Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Installation and Setup ...................................................................................................... 4 1.1. Typographic Conventions ................................................................................................... 4 1.2. Installation Checklist ........................................................................................................... 4 1.3. T-AFS Use Cases .................................................................................................................. 5 1.4. Getting MAC address for the Linux computer that will run T-AFS ..................................... 6 1.5. T-AFS Installation ................................................................................................................ 7 1.5.1. Creating the T-AFS Platform Installation Directory ...................................................... 7 1.5.2. Installing T-AFS ............................................................................................................. 7 1.6. Linux ESI Server Installation ................................................................................................ 8 1.6.1. Activating the T-AFS License....................................................................................... 10 1.7. T-AFS Client Setup ............................................................................................................. 12 1.8. Spice Model used for the example files ............................................................................ 14 1.9. Limitations ........................................................................................................................ 15 1.10. Known Issues..................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 2 Tutorial .......................................................................................................................... 17 2.1. RingVCO ............................................................................................................................ 17

List of Exercises

List of Exercises
Exercise 1 - Running a simulation using T-AFS ............................................................................... 17

Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.1 Typographic Conventions

Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

T-AFS is the integration of a special version of Berkley Design Automations AnalogFast SPICE product. T-AFS is integrated with S-Edit for schematic capture and W-Edit for waveform viewing.

1.1. Typographic Conventions

This section describes typographic conventions that are used in this document. Bold Italics Indicates elements that are a part of S-Edit, such as toolbars, menus, and buttons. Indicates elements that are part of the tutorial design, such as cell names, instance names, and properties.

1.2. Installation Checklist

Get MAC Address for Linux computer that will run T-AFS. This is needed for the license. (Section 1.3) Install T-AFS on the Linux computer. (Section 1.5) Install the T-AFS license on the Linux computer and start the FlexLM License server. (Section 1.5) Install the Linux ESI Server in the Linux user account that will be used to run T-AFS. (Section 1.6). Generate a public/private key for the user account that will be used to run T-AFS. (Section 1.6). Setup ESI on the client. (Section 1.7) Copy the private key file to the client. (Section 1.7) Install the Tanner Example files in the Linux user account that will be used to run TAFS. (Section1.8).

Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.3 T-AFS Use Cases

1.3. T-AFS Use Cases

Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.4 Getting MAC address for the Linux computer that will run T-AFS

1.4. Getting MAC address for the Linux computer that will run T-AFS
Step 1. Get a command prompt on the Linux machine (ssh or local) and type the following to get the MAC Address. /sbin/ifconfig | grep HWaddr

Step 2.

Type the following to get hostname. hostname

Step 3.

Send the 12 digit MAC address and hostname to support@tanner.com.

Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.5 T-AFS Installation

1.5. T-AFS Installation

1.5.1. Creating the T-AFS Platform Installation Directory T-AFS Platform provides a multiple operating system installation tarball that includes all supported platforms and architectures. Make sure that you install the T-AFS Platform applications in a new directory and do not combine them with any other software, or with an earlier T-AFS Platform release. This section describes how to create the directories that contain the T-AFS Platform applications. T-AFS Platform release names use the following convention: year_quarter For example: 2012_Q3. release_name_T-AFS.tar.gz For example: 2012_Q3_T-AFS.tar.gz For maintenance releases, the release name may include the month and day in addition to the quarter. For example, a maintenance release name may be 2012_Q3_08_23. The following figure shows the directory structure for the T-AFS Platform software.

1.5.2.

Installing T-AFS To install the software, do the following:

Step 1. To start the installation, create a directory where you will install bda if it doesnt already exist. We suggest that directory be /opt/bda. mkdir /opt/bda

Chapter 1 Installation and Setup Step 2.

1.6 Linux ESI Server Installation

In the /opt/bda directory, create a new directory named release_name for the T-AFS Platform release, where release_name is the T-AFS Platform release name, for example, 2012_Q3. mkdir /opt/bda/2012_Q3 Go to the directory you just created (i.e. 2012_Q3). Copy the file from the installation DVD (\BDA\2012_Q3_T-AFS.tar.gz) or download the file.
wget ftp://ftp.tanner.com/outgoing/T-AFS/2012_Q3_T-AFS.tar.gz

Step 3. Step 4.

