• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Test & Measurement Tips

Oscilloscopes, electronics engineering industry news, how-to EE articles and electronics resources

  • Oscilloscopes
    • Analog Oscilloscope
    • Digital Oscilloscope
    • Handheld Oscilloscope
    • Mixed-signal Oscilloscope
    • PC-based Oscilloscopes – PCO
  • Design
  • Calibration
  • Meters & Testers
  • Test Equipment
  • Learn
    • eBooks/Tech Tips
    • FAQs
    • EE Training Days
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Webinars & Digital Events
  • Video
    • EE Videos
    • Teardown Videos
  • Resources
    • Design Guide Library
    • Digital Issues
    • Engineering Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leap Awards
    • White Papers
  • Subscribe
You are here: Home / New Articles / Basics of using a Spice simulation

Basics of using a Spice simulation

October 22, 2015 By David Herres 1 Comment

Because they contain millions or even billions of microscopic components etched onto a silicon substrate, it is not feasible to breadboard integrated circuits prior to manufacture. And yet it would not be good policy to do a production run of ICs without a high degree of certainty that they will function as intended both internally and in the circuit. There are myriad factors to consider – temperature, matching impedance, supply voltage tolerances, parasitic capacitances, RF interference and so on.

It is fortunate that Spice (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) came along. It is open source, meaning the source code is available free of cost to any organization or individual wishing to implement and/or distribute it with or without modifications.

Spice is widely available on the Internet and may be used by students, developers and researchers who want to input a virtual electronic circuit and run tests to see how it will perform. There are many variations of Spice available, with and without different user interfaces ranging from entry level to very advanced.

Spice 1, the earliest version, appeared in 1973. It was developed at the University of California’s Berkeley campus at the Electronics Research laboratory. By today’s standards it was a primitive product. Coded in Fortran, Spice 1’s circuit equations were constructed by means of nodal analysis, which exhibited problems when representing inductors and floating voltage sources.

In 1975 Spice 2 surfaced. It was also coded in Fortran but went way beyond its predecessor’s nodal analysis.

Spice 3 incorporates MOSFET technology and today the program is powerful and reliable. It is widely used in industry, the classroom and by serious independent experimenters.

DigiKey screenshot
Op amp schematic ready for simulation on the Digikey interface for Spice. Inputs and components can be altered and the outputs viewed.
Vendors such as DigiKey have augmented Spice with schematic capture. A schematic diagram can be drawn on their interface using a mouse and keyboard, and a netlist is automatically generated.

It is highly instructive to go to www.partsim.com. Simply register to create a free account, and you can build virtual circuits and perform simulations. Click the HELP tab and a number of tutorials appear. There is the option of having DigiKey assemble a parts list and ship the components to you.

Filed Under: New Articles

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Feather says

    January 19, 2016 at 3:55 am

    Good and professional article, helpful to us. I’d like to recommend a great web-based EDA tool called EasyEDA. EasyEDA is a free, zero-install, Web and cloud-based EDA tool suite, integrating powerful schematic capture, mixed-mode circuit simulation and PCB layout in a seamless cross-platform browser environment.
    It can import Schematics and PCB Files form Eagle, Altium Designer, Kicad, LTspice.
    It provides SVG source to preview Schematic, PCB Layout and Gerber file
    It provides rich spice models to make simulation .
    It provivdes simulation viewform viewer .
    It provides easy PCB order which saves your time to make sample PCB .
    Every project you create on https://easyeda.com/ can be private, shared, or public.private, shared, or public.

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Featured Contributions

Why engineers need IC ESD and TLP data

Verify, test, and troubleshoot 5G Wi-Fi FWA gateways

How to build and manage a top-notch test team

How to use remote sensing for DC programmable power supplies

The factors of accurate measurements

More Featured Contributions

EE TECH TOOLBOX

“ee
Tech Toolbox: 5G Technology
This Tech Toolbox covers the basics of 5G technology plus a story about how engineers designed and built a prototype DSL router mostly from old cellphone parts. Download this first 5G/wired/wireless communications Tech Toolbox to learn more!

EE TRAINING CENTER

EE Learning Center

EE ENGINEERING TRAINING DAYS

engineering
“test
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for EE professionals.
“bills

RSS Current EDABoard.com discussions

  • Right Half Plane Zero
  • dc-dc converter in series
  • Single ended measuring ports and balanced antenna
  • Thermal modelling of repetitive power pulse
  • Permittivity and Permealibility in CST

RSS Current Electro-Tech-Online.com Discussions

  • Microinverters and storeage batteries?
  • Fun with AI and swordfish basic
  • FFC connector white
  • Is AI making embedded software developers more productive?
  • Can I make two inputs from one??
Search Millions of Parts from Thousands of Suppliers.

Search Now!
design fast globle

Footer

EE World Online Network

  • 5G Technology World
  • EE World Online
  • Engineers Garage
  • Analog IC Tips
  • Battery Power Tips
  • Connector Tips
  • DesignFast
  • EDA Board Forums
  • Electro Tech Online Forums
  • EV Engineering
  • Microcontroller Tips
  • Power Electronic Tips
  • Sensor Tips

Test & Measurement Tips

  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
  • About us

Copyright © 2025 · WTWH Media LLC and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media.

Privacy Policy