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From: kenkel@mcnc.org (Stephen Kenkel)
Newsgroups: comp.lsi,comp.lsi.cad
Subject: Circuit Simulator Benchmarks
Keywords: benchmarks, public, circuits, spice
Message-ID: <5780@alvin.mcnc.org>
Date: 21 Nov 89 20:09:02 GMT
Organization: MCNC; RTP, NC
Lines: 48

It has struck me recently that there does not seem to
exist a good, standard, publicly available collection of
benchmark circuits for circuit and timing level simulators.  
At ICCAD, for instance, I noticed a number of talks giving the 
performance of simulators, but on circuits
that had been selected by the authors of the programs.
This makes it difficult to qualify claims of "100X Spice"
and "always converges".

In contrast, the place and route community and the logic
synthesis community each have standard benchmarks which
allow comparisons.

I would like to propose that a publicly available collection be 
established of circuits.  The circuits would be selected to
include tough circuits for traditional simulators (bipolar, 
opamps, feedback, bi-stable, etc), very large circuits, circuits
which are suitable for waveform relaxation, circuits which
give rise to unknown states with timing simulators, etc.

MCNC would be willing to maintain an make the circuits available
by anonymous ftp, if no one else wants to take on this responsbility.

At a minimum, the circuits would have to be:

1.   Freely distributable.  This should not be too much of a problem,
since it is difficult to reverse engineer a circuit from the flattened
netlist.

2.  In SPICE compatabile netlist form.  (For lack of a more universal
standard)

3.  Use a standard device model:  SPICE Level I, II, III, IV or BJT.
Many industrial circuits use custom device  models, which again
confuses comparisons.

4.  MOST important:  include an output file containing what is 
believed to be a correct simulation at the circuit level, for
comparison purposes.  If possible, enought information should be
given so that SPICE, HSPICE, PSPICE, or whatever can be re-run to
verify the correctness of the output.

So, is there interest in such a collection?  Anyone want to contribute
circuits?

DISCLAIMER:  
    MCNC distributes a circuit level simulator (CAzM), and
    has a vested interest in the benchmarking of such programs.