A Novel SPICE Learning Flow by Using Open Source Tools

以開放原始碼工具來學習SPICE之新式學習方法

現今大多數主修電子工程的學生都必須學習 EDA (Electronic Design Automation – 電子設計自動化) 工具。其中 SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) 是電子系學生所必須熟悉眾多工具中最重要的且最基礎的一個。然而，商用 SPICE 工具非常昂貴以致於大多數學生無法負擔。即便使用學校版本也有許多限制，例如功能閹割或是僅有有限的套數可以執行，這些限制或多或少的影響了學生的學習成效。在這篇論文中，我們將使用開放原始碼工具，也就是 NGSPICE 來發展 SPICE 學習流程，所提出之學習流程將會解除商用 SPICE 工具的限制。本論文中所提及之學習流程已經使用在實際課程上超過三年，在我們的實際教學測試中，學生及教授都能因此而獲益。

Most students, whose major in EE (Electrical Engineering), are required to learn EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tools nowadays. SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) is one of the most basic but essential tools that EE students must be familiar with. However, it is well known that commercial SPICE tools are very expensive that most students can not afford. Even through an academic version is available, there are some limitations such as reduced function version or limited software licenses. These limitations somehow restricted the study results more or less. In this paper, we will use an open source, namely, NGSPICE to develop a SPICE learning flow. The proposed learning flow will solve the restrictions in the commercial SPICE tools. This learning flow has been used in class for more than 3 years. In our field test, students and advisors were both benefited from the free alternative.