.0000
        MaxViaCurrent: 2

Analyze voltage deviation

voltage(pdnobj);

Analyze current desnsity with direction enabled

current(pdnobj,Direction="on")

Version History

Introduced in R2025a