~~NOTOC~~

====== LTspice Circuit Simulator by Analog Devices ======

2024-11-06, RB

LTspice is a electrical circuit simulation tool from Analog Devices. It runs on **Windows** and **macOS**. The respective LTspice installers are provided on the [[https://www.analog.com/en/design-center/design-tools-and-calculators/ltspice-simulator.html|LTspice Information Center of Analog Devices]].  

On **Linux** LTspice can be executed by means of the **Wine compatibility layer** to run Windows software on Linux (and macOS). The concept of Wine is explained on [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_(software)|Wikipedia]]. 

:!: This excellent **[[https://github.com/joaocarvalhoopen/LTSpice_on_Linux_Ubuntu__How_to_install_and_use|LTspice on Linux Howto]]** explains how to install and run LTspice (64 bit for Windows) on Linux **by means of Wine**.

===== Manuals and Tutorials =====

/*
  - :-) {{:et:scad3.pdf|Switcher CAD 3 manual}}, the last __official manual__ by Linear Technology of the LTSpice IV predecessor. Mostly used as reference.
*/

  - :-) [[http://ltwiki.org/files/LTspice_guide.pdf|Short but effective guide]] to LTspice at [[http://ltwiki.org/|ltwiki.org]]
  - :-) {{https://www.gunthard-kraus.de/LTSwitcherCAD/CD_LTSwitcherCAD/pdf_manual_Linear_Technologies/scad3.pdf|Switcher CAD 3 manual}}, the last __official manual__ by Linear Technology of the LTSpice IV predecessor. Mostly used as reference.
  - :-) {{http://www.gunthard-kraus.de/LTSwitcherCAD/SwitcherCAD-Tutorial_English/pdf-File/LTspice_4_e2.pdf|Great tutorial}} by Gunthard Kraus (part 1),  e.g. lossy transmission lines, S-parameters, filters, ...
  - {{http://www.gunthard-kraus.de/LTSwitcherCAD/SwitcherCAD-Tutorial_English/pdf-File/RF_English_01_final.pdf|RF Special Edition: Complete Simulation of a 137MHz Weather Satellite Converter using LTspice IV}} by Gunthard Kraus (part 2)
  - {{https://www.analog.com/media/en/simulation-models/spice-models/ltspicegettingstartedguide.pdf|LTspice IV Getting Started Guide}}, presentation
  - [[http://ltwiki.org/?title=Undocumented_LTspice|Undocumented LTspice]]
  - {{http://eecs.oregonstate.edu/education/docs/tutorials/Simulating%20an%20op%20amp.pdf|Simulating Ideal Opamp}}
  - [[http://ltwiki.org/?title=SPICE_and_LTspice_Courseware_and_Tutorials|LTwiki: Courseware and Tutorials]]
  - {{https://www.analog.com/media/en/news-marketing-collateral/solutions-bulletins-brochures/ltspice-keyboard-shortcuts.pdf|LTspice24 Shortcut Flyer}}

===== Selected Topics =====

==== Voltage Controlled Switch ====

  * [[https://youtu.be/eEHWxvCydpw|LTSpice - Voltage Controlled Switch]] (youtube video)

==== Parameter Sweep ====
 
A short tutorial is the {{:supp:ltspice:ltspice_parameter_sweep_tutorial_v02.pdf|LTSpice Parameter Sweep Tutorial}} by Andrew Herdrich, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Portland State University, January 7, 2007, Version 2. The examples below are taken from that tutorial.

Parameters and parameter sweep are defined by directives (commands starting with at dot).

Constant parameter:

  .param C=1uF

Common loop expression, e.g. to test capacitors from 1μF to 10μF in 2μF steps:

  .step param C 1uF 10uF 2uF

Parameters from a list:

  .step param C list 0.47uF 1uF 2.2uF 10uF

Logarithmic (common log, base 10) parameter variation, e.g. 8 steps from 100nF to 1uF:

  .step dec param C 100nF 1uF 8
  
==== AC Sweep (Creates Bode Plot) ====

logarithmic (base 10) AC sweep from 1 Hz to 100kHz with 10 steps per decade:

  .ac dec 10 1 100k
  
===== Photovoltaics (PV) Modelling with LTspice =====  

As part of the lecture Physics1 / Electrical Engineering (aka Physics: Electricity and Magnetism) we use LTspice to model PV modules. 

  * [[eeng:topics:ltspice:pv-simulation|LTspice Simulation of PV Cells and Modules]]