Compatible Features and Limitations

This page describes the supported elements, models, statements, and simulation options for HSPICE Compatibility.

Supported Elements

This section lists supported elements and their limitations.

C Element

Frequency-dependent and DC block capacitors are not supported.
Unsupported parameters: CONVOLUTION, FBASE, FMAX, INFINITY

D Element

Metal and poly capacitors of levels 1 and 3 are not supported.
Unsupported parameters: WP, LP, WM, LM, OFF, IC

E, F, G, H Element

I Element

The independent current source element is supported for DC, AC and Transient simulation compatibility with the exception of transient functions: LFSR and tabular-form of PWL. For use model of the I element, refer to HSPICE Simulation and Analysis User Guide, Sources and Stimuli.

J Element

Optional bulk terminal node and gate length/width are not supported.
Unsupported parameters: NB, L, W, OFF, IC

K Element

Saturable core model is not supported.
Ideal transformer is not supported.

L Element

Frequency-dependent inductor is not supported.  

M Element

Unsupported parameters:
Level 49 -- OFF, IC, MULUA, MULUB, SD, STIMOD=1 (UCB's STI model)
Level 53 -- OFF, IC, MULUA, MULUB
Level 54 -- DELTOX, OFF, IC, RDC, RSC, WNFLAG

P Element

The independent port element is supported only in voltage mode for DC, AC and Transient simulation compatibility with the exception of transient functions: PRBS and tabular-form of PWL. For use model of the P element, refer to HSPICE Simulation and Analysis User Guide, Sources and Stimuli. HSPICE RF parameters relating to harmonic balance are not supported. The list of unsupported keywords is shown below.

Q Element

Unsupported parameters: OFF, IC, AREAB, AREAC

R Element

Frequency-dependent resistor is not supported. The resistor model specified in a behavioral resistor is ignored.
Unsupported parameters: AC, CONVOLUTION, FBASE, FMAX, Rs

T Element

The use of U-model is not supported.

V Element

The independent voltage source element is supported for DC, AC and Transient simulation compatibility with the exception of transient functions: LFSR and tabular-form of PWL. For use model of the V element, refer to HSPICE Simulation and Analysis User Guide, Sources and Stimuli.

W Element

Both static and tabular models are supported. Data can be either in-netlist or in data files.

X Element

Subcircuit instances are fully supported. The number of node connections must match the number of nodes specified in the subcircuit definition. Default parameter values specified in the definition can be overridden by specifying new values as instance parameters.

Supported Models

This section lists supported models and their limitations.

C Model

All parameters are supported.

D Model

Levels 1, 3, 4, and 6 are supported.
For levels 1 and 3, tunneling current and metal and poly capacitors are not supported.
Unsupported parameters of levels 1 and 3: EXPLIR, JTUN, JTUNSW, NTUN, XTITUN, LM, WM, XM, XOM, LP, WP, XP, XOI
For Level 4, the diffusion geometric parameters are supported in components but not in models.
Unsupported parameters of level 4: AS, LS, LG
For level 6, only the latest version of JUNCAP2 from NXP is supported.
Unsupported parameters of level 6: VERSION

J Model

The basic Level 1 model is supported.
Only support gate capacitance model CAPOP=0, noise model NLEV=2, and temperature model TLEV=0 and TLEVC=0.
Unsupported parameters of level 1: ACM, ALIGN, AREA, HDIF, L, LDEL, LDIF, RG, RSH, RSHG, RSHL, W, WDEL, CAPOP, CALPHA, CAPDS, CGAMDAS, CRAT, GCAP, CVTO, TT, ND, NG, VDEL, NLEV, GDSNOI, BETATCE, BEX, CTD, CTS, EG, GAP1, GAP2, TLEV, TLEVC, TPB, TRD, TRG, TRS

L Model

L LEVEL=3(Resisitor Model) is supported.

M Models: NMOS, PMOS  

Levels 49, 53, and 54 are supported.
For level 49, UCB's STI model, WPE model, and Ig model from BSIM4 are not supported.
Unsupported parameters of level 49: ENCMODE, HSPVER, APWARN, BINFLAG, SFVTFLAG, VGSLIM, LITE, WPEMOD, IGCMOD, IGDMOD
Unsupported parameters of level 53: ENCMODE, HSPVER, APWARN, BINFLAG, SFVTFLAG
For level 54, JUNCAP models and Hspice junction diode models (ACM) are not supported.
Unsupported parameters of level 54: JUNCAP, ACM, TRD, TRS

Q Models: NPN, PNP

Level 1 is supported.
Substate node can only be specified in components and not throught model parameter BULK(NSUB).
Unsupported parameters: BULK(NSUB), CBCP, CBEP, CCSP

R Model

Reference node for Wire RC is always the ground.
Unsupported parameters: BULK, RAC, VC1R, VC2R, NOISE

SP Model

The SP model has a limited support. It is supported only in the context of the W element tabular model. Formats that are irrelevant to the W element are not supported. Sweeping parameters of the SP model is not supported.

W Model

Sweeping parameters of the W model is not supported.

The parameter value MODELTYPE=FieldSolver is not supported.

Supported Statements

This section lists supported statements and their limitations.

.end

Syntax: .end

After .end, any remaining lines in the file are discarded.

.global

Syntax: .global node1 node2 ...

Use .global at the beginning of a netlist to declare global nodes.

.hdl

Syntax: .hdl "model.va"

Use .hdl to include a Verilog-A model.

.if, .elseif, .else, .endif

Syntax:

.if x < 0
...
.elseif x > 1
...
.else
...
.endif

Use .if blocks to conditionally include or exclude portions of the netlist.

.include

Syntax: .include "path.sp"

Use .include to incorporate an external netlist file.

.lib, .endl

Syntax:

.lib "library.sp" "section"

.lib "section"
...
.endl

Use .lib ... .endl to define sections inside a library file. Use .lib statements in your main netlist to incorporate a particular section from a library.

.macro, .eom

Syntax:

.macro name node1 node2 ... param1=val param2=val ...
...
.eom name

Use .macro ... .eom to define a macro.

.model

Syntax: .model name type param1=val param2=val ...

See #Supported Models.

.option

Syntax: .option opt1 opt2=val opt3 ...

See #Supported Simulation Options.

.param

Syntax: .param param1=val param2=val ...

Use .param to define global variables, and to define default parameters for a subcircuit.

.subckt, .ends

Syntax:

.subckt name node1 node2 ... param1=val param2=val ...
...
.ends name

Use .subckt ... .ends to define a subcircuit.

.pat

Syntax: .pat name=b_string_or_nested_pattern_structure r=val rb=val

Use .pat to define patterns referred to from I or V Element PAT sources.

Supported Simulation Options

This section lists supported simulation options and their limitations.

scale

Syntax: .option scale=1u

Use .option scale to set a scale factor that is applied to all dimension parameters on elements.

search

Syntax: .option search="path"

Use .option search to specify additional paths to use when looking for included netlists or Verilog-A files.

tnom

Syntax: .option tnom=25

Use .option tnom to specify the nominal temperature for simulation.

General Limitations

Parameter scoping

Simulations in hpeesofsim are handled as if .option parhier=local was specified. The default HSPICE scoping (.option parhier=global) is not available.

Connections to global nodes and parameters

Although HSPICE netlists are case-insensitive, connections to a global node or references to a global variable from outside the HSPICE-language portion of the netlist must use the lowercase variant of the name. Connections or references within the HSPICE-language portion can use any case for the letters.