Step 5.

Copy the files to their corresponding directory. For example: cd /opt/bda/release_name cp release_name_T-AFS.tar.gz .

Step 6.

Unzip and untar the file install file (release_name_T-AFS.tar.gz). This may take a few minutes to complete. For example, gunzip 2012_Q3_T-AFS.tar.gz tar -xvf 2012_Q3_T-AFS.tar rm 2012_Q3_T-AFS.tar

Step 7.

Create a/opt/bda/etc directory and copy the license.dat license file provided by Tanner to /opt/bda /etc: mkdir /opt/bda/etc cp license_file /opt/bda/etc/license.dat where license_file is the name of the license file that you received.

1.6. Linux ESI Server Installation

You need to install the Linux ESI Server so that ESI on the client computer (either Windows or Linux) can communicate with the Linux computer that runs T-AFS. This has to be done even if Tanner Tools and T-AFS are installed on the same physical computer. Step 1. Get a command prompt on the Linux machine (ssh or local). Step 2. Create a bin directory if it doesnt exist. cd ~ mkdir bin Step 3. Download and install the T-AFS support scripts. The T-AFS support scripts are also available on the Tanner Tools installation DVD (\BDA\T-AFS_Support_Scripts_v1600.tar.gz where 1600 is the release version of Tanner Tools). They currently must be installed at $HOME/bin. cd ~/bin

Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.6 Linux ESI Server Installation

wget ftp://ftp.tanner.com/outgoing/T-AFS/T-AFS_Support_Scripts_v1602.tar.gz

gunzip T-AFS_Support_Scripts_v1602.tar.gz tar -xvf T-AFS_Support_Scripts_v1602.tar rm T-AFS_Support_Scripts_v1602.tar chmod +x ~/bin/esi_worker.py chmod +x ~/bin/bda_config.sh chmod +x ~/bin/runafs.sh chmod +x ~/bin/runtafs.sh Step 4. Edit ~/bin/bda_config.sh and set the environment variables as appropriate. BDA_HOME should be the root path to where your installed T-AFS. BDA_VERSION should be the name of the subdirectory for the current version of the T-AFS installation. If you install a newer version, it usually goes into a different subdirectory and you will need to modify this environment variable to point to the new version.

Step 5.

Next, we need to create an ssh public/private key pair so you dont have to enter your password all the time when running the remote simulations. Make sure the SSH server is setup and configured on your Linux machine. Use ssh-keygen to create a public/private key pair. This will create 2 files tannerbda.key.pub and tanner-bda.key. ssh-keygen -f tanner-bda.key -P "" -C "Tanner/BDA key"

Step 6.

Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.6 Linux ESI Server Installation

Step 7.

If the .ssh folder doesnt exist in your Linux account, then we need to create it. mkdir ~/.ssh chmod 0700 ~/.ssh

Step 8.

Now, add the public key to your authorized_keys file. cat tanner-bda.key.pub >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys chmod 0600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Step 9.

The ESI support scripts only have to be unpacked and you dont have to initialize a server. Tanner Tools will look in $HOME/bin for these scripts and uses the Python script as needed. Activating the T-AFS License The T-AFS Platform release contains the FLEXlm utilities necessary to activate the T-AFS license file. The release file installs them in the hierarchy shown in the figure, below. Later, you will need to set up your environment and FLEXlm license server to use the directory that corresponds to your operating system.

1.6.1.

