Index

Experiment 1 :- To study SPICE and various analysis

Date: ___________
1: Introduction to Spice

In the past, students traditionally verified their laboratory electronic circuits by building them on
breadboards and measuring the various nodes with the appropriate laboratory equipment. By using a
computer simulation program, such as LtSpice, students can obtain results before they come to lab.

Hence the laboratory experiments become reinforcement to the subject matter at hand. The use of a
computer simulation program allows the student to easily subject the circuit to various stimuli (such as
input signals and power supply variations) and to see the results in either a tabular format or plotted out
graphically using LTSpices post processor called Probe.

Engineers use software tools that simulate the behaviour of circuits for analysis and design purposes.
Simulations enable engineers to change their circuit according to design requirements without hardware
implementation or several repetitions of these simulations are sometimes used to observe the effect of
component variations

The word SPICE is an acronym which stands for

Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis
Using SPICE we can predetermine on a computer, the response of a circuit and thereby evaluate its
working. This is faster, safer, economical and hassle-free way of testing a circuit before building
a prototype. Many hardware manufacturing industries regularly use SPICE for design of electronic
circuits.

SPICE is a general-purpose circuit simulation program for nonlinear dc, nonlinear transient, and linear
ac analyses. Circuits may contain resistors, capacitors, inductors, mutual inductors, independent
voltage and current sources, four types of dependent sources, lossless and lossy transmission lines
(two separate implementations), switches, uniform distributed RC lines, and the five most common
semiconductor devices: diodes, BJTs, JFETs, MESFETs, and MOSFETs

What is EDA?
EDA stands for Electronic Design Automation. EDA tools are software using which we can not only
simulate electronic circuits, but also design the printed circuit board (PCB) of the circuit. SPICE is
an important component of all EDA tools available now. In addition to SPICE, all EDA tools have
programs for preparing circuit schematic, PCB drawing, and optimal layout of components on the
PCB. Advanced EDA tools come with higher level hardware description languages like VHDL for
designing even integrated circuits

2. Brief History of SPICE

In early 1970s, University of California, Bekeley, developed the first circuit simulator called
CANCER.
In mid-1970s University of California, Berkeley, developed the first version of SPICE called
SPICE2. This was derived from CANCER.
SPICE3 was developed from SPICE2. It has slight differences compared to the latter.

The SPICE developed by University of California, was able to run only on main frame computers.
Many commercial companies brought out modified versions SPICE which could also run on a PC.
Most of the present day SPICE software, including commercial ones, is based on the original
SPICE developed by University of California. So, they have almost similar syntax with minor
variations. Most commercial versions of SPICE have user-friendly graphical user interface.
 There are now many commercial versions of SPICE supplied by various companies. Some of them
are listed below (this is not an exhaustive list)
PC Versions
PSPICE --supplied by OrCAD.
IS-SPICE--supplied by IntuSoft.
Z-SPICE--supplied by Z-Tech.
MultiSym--supplied by Electronic Work Bench (www.interactiv.com)
Mainframe versions
HSPICE--supplied by Meta-Software. This is designed for integrated circuit design with
special device models.
RAD-SPICE--supplied by Meta-Software. This is for simulating circuits subjected to
ionizing radiation.
IG-SPICE--supplied by A. B. Associates.
CadenceSPICE--supplied by Cadence Design
SPICE-Plus--supplied by Valid Logic

3. Introduction to LTSPICE

LTSpice is high performance SPICE simulator, schematic capture and waveform viewer with
enhancements and models for easing the simulation of switching regulators. LTSpice is nodeunlimited
and 3rd party models can be imported. Circuit simulations based on transient, AC, noise and DC
analysis can be plotted as well as Fourier analysis. LTSpice IV is used in many fields including radio
frequency electronics, power electronics, digital electronics, and other disciplines.

LTSpice logo
LTSpice is a simulation tool designed by Liner Technology. Its free and it runs on Windows. Now,
LTSpice IV is available. If you a UNIX user and you want to run LTSpice on UNIX, you can use Wine
to run this software.

