WHAT IS SPICE MODELING OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES ?

This paper is an introduction to electronic device modeling, and why it is important for today's circuit design. It has been written for people who want to learn more about the history from analog electronics (tubes) to today's chips and their digital electronics, and what Spice device modeling means for the design of integrated circuits.

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SOLAR-POWERED AND BATTERY-BUFFERED LED ARRAY

This application note explains first the development of the analog electronic circuit schematic: During sun light, the accumulator shall be charged, and during night time, the accumulator shall power the LEDs. In a second step, the basics of electronic device modeling are explained. Spice Models for each component of the schematic are developed. This will enable to simulate the performance of the complete circuit. If the models have been developed accurately, the simulation result will match the built-up and measured circuit.

 

WHAT IS A SPICE MODEL CARD ?

The term 'model card' stems from the 1970ies when the simulation program Spice has been developed, and punch cards have been the means of choice to do programming. More details are given in this application note.


CURVE FITTING FOR SPICE MODELING
This application note explains different methods, how device modeling engineers fit Spice models to measurement data.


INTERPRETING IMPEDANCE PLOTS FOR SUCCESSFUL PASSIVE DEVICE MODELING

An extremely valuable skill for modeling engineers is to interpret impedance plots according to Spice modeling. This application note starts from the very basics and extends to full best practice experiences with this method.


90 YEARS OF TWOPORT MATRICES
With the introduction of the S-parameters in the 1960s, the two-port theory of the 1920ies regained importance, since it is able to separate individual netlist components from the overall measurement result. This is a property that S-parameters alone do not provide. And so, Z, Y, H, A matrices, calculated from S-parameters, contribute to the accuracy of measurements and device modeling in terms of de-embedding, device modeling and verification of the achieved fit.
This paper presents a summary of relevant relationships, applications and best practices for these matrices.



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DIODE MODELING

This detailed application note describes the complete Spice modeling of diodes: DC Forward and Reverse Modeling, Space Charge (CV) and Diffusion Charge (S-Parameter) Modeling, Nonlinear-RF (Harmonics) and Time Domain Modeling.

 


BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR GUMMEL-POON MODELING

Although introduced to Spice already in the early 1970ies, the Gummel-Poon model is still alive and widely used, also for bipolar transistors in today's MOS processes. This app.note focuses on graphical illustrations about which measurement regions are directly related to specific model parameters. It can be applied like a 'photo album' especially for modeling engineers interested in learning practical bipolar device modeling.

Notice: see also the video mentioned in Tab 'Videos'.



ANGELOV GaN MODELING

This application note introduces the basics of the Angelov GaN model formulas and continues with model parameter fitting for DC, thermal self-heating and S-Parameters.


ASM-HEMT HEMT TRANSISTOR MODELING

This paper had been given at the 2019 meeting of BipAK (Bipolar Working Group Europe). It introduces the concept of the ASM-HEMT model, which is quite different to other HEMT models, and presents then the model fitting flow from DC to S-Parameters.



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__ GRAND APPLICATION NOTES _______

about successful, verified measurements for device modeling


Following my experience that "there are no good device models without verified device measurement", the following four Grand Application Notes share best practice experiences I made during my consulting services. The target readers are Spice modeling engineers and students of electronics.

Each zipped application note covers several chapters with valuable, detailed explanations and best-practice hints.























WORKSHOP DC
Keywords: DC Analyzer Measurement Principle, Contact Resistance, Device Self-Heating, Device Self-Oscillation, Types of DC Measurements, DC Contact Resistance, DC Output and Transfer Bias Verification, DC and S-Parameter Bias Verification, Visualized DC Bias Range
1_DC.zip (14.72MB)
WORKSHOP DC
Keywords: DC Analyzer Measurement Principle, Contact Resistance, Device Self-Heating, Device Self-Oscillation, Types of DC Measurements, DC Contact Resistance, DC Output and Transfer Bias Verification, DC and S-Parameter Bias Verification, Visualized DC Bias Range
1_DC.zip (14.72MB)
WORKSHOP IMPEDANCES
Keywords: Impedance Measurement Principle, Interpretation, Calibration, Avoiding Measurement Noise, AC Signal Level, Unused Device Pins, Impedance from S-Parameters, Impedance Simulation, Spice Modeling of Impedances
2_Impedance.zip (16.64MB)
WORKSHOP IMPEDANCES
Keywords: Impedance Measurement Principle, Interpretation, Calibration, Avoiding Measurement Noise, AC Signal Level, Unused Device Pins, Impedance from S-Parameters, Impedance Simulation, Spice Modeling of Impedances
2_Impedance.zip (16.64MB)
WORKSHOP S-PARAMETER
Keywords: Understanding the S-Parameter Principle and Traces, Verified Measurements, Verified Calibration, Verified De-Embedding, Verified Applied RF Signal Level, S-Parameter Simulations, Spice Modeling of Passive Devices and Transistors
3_Spar.zip (37.18MB)
WORKSHOP S-PARAMETER
Keywords: Understanding the S-Parameter Principle and Traces, Verified Measurements, Verified Calibration, Verified De-Embedding, Verified Applied RF Signal Level, S-Parameter Simulations, Spice Modeling of Passive Devices and Transistors
3_Spar.zip (37.18MB)
WORKSHOP NONLINEAR RF
Keywords: Understanding the S-Parameter Principle, Nonlinear Network Analyzer Calibration, Nonlinear RF De-Embedding, Measurement Verification, Harmonics in Magnitude and Phase, Simulation of Harmonics, Synchronization Nonlinear RF Measurement and Simulation, Nonlinear RF Device Modeling
4_NonlinRF.zip (22.85MB)
WORKSHOP NONLINEAR RF
Keywords: Understanding the S-Parameter Principle, Nonlinear Network Analyzer Calibration, Nonlinear RF De-Embedding, Measurement Verification, Harmonics in Magnitude and Phase, Simulation of Harmonics, Synchronization Nonlinear RF Measurement and Simulation, Nonlinear RF Device Modeling
4_NonlinRF.zip (22.85MB)


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DATA FORMATS FOR DEVICE MODELING

Saving and exchanging data between software tools for the characterization and modeling of electronic device usually is a major challenge, because all of these tools apply different data formats. This makes it cumbersome to share data between these tools.
Therefore, this paper covers the Touchstone data format, the MDF and the IC-CAP MDM data format. Much emphasis is taken to provide practical examples of the discussed data formats.