Types of simulation

DC Analysis, AC Analysis, Transient

Analysis
• The purpose of circuit analysis is to teach you how
circuits work.
• You cannot be a good circuit designer without
knowing any circuit theory at all.
• Studying circuits helps to introduce the field of
Electrical Engineering and how they think and work in
real life.
• helps to know the basics of circuits and their
properties even though you may specialize in other
fields
 Solid Theoretical And Practical Foundation
For Future Courses
• Electronics - Diodes, Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs), MOSFETs, Operational
Amplifiers (Op-Amps), etc…
• Digital Systems Design - Boolean Logic, Transistor-Transistor Logic (TTL), Basics
of Microprocessors, Flip-Flops and Memory, etc…
• Microprocessors - Designing hardware, Basics of Computer Architecture and
Embedded Systems Design
• Signals and Systems (Signal Processing) - Signals and their properties, Systems,
Convolution, Fourier/Laplace Transform, Fourier Series, Analog Modulation
• Analog/Digital Communications:
– Analog: Communication Systems and their properties Amplitude/Frequency Modulation
(AM/FM), Applications of Probability and Effects of Random Noise
– Digital: Sampling, Quantization, Line Coding, Probability (again), Error Detection,
Encoding, Digital Modulation
• Control Theory - System Stability, Transient Analysis, Frequency Domain Analysis
 Types of Simulation
Analysis Method Function/Characteristic
Analysis of static characteristics. (All DC
DC analysis characteristics of the data sheet)

AC analysis Analysis of frequency characteristics.

(Capacitance, gain-phase)
Transient analysis Time response analysis. (Oscilloscope)

Monte Carlo Simulations that reflect variation in circuit

elements.

S-parameter High-frequency characteristic analysis.

Fourier analysis High-frequency analysis and signal distortion

analysis.

Noise analysis at measurement points.

Noise analysis
 DC analysis
• analysis of static
characteristics.
• In the above example, the
change in ID with VDS for a
MOSFET is simulated.
• Values on the transistor, IC,
• The DC analysis, will give you the bias point.
• The bias point tells you which region the
transistor is in (Saturation, active, cutoff—for a
BJT).
• biasing is the setting of initial operating
conditions (current and voltage) of an active
device in an amplifier.
• A graphical representation of the current and voltage
properties of a transistor;
• the bias is selected so that the operating point permits
maximum signal amplitude without distortion.
AC analysis
• addresses characteristics relating
to frequency.
• Representative quantities include
analysis of the impedance as a
function of frequency and of the
gain-phase characteristic.
• The above example simulates the
gain and phase characteristics
versus frequency for a filter
circuit.
 AC Analysis
• used  to calculate the small-signal response of
a circuit. 
 Linear & nonlinear
•  resistors, inductors, and capacitors are linear
•  diodes, transistors, integrated circuits, and 
vacuum tubes are nonlinear;
– (current through them is not proportional to the
voltage)
 In AC Analysis,
• the DC operating point is first calculated to
obtain linear, small-signal models for all
nonlinear components.
• Then, the equivalent circuit is analyzed from a
start to a stop frequency.
• The result of an AC Analysis is displayed in two
parts: gain versus frequency and phase versus
frequency.
 Transient analysis
• is analysis of the time response.
• Transient analysis typically involves using an
oscilloscope to observe waveforms.
• computes the circuit’s response as a function of
time
• analysis divides the time into segments and
calculates the voltage and current levels for each
given interval. Finally, the results, voltage versus
time, are presented in the Graph View.
Transient Analysis
• the transient analysis (unlike AC) uses the full
large signal model to compute the circuit
behavior.
• will show: non-linearity, large signal
bandwidth, timing issues, etc.

Study of transients is important because, even though transients last for a very
small time, they can cause high current or voltage peaks; or they can cause high
frequency oscillations which may be damaging to electrical equipment.