Recommend a good 2D field-solver for traces?

[jmcoreymv]

I've never used any type of EM software to do trace simulations but I wanted to start learning how. Can anyone recommend some good free software that would be good for a beginner?

 

[Born2bwire]

ADS Momentum. You can specify the layering of the PCB and place down your metal traces. You can also do trace sections in the MOM solver and make them as a part for a schematic and place it with discrete circuit components in its circuit solver. That is, you can have an input port in the schematic, lay down an element in the MOM solver to simulate a long transmission line to a resistor, and then connect the resistor and run a simulation. Annoyingly though, you can't do this in the MOM solver. So you cannot simulate a RLC element together with the MOM solver. The main drawback to not being able to do it in the MOM solver as opposed to the schematic circuit solver is that in the MOM solver you can find out the radiation pattern and antenna characteristics.

You can do more complex simulations with rudimentary RLC elements in Ansoft HFSS. HFSS is a 3D FEM solver as opposed to ADS Momentum's 2D MOM.