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Cadence Basic Simulation

1. The document describes a Cadence Spectre simulation tutorial for performing corner and Monte Carlo analysis on a 0.5um CMOS op-amp circuit design. 2. Key steps include setting up the schematic, specifying process models, configuring simulations and outputs, and running corner and Monte Carlo analyses to evaluate performance over process variations. 3. Results are plotted to show how voltages and currents at specific nodes vary across different corner configurations and with mismatch and parameter variations in Monte Carlo analysis.

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Larry Fredsell
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274 views

Cadence Basic Simulation

1. The document describes a Cadence Spectre simulation tutorial for performing corner and Monte Carlo analysis on a 0.5um CMOS op-amp circuit design. 2. Key steps include setting up the schematic, specifying process models, configuring simulations and outputs, and running corner and Monte Carlo analyses to evaluate performance over process variations. 3. Results are plotted to show how voltages and currents at specific nodes vary across different corner configurations and with mismatch and parameter variations in Monte Carlo analysis.

Uploaded by

Larry Fredsell
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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RIT

Professor Bowman

ON Semiconductor .5um Cadence Spectre Simulation Tutorial


(ADE, Corners and Monte Carlo)
(Authored by Clint Meyer with support by Brian Mott and Mike Snook)
Spectre Simulation through ADE
1. Create your circuit for simulation. In this example I have placed the opamp
Macro cell from the functional library 1 with a current source and some mirror
legs.
a. Place DC voltage sources and gnd symbol 2, then set voltages in the
properties window 3
2. Launch ADE design environment
a. From schematic toolsAnalog Environment

This functional opamp macro gives flexibility in that you can setup your opamp parameters in the
properties form (select cell and hit the q button) to match what the design spec of your opamp needs to be.
This allows you to hold off on designing your opamp or design your section of while someone else works
on the opamp.
2
From library=analogLib cell=vdc and library=analogLib cell=gnd
3
A good idea is to input these values as variables that you can modify from the ADE GUI. This lets you
avoid time consuming editing of schematic and re-netlisting every time you need to update those values.
To include design variables in the ADE environment click VariablesCopy From Cellview.

RIT

Professor Bowman

3. Setting up process specific model files.


a. From the ADE GUI SetupModel Libraries
b. From Model Library Setup GUI click the Browse button and add the mos,
res, and cap -Default.scs AMI model files located in pdk. 4
c. Specify the Section of the model file you want to you use.5
d. Also add the model file for the functional library6

A directory link has been setup in the /classes/ee***/share/model that points to the pdk model path. You
only need to add the model files for the process devices that are in your schematic.
5
See appendix for appropriate corner section designator.
6
The name of the model file is allFunc.scs, it is found in the cadence functional library unix directory. You
can find the path to the library in the unix hierarchy by right clicking on the functional library and going to
properties. There is a link to the allFunc.scs in the /classes/ee***/share/allFunc.scs

RIT

Professor Bowman

4. Configuring simulation variables, and analyses and plotting outputs


a. From ADE GUI click VariablesEdit and assign values to the design
variables from your schematic 7
b. From ADE GUI click AnalysesChoose. This opens up the Analysis
window where you choose the type of circuit simulation you want to run. 8
c. From ADE GUI click OutputsTo Be Plotted and then in the schematic
window select nets (for voltages) and terminals (for currents). These
selections from the schematic will port over to your ADE GUI. 9
7

In my schematic I set the vdc voltage source variable to 5V, the current reference input on the opamp to
1.2V and the value of the resistor to 60K
8
For this case I chose DC and I clicked on the Save Operating Point button so all the data would be saved
9
In this example I chose the output net of the opAmp, the gate connection of the top current mirrors, and
the drains of the current sources. Hit the Escape key in your schematic to get out of this mode.

RIT

Professor Bowman

5. Obtaining numerical voltage and current data from DC simulations for family
plotting 10 (Corners and Monte Carlo)
a. From ADE GUI click ToolsCalculator
b. Click on the DC tab inside the calculator and select idc (currents) or
vdc (voltages), then inside the schematic window click on the terminal or
net that you want scalar data for.
c. From ADE GUI click OutputsSetup. This brings up the Output Setup
GUI. Click the Get Expression button to grab the formula from the
calculator, then click the Add button 11

10

Evaluation of a point over many different simulation runs


Do this for each current or voltage you want data for. In this schematic we saved the 2 device currents
and 2 net voltages to examine in corners and monte carlo.

11

RIT

Professor Bowman

6. Run a Spectre Simulation


a. From ADE GUI click SimulationNetlist and Run 12
b. For a single DC run, node voltages and operating points of devices can be
annotated to the schematic using the ResultsAnnotate menu 13
7. Corners Analysis setup and run14
a. From ADE GUI click ToolsCorners Analysis
b. Load corners file 15
c. The calculator and add measurement buttons can be used to add further
outputs for plotting; a schematic will pop up for you to select on.16
12

A dialog box will pop up asking you to save operating points. Just click yes.
To return to default schematic annotation click ResultsAnnotateDesign Defaults
14
See Appendix for explanation of different corner designators.
15
File located in /classes/ee***/share/corners/corners45amis05default.dcf
16
Notice in the Performance Measurment section of the corners GUI that your previously defined save
points are represented here.
13

RIT

Professor Bowman

d. From Corners GUI SimulationRun

8.

17

Corners Output 17

This window will come up automatically. The top 2 graphs are the currents over corners. The bottom 2
graphs are the 2 different voltages that we setup previously. The one on the bottom left is the gate voltage
of the nmos, the right bottom graph is the diode voltage of the pmos.

RIT

9. Monte Carlo Simulation setup and run


a. From ADE GUI click ToolsMonte Carlo

Professor Bowman

RIT

Professor Bowman

b. From Monte Carlo GUI change Analysis Variation to Mismatch Only and
select Save Data Between Runs to Allow Family Plots 18

10. Monte Carlo Results graph 19


18

Notice that all of your saved nodes are showing up on the bottom. Also note the Calculator and Get
Expression buttons on the bottom of the form. These buttons can be used to add more data points.
19
The voltage plots were removed. Also take note of the different plotting options you have access to from
the ResultsPlot inside the Monte Carlo GUI

RIT

Professor Bowman

RIT

Professor Bowman

Appendix

Corners Tool configuration naming convention

nmos
pmos
temperature
voltage

slow/min
n
p
t
v

typical
a
b
c
d

fast/max
N
P
T
V

Corner section designators for the process model library


mos
typ - typical
wcs - worst case speed
wcp - worst case power
wc1 - worst case one
wc0 - worst case zero
res
min - minimum resistance
typ - typical resistance
max - maximum resistance
cap
min - minimum capacitance
typ - typical capacitance
max - maximum capacitance
bip
slow
typ
fast
dio
min
typ
max

(typ-n /typ-p : 4-sigma)


(slow-n/slow-p : 4-sigma)
(fast-n/fast-p : 4-sigma)
(fast-n/slow-p : 4-sigma)
(slow-n/fast-p : 4-sigma)
(4-sigma)
(4-sigma)
(4-sigma)
(4-sigma, 6-sigma)
(4-sigma, 6-sigma)
(4-sigma, 6-sigma)
(6-sigma)
(6-sigma)
(6-sigma)
(6-sigma)
(6-sigma)
(6-sigma)

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