Analog FastSPICE Platform Full-Spectrum RF Analysis

RF designers using nanometer CMOS must battle growing design complexity, decreasing voltage levels, device nonlinearity, and nanometer-scale physical effects. There is mounting evidence that these nm physical effects — most notably device noise, device mismatch and detailed parasitics — limit RF circuit performance at 65 nm and below. Traditional RF simulators have not kept pace with these requirements. Their severely limited accuracy, capacity, and performance reduce designer productivity while increasing risk.  The transceiver block diagram below shows the RF verification requirements at the block, complex-block, and fullcircuit levels. At the block level, the crystal oscillator (XO) and voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) require full-spectrum oscillator noise analysis that includes phase noise and amplitude noise contributions. Nonlinear blocks and those with sharp transitions — such as charge pumps, switched-cap filters, and dividers — require fullspectrum periodic noise analysis. At the complex-block and full-circuit levels, designers need full-spectrum transient noise analysis. Throughout, designers should include detailed parasitics for all high-frequency circuits.