NYI: Improved Circuit Simulation Using Results from Circuit Theory

这项研究应用了首席研究员以前在非线性电路理论领域的工作，对设计人员模拟模拟电路的方式进行了重大改进。特别是，对求解电路直流工作点的延拓方法进行了改进，以保证在一次分析中找到电路的所有工作点。此外，延拓法也被应用于电路的灵敏度分析；例如，通过观察延续曲线，设计人员可以确定电路是否容易出现锁存状态。错误的模型被认为是电路仿真中收敛问题和错误结果的主要来源。电路仿真的另一个增强包括通过验证所有模型满足无源性和无增益条件来检查晶体管模型的准确性。

This research is applying the principal investigator's previous work in the area of nonlinear circuit theory to make major enhancements to the way designers simulate analog circuits. In particular, improvements to the continuation methods of solving dc operating points of circuits are being made guaranteeing that all of a circuit's operating points will be found during a single analysis. Moreover, continuation methods are being applied to sensitivity analysis of circuits; for example, by making observations of a continuation curve, a designer could determine whether a circuit is prone to a latch up condition. Erroneous models are thought to be a major source of convergence problems and erroneous results in circuit simulation. Another enhancement to circuit simulation includes checking the accuracy of transistor models by verifying that all models satisfy passivity and the no- gain condition.