LTspice
| LTspice
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 LTspiceIV v4.10 screenshot |
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| Basic data
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| Maintainer | Mike Engelhardt |
| developer | Linear Technology |
| Publishing year | October 1999 |
| Current version | XVII |
| operating system | LTspiceXVII: Windows (from Windows 7),
LTspiceIV: Windows, macOS (from version 10.7), Linux via Wine |
| category | EDA |
| License | Freeware |
| German speaking | No |
| www.analog.com | |
LTspice is a free software from the former semiconductor manufacturer Linear Technology (since 2017: Analog Devices ) for circuit simulation . It is based on SPICE , is compatible with it and particularly suitable for simulating switched-mode power supplies. It is developed and maintained by Mike Engelhardt.
Origin, development and current status
LTspice emerged from SwitcherCAD in 1999, which is why it has its second name, and has been continuously developed since then. The program, including the previous version SwitcherCAD, has already been downloaded over three million times (2011). It can now use multiple processors in some cases. The Windows version is tested by the author for compatibility with Wine , so that it can also be used with Linux . There is a separate version for macOS .
In 2016, Linear Technology introduced LTspiceXVII for Windows 7, 8 and 10.
With LTspice, models for many components from Linear Technology are supplied and optimally supported. It also contains a - relatively small - library of discrete components and integrated circuits from other manufacturers.
Features and function
Time courses - including parameter variations - can be calculated and displayed, and they can also be transformed into the frequency range. You can also carry out a small signal analysis and a Monte Carlo simulation. In addition to analog components, idealized digital gates are also supplied in the libraries.
Due to the compatibility with SPICE , models from other sources can be adopted and used relatively easily.
License
LTspice is freeware . The software may not be changed, but it may be used by anyone free of charge. However, semiconductor manufacturers are not allowed to use them to market their products.
Alternatives
There are a variety of programs that use SPICE to simulate, including many commercial programs.
literature
- Gilles Brocard: Simulation in LTspice IV - Manual, Methods and Applications , Swiridoff Verlag, 2013, ISBN 978-3-89929-257-2 (German, approx. 760 pages).
Web links
- LTSpice download page
- Easy entry into SPICE circuit simulation with LTspice IV or XVII (by Gunthard Kraus, in German)
- More information about LTspice
- LTspice Getting Started Guide (PDF; 1.6 MB)
- LTspice WorldTour 2009 (ZIP; 9.5 MB)
Individual evidence
- ↑ www.linear.com .
- ↑ a b Mike Engelhardt: LTspice IV Help → FAQ → License and Distribution. (Help pages for software version 4.19u from September 4, 2013, English).
- ↑ a b Mike Engelhardt: LTspice IV Help → Introduction → License Agreement / Disclaimer. (Help pages for software version 4.19u from September 4, 2013, English).
- ^ LTspice seminar with Mike Engelhardt .
- ↑ eetimes.com . Free SPICE software exploits multicore processors. Retrieved September 27, 2013.