K Stability Factor Simulation Results Do not show up

Hi Medhi,

You'll need to provide some more information, because I just did this and it worked fine - and I'm not aware of this being a recently reported issue. So please can you answer these questions:

1. Which IC subversion are you using? This is in Help->About (please give the full number, not just the first part)
2. Which spectre version are you using (this will appear at the top of the spectre.out log file in ADE)? Assuming you're using spectre, that is...
3. Which ADE flavour are you using? ADE L, XL, Explorer or Assembler? Or if not ADE, how are you running the simulation?
4. How are  you plotting the "k-stability factor" - explain precisely how you are doing this
5. Please copy and paste the analysis statements from the input.scs file in ADE (the bottom part of the input.scs), particularly the "sp" analysis lines.
6. Are there any errors that appear in the CIW when you do this?

Regards,

Andrew.

Which IC subversion are you using? This is in Help->About (please give the full number, not just the first part) IC6.1.7-64b.500.18

Which spectre version are you using (this will appear at the top of the spectre.out log file in ADE)? Assuming you're using spectre, that is...

Cadence (R) Virtuoso (R) Spectre (R) Circuit Simulator
Version 15.1.0.803.isr18 64bit -- 21 Jun 2017
Copyright (C) 1989-2017 Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Cadence, Virtuoso and Spectre are registered trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All others are the property of their respective holders.

Includes RSA BSAFE(R) Cryptographic or Security Protocol Software from RSA Security, Inc.

User: mehdina94rm Host: amml.ece.neu.edu HostID: A81673C PID: 248590
Memory available: 82.7415 GB physical: 133.5396 GB
Linux : CentOS Linux release 7.5.1804 (Core)
CPU Type: Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 6136 CPU @ 3.00GHz
Socket: Processors [Frequency] (Hyperthreaded Processor)
0: 0 [1307.2] ( 12 ), 1 [1199.9] ( 13 ), 2 [1200.6] ( 14 )
3 [1199.9] ( 15 ), 4 [1199.9] ( 16 ), 5 [1199.9] ( 17 )
6 [1209.6] ( 18 ), 7 [1199.9] ( 19 ), 8 [3599.9] ( 20 )
9 [1199.9] ( 21 ), 10 [1200.1] ( 22 ), 11 [1200.1] ( 23 )

System load averages (1min, 5min, 15min) : 5.0 %, 5.7 %, 5.9 %
Hyperthreading is enabled

Simulating `input.scs' on amml.ece.neu.edu at 4:15:16 PM, Mon Nov 4, 2019 (process id: 248590).
Current working directory: /ECEnet/home/student/mehdina94rm/Sim/LNA_diff_matching_finalized_tb/spectre/config/netlist
Command line:
/ECEnet/Apps1/linux/cad12/tools/cadence/MMSIM151/tools/bin/spectre \
-64 input.scs +escchars +log ../psf/spectre.out -format psfxl \
-raw ../psf +lqtimeout 900 -maxw 5 -maxn 5

Loading /ECEnet/Apps1/linux/cad12/tools/cadence/MMSIM151/tools.lnx86/cmi/lib/64bit/5.0/libinfineon_sh.so ...

...

Time for NDB Parsing: CPU = 454.093 ms, elapsed = 1.14059 s.
Time accumulated: CPU = 492.094 ms, elapsed = 1.1406 s.
Peak resident memory used = 53.5 Mbytes.

The CPU load for active processors is :
Spectre 0 (8.8 %) 1 (6.1 %) 2 (23.5 %) 3 (15.9 %)
6 (16.1 %) 7 (12.4 %) 8 (100.0 %) 9 (4.5 %)
11 (12.9 %) 13 (1.7 %) 16 (1.8 %) 21 (2.7 %)
22 (2.7 %)
Other
Reading link: /ECEnet/Apps1/linux/cad12/tools/cadence/MMSIM151/tools.lnx86/spectre/etc/ahdl/discipline.h
Reading file: /ECEnet/Apps1/linux/cad12/tools/cadence/MMSIM151/tools.lnx86/spectre/etc/ahdl/disciplines.vams
Reading link: /ECEnet/Apps1/linux/cad12/tools/cadence/MMSIM151/tools.lnx86/spectre/etc/ahdl/constants.h
Reading file: /ECEnet/Apps1/linux/cad12/tools/cadence/MMSIM151/tools.lnx86/spectre/etc/ahdl/constants.vams
Time for Elaboration: CPU = 152.351 ms, elapsed = 159.82 ms.
Time accumulated: CPU = 644.588 ms, elapsed = 1.30056 s.
Peak resident memory used = 81.9 Mbytes.

