Spectre® RF Analysis using Harmonic Balance

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Apply the Harmonic Balance (HB) algorithm, its options, and its properties to simulate and analyze RF circuits
• Apply simulator accelerators and convergence aids to maximize efficiency in RF simulations
• Use periodic AC (HBAC) and periodic transfer (HBXF) analyses
• Perform stability (HBSTAB) analysis on LPTV circuits
• Perform harmonic balance noise analysis (hbnoise) and create noise summary tables
• Understand how to differentiate between noise coming from the noise source and that coming through the periodic transfer function using the noise separation feature
• Apply the harmonic balnce noise analysis (hbnoise) to define and evaluate different types of jitter in driven and autonomous circuits, such as oscillators
• Evaluate the period (Jc) and adjacent period (cycle-to-cycle Jcc) jitter, and evaluate jitter for driven circuits (Jee)
• Simulate voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) and use the harmonic balance stability (hbstab) analysis on the oscillator
• Extract S-Parameters and simulate S-Parameter file
• Set up and perform envelope analysis

Software Used in This Course

• Virtuoso Spectre Circuit Simulator_L
• Virtuoso Accelerated Parallel Simulator
• Virtuoso Spectre RF Simulation Option

Software Release(s)

IC 6.1.7 ISR8, MMSIM 15.1

Modules in this Course

• Harmonic Balance Analysis
• Oscillators
• Small Signal Analyses after HB
• Noise Analysis
• Envelope (ENVLP) Analysis
• S-Parameter Analysis

Audience

• Analog IC Designers
• Analog/Mixed-Signal IC Designers
• Chip Designers
• Custom Circuit Designers
• RF Designers

Prerequisites

Before taking this course, you need to have:

• An understanding of RF circuits and RF design analysis and measurements
• Used the Spectre^® Circuit simulator
• Briefly used or been exposed to the Accelerated Parallel Simulator^® (APS)

Or you must have completed the following courses:

• Virtuoso® Schematic Editor

• Virtuoso Analog Design Environment Explorer/Assembler

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