Experiment 1

Aim: Introduction to LTspice software

LTspice® is a powerful, fast, and free SPICE simulator software, schematic

capture and waveform viewer with enhancements and models for improving the
simulation of analog circuits. Its graphical schematic capture interface allows you
to probe schematics and produce simulation results, which can be explored
further through the built-in waveform viewer.
LTspice IV has two basic modes of driving the simulator:
1. Use the program as a general-purpose schematic capture program with an
integrated simulator. Menu commands File=>New, and File=>Open(file
type.asc)
2. Feed the simulator with a handcrafted netlist or a foreign netlist generated with
a different schematic capture tool. Menu command File=>Open(file type.cir)

LTspice IV is intended to be used as a general purpose schematic capture program

with an integrated SPICE simulator. The idea is you draw a circuit(or start with
an example circuit that's already drafted) and observe its operation in the
simulator.

Basic Schematic Editing

Unlike many schematic capture programs, this one was written explicitly for
running SPICE simulations. This means that if you click on an object, the default
behavior is to plot the voltage on that wire or current through that component, not
select the object for editing or some other editing behavior which would then
invalidate the simulation just performed. Hence, when you wish to move, mirror,
rotate, drag or delete objects, first select the move, drag or delete command. Then
you can select an object by clicking on it. You can select multiple objects by
dragging a box about them. The program will stay in the move, drag, or delete
mode until the right mouse button is clicked or the Esc key is pressed. All
schematic edits can be undone or redone.

Undo: Undo the last command.

Redo: Redo the last Undo command.

Text: Place text on the schematic. This merely annotates the schematic with
information. This text has no electrical impact on the circuit.

SPICE Directive: Place text on the schematic that will be included in the netlist.
This lets you mix schematic capture with a SPICE netlist. It lets you set
simulation options, include files that contain models, define new models, or use
any other valid SPICE commands. You can even use it to run a subcircuit that
you don't have a symbol for by stating an instance of the model(a SPICE
command that begins with and 'X') on the schematic and including the definition.

SPICE Analysis: Enter/edit the simulation command.

Resistor: Place a new resistor on the schematic.

Capacitor: Place a new capacitor on the schematic.

Inductor: Place a new inductor on the schematic.

Diode: Place a new diode on the schematic.

Component: Place a new component on the schematic. The command brings up

a dialog that lets you browse and preview the symbol database. This is a more
general form of the Resistor, Capacitor, Inductor, and Diode commands.

Rotate: Rotate the sprited objects. Note this is grayed out when there are no
objected sprited.
Mirror: Mirror the sprited objects. Note this is grayed out when there are no
objected sprited.

Draw Wire: Click the left mouse button to start a wire. Each mouse click will
define a new wire segment. Click on an existing wire segment to join the new
wire with an existing one. Right click once to cancel the current wire. Right click
again to quit this command. You can draw wires through components such as
resistors. The wire will automatically be cut such that the resistor is now in series
with the wire.

Label Net: Specify the name of a node so an arbitrary one isn't generated by the
netlister for this node.

Place GND: Place a GROUND symbol. This is node "0", the global circuit
common.

Delete: Delete objects by clicking on them or dragging a box around them.

Duplicate: Duplicate objects by clicking on them or dragging a box around them.

You can copy from one schematic to another if they are both opened in the same
invocation of LTspice IV. Start the Duplicate command in the window of the first
schematic. Then make the second schematic the active window and type Ctrl-V.

Move: Click on or drag a box around the objects you wish to move. Then you can
move those objects to a new location.

Paste: It is enabled in a new schematic window when objects were already

selected with the 'Duplicate' command.

Drag: Click on or drag a box around the objects you wish to drag. Then you can
move those objects to a new location and the attached the wires are rubber-band
with the new location.

Placing New Components

Certain frequently used components; such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors;

can be selected for placing on the schematic with a toolbar button. For most
symbols, use the menu command Edit=>Component to start a dialog to browse
for the device you wish.
Editing Components

Components can be edited in two or three different ways, depending on the type
of component:

1. Most visible component attribute fields can be edited by pointing at it with the
mouse and then right clicking. The mouse cursor will turn into a text caret when
it's pointing at the text.

2. Many component types, such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, bipolar

transistors, MOSFET transistors, JFET transistors, independent voltage sources,
independent current sources, and hierarchical circuit blocks have special editors.
These editors can access the appropriate database of devices. To use these editors,
right mouse click on the body of the component.

3. Place the mouse over a symbol, hold down the control key, and click the right
mouse button. A dialog box will appear that displays all available symbol
attributes. Next to each field is a check box to indicate if the field should be visible
on the schematic.
Waveform Viewer
LTspice IV includes an integrated waveform viewer that allows complete control
over the manner the simulation data is plotted.
Data Trace Selection

There are three basic means of selecting plotted traces.

1. Probing directly from the schematic

2. Menu command Plot Settings=>Visible Traces
3. Menu command Plot Settings=>Add Trace

Axis Control

When you move the mouse cursor beyond the data plotting region, the cursor
turns into a ruler. This tries to indicate that you are pointing at that axis' attributes.
When you left click you can enter a dialog to manually enter that axis' range and
the nature of the plot. For example, for real data, if you move the mouse to the
bottom of the screen and left click, you can enter a dialog to change the horizontal
quantity plotted. This lets you make parametric plots.

Plot Panes

Multiple plot panes can be displayed on one window. This allows better
separation between traces and allows different traces to be independently auto
scaled. Traces can be dragged between panes by dragging the label. A copy of a
trace can be made on another pane by holding down the control key when you
release the mouse button.

Color Control

The menu command Tools=>Color Preferences colors allows you to set the
colors used for plotting data. You click on an object in the sample plot and use
the red, green and blue sliders to adjust the colors to your preferences.

Conclusion: I have learned LTspice software operating procedures and

understand different commands for placing and editing components. I have also
learned about waveform viewer.