Numbers of the free versions are limited and may hence only support analysis of simple circuits. One
example is the free student version of PSpice which originally only supported 20 some nodes. LTSpice
software is provided by Linear Technology and it comes without any limitations to its use. It should be
noted that the graphical user interface (GUI) does not offer access to the complete range of
functionalities available in LTspice. Despite this fact LTspice does offer the complete range of SPICE
functionalities. The only thing to remember is that some functions are available through the SPICE
directives option only.

4. Types of Analysis

4.1 Bias Point

In this mode, the simulator calculates the DC operating point of the circuit. Options include calculating
the detailed bias points for all nonlinear controlled sources and semiconductors (.OP), performing
sensitivity analysis (.SENS), and calculating the small signal DC gain. (.TF)
Determination of steady-state response of the circuit when time-invariant D.C. sources are applied. This
can be done using op command.
4.2 DC Sweep

The dc sweep can also be used to generate dc transfer curves: a specified independent voltage or
current source is stepped over a user-specified range and the dc output variables are stored for each
sequential source value.
Determination of response of the circuit when excitation or any other component is varied over a range.
This can be done using dc command
In this analysis voltage source or current source are vary in specified range, given by user and current
in different branches or node voltage calculated in that range. In output graph on X axis contains source
which varies. Y axis will be current or voltage which calculated for different point of X axis.
Plot will be source voltage vs node voltage / source voltage vs branch current /
source current vs node voltage / source current vs branch current

4.3 AC Sweep/ AC Analysis / Frequency Response

Determination of steady-state response of the circuit when sinusoidal excitation is applied mine the
frequency response of the circuit. The frequency of excitation can be varied to determine the frequency
response of the circuit. This requires ac command and ac specification in at least one of the sources
in the circuit.
The start and stop frequencies as well as the number of points can be assigned.
This is used to find frequency response of any circuit, for example to find frequency of any filter circuit
this analysis is used.
Plot will be frequency vs voltage or frequency vs current or frequency vs phase.
4.4 Transient Analysis

This is time domain analysis. This will plot what we can do with Signal generator and CRO/DSO in
laboratory.
The transient analysis portion of SPICE computes the transient output variables as a function of time
over a user-specified time interval. The initial conditions are automatically determined by a dc analysis.
All sources which are not time dependent (for example, power supplies) are set to their dc value. The
transient
time interval is specified on a .TRAN control line.
The Time Domain (transient) analysis is probably the most popular analysis. In this mode, you can
plot the various outputs as a function of time. The starting and ending times for the various plots can
be input. The accuracy (smoothness) of the output plots can also be controlled by regulating the
maximum (time) step size.
Plot will be time vs voltage or time vs current.

Apart from this we can do sensitivity analysis, noise analysis, pole zero analysis, transfer function
analysis, distortion analysis. But in our course we will do DC Sweep, AC sweep, Transient and bias
point.
 Experiment 2 :- To study and simulate various clipper circuit
Date: ___________

1: Series Positive Clipper

1.1 Schematic

1.2 Circuit Description

1.3 Simulation Profile

1.4 Output
 2 Parallel Negative Clipper

2.1 Schematic

2.2 Circuit Description

2.3 Simulation profile : same as part 1
2.4 Output

3. Series Negative Clipper with Bias

3.1 Schematic

3.2 Circuit Description

3.3 Simulation profile: Same as PART 1 & 2.
3.4 Output
 4. Parallel Positive Clipper with Bias
4.1 Schematic

4.2 Circuit Description

4.3 Simulation profile: Same as PART 1 & 2.
4.4 Output

Signature of Faculty: _____________________________

 Experiment 4:- To study and simulate BJT Amplifier
Date: ___________

1. Schematic

2. Circuit Description
3. Simulation Profile
.tran 0.005

4. Simulation Result

4.1 Input

4.2 Ouput

Checked on: _______________________

Signature of Faculty:___________________