Modeling Parallel Plate Capacitor with LCGEN

Geometry and setup

Plate size: 200 mm × 200 mm × 0.1 mm
Gap between the two plates: 10 mm

Setup:
The structure was drawn using the model editor. Then, using the simulation file builder, the model file was opened and the simulation default parameters were utilized. The build file and run option was then selected.

Download input geometry ibm_parallelplates.zip

Simulation result

Capacitance: 39.007 pF

Model decisions

  1. Materials
    • Copper modeled as a PEC
    • Dielectric was air
  2. Simulation
    • Output charge data selected to obtain a graphical representation
    • Disabled inductance solution because it won't work with this setup
    • Ran simulation in the foreground

Comments

  • How intuitive is the interface for LCGEN?"

    The interface for LCGEN is easy to learn, though a little clumsy to use. There aren't a lot of options included with this software, just what you need to model simple geometries.
  • What is the drawing interface like?

    The drawing interface allows a user to input the min/max vertices of each shape. There are several included shapes that it will automatically draw, but they are not intuitive to a new user. For someone with a lot of CAD experience this interface should be quick to learn. For people without that experience it can be time consuming learning how to convert a geometry into a list of min/max points.
  • Would the capacitance be different if you modeled this configuration with zero-thickness plates?

    There is a small change in the results due to the change in the electric field distribution at the edges of the plates.
Screen shots
simulation model
Fig. 1. Simulation model