HSPICE from Synopsys can be used to simulate the circuits from the CMOS books.

§ Download all of the book’s available HSPICE simulation examples in HSPICE_CMOSedu.zip.

§ To ensure that HSPICE generates a data file for Avanwaves or Cscope add “.option post” to a netlist

§ HSPICE netlists end in an “sp” (e.g. mynetlist.sp)

§ Syntax for a switch in HSPICE is:

GS1 n1 n2 VCR PWL(1) CLOCK,0 0.499,1m 0.501,10G

For example, if the voltage difference between nodes CLOCK and ground (0) transitions through 0.5V the switch, connected between nodes n1 and n2, will go from a short (1 milliohm) to an open (10 Gigaohms).

The Electric VLSI Design Information

§ Below shows how Electric is setup where the Run Program path is (for example): C:\synopsys\Hspice_A-2008.03-SP1\BIN\hspice.exe

§ Note that while the Run Program field is not case sensitive the “with args:” field is case sensitive (so use the uppercase names as seen)

§ Also note the difference between the “with args:” field seen below and what is used with LTspice

§ Electric outputs netlists with a *.spi extension.

§ If you get an Exception Caught! when Electric loads simulation data it likely means that you have run out of memory. See number 15 here for how to increase the memory allocated to the JVM

Running HSIM from the command window (Start -> Run -> then type Cmd) in Windows

§ Ensure the HSPICE model levels are used as indicated above (e.g., BSIM3 is Level=49 instead of Level=8)

§ Use exact same netlist as used with HSPICE simulations except replace .options post with .print v(*) Level=1

§ .print v(*) Level=1 saves node voltages from the main, or top level, cell. Level=2 stores node voltages from both the top level cell and the cells directly instanced in the top level cell (Level=3 stores the top three levels of hierarchy, ect.)

§ HSIM can be run from the command prompt as seen below

§ The errors can be viewed using a text editor in hsim.log

§ The simulation output, hsim.fsdb, can be viewed using CosmosScope

§ See the HSIM manual covering invoking HSIM for additional options

§ If you get an Exception Caught! when Electric loads simulation data it likely means that you have run out of memory. See number 15 here for how to increase the memory allocated to the JVM

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CMOS Circuit Design, Layout, and Simulation

CMOS Mixed-Signal Circuit Design

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