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Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!mark
From: mark@mips.COM (Mark G. Johnson)
Newsgroups: comp.lsi,comp.lsi.cad
Subject: Talk us out of using SPICE
Keywords: please
Message-ID: <32194@hal.mips.COM>
Date: 27 Nov 89 14:36:19 GMT
Reply-To: mark@mips.COM (Mark G. Johnson)
Organization: MIPS Computer Systems, Inc.
Lines: 49


 Our board-design folks run SPICE rather extensively; should they be
 using a more modern simulator that "always converges" and is "100X
 faster than SPICE"??

 They are looking at time-domain behavior on PC board traces, and
 presently they trim the simulated network down so it is managebly
 sized and runs reasonably fast: 30 CPU minutes on a VAX 11/780
 (equivalently).


 Here are their requirements:

   1.  Transient analysis.

   2.  Ability to simulate semiconductor devices, so that chip
       vendor's models of I/O pin drivers and receivers can be
       included in simulations.  This means Gummel-Poon BJT and MOS
       levels 1-3 + BSIM and PN diode.

   3.  Ability to simulate with "floating" (neither terminal at
       ground) capacitors.  This is required for crosstalk modeling.

   4.  Ability to simulate inductors and mutually-coupled inductors.
       This is required for handling PC-trace transmission lines,
       IC package noise, backplane connectors, etc.

   5.  Ability to use all 4 types of controlled-sources (VCVS, CCCS,
       VCCS, CCVS), and also with neither the controlling element nor
       the controlled source grounded.  This is required to handle some
       of the macromodels, e.g. those by Linear Technology and P.M.I.

   6.  Optional, but very handy: a good library facility for easy
       inclusion of standard modules like "OutPad74F00" so the user
       can build up a simulation model quickly.

 Do any of the newer-algorithm simulators (waveform relaxation, dynamic
 partitioning, mixed-mode, etc) contain all of these?

 For example, the circuit I posted last Tuesday (<31896@hal.mips.COM>)
 requires items 1-4 above; do any of the better-than-SPICE simulators
 accept this input file, converge at DC, run the transient analysis,
 and get an answer close to HSPICE?

 Thanks,
-- 
 -- Mark Johnson	
 	MIPS Computer Systems, 930 E. Arques, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
	(408) 991-0208    mark@mips.com  {or ...!decwrl!mips!mark}


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