Circuit simulation with SPICE OPUS. Theory and practice (Q971442)

This is a volume in the Birkhäuser series called significantly Simulation in Science, Engineering and Technology, a title which underlines the stages from a pure science to applications. The book deals with circuit simulation with SPICE in theory and practice. The acronym comes from ``Simulation Program with Integrated Circuits Emphasis'', an engine for OPtimization UtilitieS (OPUS) which was released in 2000. Since that time, this engine was worldwide used by engineers and scientists. So the authors say in the Introduction that the book is intended for a very large audience working in Integrated Circuits (IC) simulation and development. To make the reader acquainted with the items included in the book, and the benefits he could get of it, we first give its Contents: Abbreviations; About \texttt{SPICE OPUS} and this book; 1) Introduction to circuit simulation; 2) Short tutorial; 3) Input file syntax; 4) Analyzing the circuits; 5) NUTMEG scripting language; 6) Mathematical background; 7) Examples; References; Index. We emphasize that all simulations and the free simulation software can be downloaded from the \texttt{SPICE OPUS} homepage: \url{http://www.spiceopus.si}. The book can be used as a whole or in parts. a) The theory part (Chapters 1 and 6) gives basic mathematical notions for circuit analysis and the algorithms which implement them in \texttt{SPICE OPUS}. This part gives the form in which the theory should be presented for a better understanding of the associated algorithms. b) The main course (Chapters 2 and 7) gives the installation features and some examples. c) The reference guide (Chapters 3, 4 and 5) gives the essential features of \texttt{SPICE OPUS} and basic structural properties (input files, built-in functions, etc.). Here, an important chapter that should be paid attention to by the reader is the one on the NUTMEG scripting language. The book enjoys an excellent graphics (formulae, various representations of results). The references give only the cornerstone contributions in the area (55 entries). The examples cover a large area of applications: modeling a nonlinear transistor; logic gates; phase-locked loops; etc. Finally, we conclude that the book represents an excellent ``instrument de travail'' for all those working in the area of circuits design and simulation.