Spectre Circuit Simulator Explained
Spectre is a SPICE-class circuit simulator owned and distributed by the software company Cadence Design Systems. It provides the basic SPICE analyses and component models. It also supports the Verilog-A modeling language. Spectre comes in enhanced versions that also support RF simulation (SpectreRF) and mixed-signal simulation (AMS Designer).
Specifications
List of supported device models
- Advanced-node models, including the latest versions of the BSIM CMG, BSIM IMG, and UTSOI models
- MOSFET models, including the latest versions of the BSIM3, BSIM4, BSIM Bulk (BSIM6), PSP, and HiSIM
- High-voltage MOS models, including the latest versions of the HiSIM HV, MOS9, MOS11, and EKV
- Silicon on insulator (SOI), including latest versions of BTASOI, SSIMSOI, BSIMSOI, BSIMSOI PD, and HiSIM SOI
- Bipolar junction transistor (BJT) models, including the latest versions of VBIC, HICUM, Mextram, HBT, and Gummel-Poon models
- Diode models, including the diode, Phillips level 500, and CMC diode models
- JFET models, including the JFET, Phillips level 100 JFET, and Individual dual-gate JFET models
- IGBT models, including PSpice® IGBT model and HiSIM IGBT models
- Resistors, including linear resistor, diffused resistor, CMC two-terminal and three-terminal resistor, and physical resistor models
- GaAs MESFET models, includes latest versions of GaAs, TOM2, TOM3, and Angelov
- GaN MESFET models, including Angelov, ASM, and MVSG models
- Silicon TFT models, including RPI Poly-Silicon and Amorphous silicon Thin-Film models
- Verilog-A compact device models
- Z and S domain sources
- User-defined compiled model interface (CMI), allowing for the rapid inclusion of user-defined models
- Josephson Junctions
- Specialized reliability models (AgeMOS) for simulating the effect of HCI and BTI
- Miscellaneous power models, including the relay, transformer, non-linear magnetic core, and winding
- Miscellaneous RF models, including the DC block, DC feedthrough, and microstrip and stripline elements (bend, cross, corner, curve, open line, tee models)
Language and Netlist support
The netlist formats, behavioral modeling languages, parasitic netlist formats, and stimulus files are common across the Spectre Simulation Platform. Supported formats include:
- Spectre and SPICE netlist formats
- Spectre, SPICE, and PSpice models
- Verilog-A 2.0 LRM-compliant behavioral models and structural netlists
- DSPF/SPEF parasitic formats
- S-parameter data files in Touchstone, CITI-file, and Spectre formats
- SST2, PSF, PSF XL, and FSDB waveform formats
- Digital vector (VEC), Verilog-Value Change Dump (VCD), Extended Verilog-Value Change Dump (EVCD), and digital stimulus
History
Spectre was developed at Cadence Design Systems by Ken Kundert and Jacob K. White. The software is continuously being improved upon and developed further to bring high quality, accurate analog simulation.Spectre is currently a leading circuit simulator, competing with HSPICE and several others.
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