T-AFS uses two environment variables to locate your FlexLM license file:

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Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.6 Linux ESI Server Installation

1. BDA_LICENSE_FILE gets checked first. If this variable exists but the specified file does not contain a valid license, T-AFS reports an error and immediately exits without checking LM_LICENSE_FILE. 2. If BDA_LICENSE_FILE is not set, T-AFS uses the LM_LICENSE_FILE variable to locate the license file. If LM_LICENSE_FILE points to a file that contains many licenses from other vendors, using BDA_LICENSE_FILE can let T-AFS check out its license and start up faster. Step 1. Setup the licensing environment variable. source ~/bin/bda_config.sh Step 2. Start up the FLEXlm license server cd $BDA_HOME/etc lmgrd -c license.dat -l bda_license.log Step 3. Test T-AFS by type the following at the command line. tafs -v

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Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.7 T-AFS Client Setup

1.7. T-AFS Client Setup

Step 1. Make sure you have installed Tanner Tools on the client machine Step 2. Run ESI from the Start Menu (Start Menu > All Programs > Tanner EDA > Tanner Tools v15.2>ESI). If it is not in the start menu, then run either esi.exe for 32-bit or esi64.exe for 64-bit installation. The executable will be located where you installed Tanner Tools Step 3. Set the computer to your Linux computer were you have T-AFS installed and set username to your username.

Start with Windows Automatically run ESI every time Windows starts up so you do not have to run it every time you reboot your computer.

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Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.7 T-AFS Client Setup

Use full BDA AFS license If you already own Berkeley Design Automations Analog FastSPICE, then you can still integrate with S-Edit & W-Edit but this option needs to be enabled. This should be unchecked if you are using T-AFS. Display simulation information During the T-AFS simulation, text sent to the standard output on Linux gets displayed in the S-Edit command line window. For some simulations, this can display much information which can slowdown S-Edit and thus the copying of results locally to display in W-Edit. You can use this switch to turn off displaying simulation information in the command line window if the amount of data is large. You can always view the simulation log after the simulation, which contains all the information that would have been displayed in the S-Edit command line window. Sweep progress This will display each sweep point during the simulation. If you are running a DC sweep with many points, you might want to turn this off. Measurements Display measurements in the S-Edit command line window. Options and operating point results Display the options for the simulation and all operating point results. This is normally disabled because this will generate a lot of text to display in the S-Edit command line window.

Step 4. Step 5.

Click the hide button. Copy the private key file (tanner-bda.key) to the %APPDATA%\Tanner EDA\TESI\ folder, and rename it to id_rsa. You should have created this file when you installed Linux ESI Server in Section 1.6 on Page 8.

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Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.8 Spice Model used for the example files

1.8. Spice Model used for the example files

Since T-Spice runs on Windows and T-AFS runs on Linux, the search path you specify will be different based on which simulator you are currently running. The example files are setup to allow you to quickly switch between T-Spice and T-AFS when simulating. This is achieved by using a new TCL function called SelectViaSimulator. The syntax for SelectViaSimulator is as follows: [SelectViaSimulator <String to be returned if T-Spice is the selected simulator> <String to be returned if T-AFS is the selected simulator>] For example,
[SelectViaSimulator "../../Process/Generic_250nm/Generic_250nm_Tech/" "~/tanner_examples/Process/Generic_250nm/Generic_250nm_Tech/"]

In the example files, we define 2 TCL variables to store the paths to make it easier.
set gGeneric250nmLibLinuxPath "~/tanner_examples/Process/Generic_250nm/Generic_250nm_Tech/" set gGeneric250nmLibWinPath "../../Process/Generic_250nm/Generic_250nm_Tech/"

These are set in the following file:

\Process\Generic_250nm\Generic_250nm_Devices\scripts\open.design\LoadCallbacks.tcl

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Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.9 Limitations

If you want to run simulations on the Tanner example files using T-AFS, you will have to install the Tanner example files to your Linux account or change the TCL variable gGeneric250nmLibLinuxPath to point to where the generic 0.25um model files are located on your Linux operating system where T-AFS is installed. You can download and install the Tanner example files in your Linux account so that the paths will match those of the Linux computer in the Tanner example files installed on your Windows computer by doing the following steps.
wget ftp://ftp.tanner.com/outgoing/T-AFS/TannerExamples_v1600.tar.gz

cd ~ gunzip TannerExamples_v1600.tar.gz tar xvf TannerExamples_v1600.tar

1.9. Limitations
Users can simulate up to 50K elements per T-AFS license token. T-AFS license tokens are linearly stackable (e.g., 2 license tokens to simulate up to 100K elements, 3 license tokens up to 150K elements, etc.). Each license token allows you to run on 1 core and they can be linearly stacked. There is no limit to the number of license tokens that can be stacked.

