SpicePy

SpicePy is a name coming from the merge of SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) and Python, hence, it goes without saying that it is a Circuit simulator written in python

SpicePy borns as a teaching project. It is shared with students of basic circuit theory with two aims:

• to allow them to check the results of exercises solved analytically
• to show them how a numerical code to solve circuit is made

This document provides information about features and installation procedure. For the user's guide please refer to the Wiki section.

Installation

1. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/giaccone/SpicePy.git

2. add SpicePy folder to the python path

3. done!

Requirements

At the time of writing (January 6, 2018), the project is based on:

• Python 3.6.4
• numpy 1.14.2
• scipy 1.0.0
• matplotlib 2.2.0

This is not a frozen configuration. I'm use to update these packages as soon as an update is available.

Finally, SpicePy should work also with earlier version of Python (but not Python 2), numpy, scipy and matplotlib.

Last but not least, as many other Python tools a convenient method to handle SpicePy is iPython, a powerful interactive Python shell where Python can be used interactively.

Work in progress

Here you can read about aspects that I'm thinking to include in this project. The list does not certifies that I will integrate all it is described. It's a simple list of the topics that potentially will be developed.

• Controlled sources In a local branch I've already added VCVSs. I will push this work on GitHub only when all controlled sources will be ready an tested.
• non-linearity I'm planning to implement a non-linear solver based on Newthon-Rapshon method. A rough implementation already exists but it is far from be harmonized to the entire project. Since I prefer stability over new features I will include non-linearity when I will have some more (free) time that currently I do not have.
• GUI one of my students is implementing a very basic GUI for this code. Basically, it is text-editor for netlists that includes also the tools for the simulation. Right now it is not ready for the final use because it is not stable.

Feature (and changelog)

March 14, 2018

• support for unit-prefix in netlists: ('f = 1e-15', 'p = 1e-12', 'n = 1e-9', 'u = 1e-6', 'm = 1e-3', 'k = 1e3', 'meg = 1e6', 'g = 1e9', 't = 1e-12')

January 6, 2018

• support for ac-multi-frequency analysis
• examples of ac-multi-frequency analysis

(Check commit history for more details).

November 16, 2017

• support for transient-sources

(Check commit history for more details).

October 2, 2017

• new methods to compute/print/plot generic voltages and current
• added examples in the folder 'demo'.

(Check commit history for more details).

September 1, 2017

• solution of dynamic networks. So far, tested first and second order circuits.

(Check commit history for more details).

August 29, 2017

• solution of DC network
• computation of the operating point (including dynamic components)
• solution of AC network (only single frequency right now)