Bonnie Baker

Peter Wilson

Overview

They say a computer-based simulation of your analog circuit is important. This is because the use of your preferred computer Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE) program can reduce initial errors and development time. If you use your SPICE simulator correctly, you can drum out circuit errors and nuances before you go to your breadboard. In this manner, you will verify your design before you spend the time soldering your circuit. SPICE helps troubleshoot bench problems; it is a great place to try out different hypotheses. It is also great at "what if" scenarios (for example, exploratory design).

You can view the results from these software tools on a PC with user-friendly, graphical user interface (GUI) suites. This tool will fundamentally provide DC operating (quiescent) points, small signal (AC) gain, time domain behavior and DC sweeps. At a more sophisticated level, it will help you analyze harmonic distortion, noise power, gain sensitivity and perform pole-zero searches. This list is not complete, but generally, SPICE software manufacturers have many of these fundamental features available for the user. By finessing the Monte Carlo and worst-case analysis tools in SPICE, you can predict the yields of your final product. If you use your breadboard for this type of investigation, it could be very expensive and time consuming. All of these SPICE simulation advantages will speed up your application circuit time-to-market.

But, beware. You can effectively evaluate analog products if your SPICE models or macromodels are accurate enough...