Transient Noise Analysis requires a T-AFS license token and a transient noise license token.

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Chapter 1 Installation and Setup

1.10 Known Issues

1.10. Known Issues

You cant display DC operating voltage and currents directly on the schematic. You can view the DC operating voltage and currents in the log file. You cant display small signal parameters by double clicking on device in the schematic. You can view the small signal parameters in the log file. You cant perform current probing on subcircuit pins. You will get an error dialog in W-Edit similar to the following.

You can print subcircuit pins using the .PROBE command. The pin current for a pin in a subcircuit, where pin_name is the internal subcircuit pin name: isub(x1.x2...pin_name) For example, given the subcircuit subckt nmos23 (drain gate source) ... ends nmos23 you retrieve the subcircuit pin current with an expression similar to: isub(x1.x2.gate) You can perform current probing on the first and second pins of all elements through the hierarchy. You can only perform current probing on the third and fourth pins of MOSFETs at the top level. This will be fixed in a future release. You cant have an echo command in your .bashrc file because ESI using stdin to communicate. If you have an echo command, you will get the following error message. design simulate start # EXT Unexpected message from server: echo message here # EXT HELLOESI 152 esi_worker v16.00 # EXT unexpected server message

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Chapter 2 Tutorial

2.1 RingVCO

Chapter 2 Tutorial
2.1. RingVCO

Exercise 1 - Running a simulation using T-AFS

Step 1. Start ESI v15.23, set the computer and username, and press Apply.

Step 2.

Start S-Edit v15.23

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Chapter 2 Tutorial Step 3.

2.1 RingVCO

Invoke File > Open > Open Design, press the Browse button, ( ), in the Open Design dialog, and browse to the RingVCO.tanner file in the RingVCO folder of the example files. The default location for the this design is My Documents\Tanner EDA\Tanner Tools v15.2\Designs\RingVCO, although you may have installed it in another location. Press OK in the Open Design dialog.

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Chapter 2 Tutorial Step 4. The RingVCO design will load into S-Edit, and look like this.

2.1 RingVCO

Step 5.

Press the Setup simulation button ( Simulation dialog.

) on the toolbar to invoke the Setup SPICE

Step 6.

Change the Simulator to BDA Analog FastSPICE and press the Run Simulation button.

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Chapter 2 Tutorial

2.1 RingVCO

Step 7.

As T-AFS simulates, it sends information back to the command line window in S-Edit. At the end of the simulation, it will display the number of errors and warnings.

Step 8.

When the simulation is done, it will indicate that it has copied the results locally and gives you links to the netlist and simulation log file.

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Chapter 2 Tutorial

2.1 RingVCO

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Chapter 2 Tutorial Step 9.

2.1 RingVCO

After the simulation, ESI will start W-Edit if it is not already running and display the results of the simulation. The output of the simulation is written in the SPICE raw format (nutmeg). If you have voltage and current probing turned on, it will bring back all voltages and currents in your circuit, the equivalent of a .PRINT V(*). The raw format doesnt designate which voltages or currents came from PRINT statement and which came from the fact that voltage and current probing was turned on. This results in the eight random voltages being displayed in W-Edit when the results are loaded.

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Chapter 2 Tutorial

2.1 RingVCO

Step 10. You can either remove all signals from the current chart or just create a new chart and close the chart that was automatically created when the results were loaded. To remove all signals, right click on any signal in the Traces Navigator and select Remove All Traces from Active Chart.

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Chapter 2 Tutorial Step 11. Invoke Chart > New Chart and create a DC/Parameter chart.

2.1 RingVCO

Step 12. Select the trace ringfreq and drag and drop into the new chart.

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Chapter 2 Tutorial

2.1 RingVCO

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