SPICE-the third decade

The author reviews the evolution of SPICE from the initial research project at the University of California at Berkeley in the late 1960s, through the 1970s and 1980s, and into the 1990s. A general description of the SPICE techniques, analysis modes, and intended areas of application is provided. The relation between solution algorithms, semiconductor device models, and circuits to be characterized is explored in order to clarify the merits and limits of this program. The current trends in electrical circuit simulation and the role of SPICE in its third decade are then presented. It is concluded that the developments in circuit simulation do not make SPICE obsolete, but rather complement it. SPICE will continue to be the main electrical simulator because it solves the fundamental equations of an electrical system.<
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