Time for EDB Visiting: CPU = 90.327 ms, elapsed = 90.5421 ms.
Time accumulated: CPU = 735.056 ms, elapsed = 1.39124 s.
Peak resident memory used = 97 Mbytes.

Notice from spectre during topology check.
Only one connection to the following 56 nodes:
I21.M5|avC2
I21.M5|avC1
I21.M7|avC2
I21.M7|avC1
I21.M17|avC2
Further occurrences of this notice will be suppressed.
No DC path from node `I21.M5|avC2' to ground, Gmin installed to provide path.
No DC path from node `I21.M5|avC1' to ground, Gmin installed to provide path.
No DC path from node `I21.M7|avC2' to ground, Gmin installed to provide path.
No DC path from node `I21.M7|avC1' to ground, Gmin installed to provide path.
No DC path from node `I21.M17|avC2' to ground, Gmin installed to provide path.
Further occurrences of this notice will be suppressed.

Global user options:
reltol = 1e-06
vabstol = 1e-08
iabstol = 1e-13
temp = 27
homotopy = 7
limit = delta
compatible = spice2
gmin = 1e-12
rforce = 1
maxnotes = 5
maxwarns = 5
digits = 5
cols = 80
pivrel = 0.001
sensfile = ../psf/sens.output
checklimitdest = psf
save = allpub
tnom = 27
scalem = 1
scale = 1

Scoped user options:

Circuit inventory:
nodes 10869
bsim3v3 172
capacitor 3468
diode 472
inductor 20
isource 2
port 3
resistor 17819
transformer 2
vcvs 2
vsource 3

Analysis and control statement inventory:
info 6
sp 1

Output statements:
.probe 0
.measure 0
save 0

Notice from spectre.
54 notices suppressed.

Time for parsing: CPU = 33.381 ms, elapsed = 36.0088 ms.
Time accumulated: CPU = 768.582 ms, elapsed = 1.42739 s.
Peak resident memory used = 104 Mbytes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pre-Simulation Summary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Warning from spectre.
WARNING (SPECTRE-16707): Only tran supports psfxl format, result of other analyses will be in psfbin format.

**************************************************
S-Parameter Analysis `sp': freq = (2 GHz -> 3 GHz)
**************************************************

Notice from spectre during DC analysis, during SP analysis `sp'.
GminDC = 1 pS is large enough to noticeably affect the DC solution.
dV(I21.I9|M2_10__rcx.b1d) = 14.1994 nV
Use the `gmin_check' option to eliminate or expand this report.

DC simulation time: CPU = 82.559 ms, elapsed = 82.7818 ms.
sp: freq = 2.023 GHz (2.84 %), step = 4.653 MHz (568 m%)
...
sp: freq = 2.992 GHz (99.4 %), step = 6.882 MHz (568 m%)
sp: freq = 3 GHz (100 %), step = 7.529 MHz (568 m%)
Accumulated DC solution time = 80 ms.
Intrinsic sp analysis time = 820 ms.
Total time required for sp analysis `sp': CPU = 2.88472 s, elapsed = 3.30678 s.
Time accumulated: CPU = 3.69166 s, elapsed = 5.28976 s.
Peak resident memory used = 131 Mbytes.

modelParameter: writing model parameter values to rawfile.

Opening the PSF file ../psf/modelParameter.info ...
element: writing instance parameter values to rawfile.

Opening the PSF file ../psf/element.info ...
outputParameter: writing output parameter values to rawfile.

Opening the PSF file ../psf/outputParameter.info ...
designParamVals: writing netlist parameters to rawfile.

Opening the PSFASCII file ../psf/designParamVals.info ...
primitives: writing primitives to rawfile.

Opening the PSFASCII file ../psf/primitives.info.primitives ...
subckts: writing subcircuits to rawfile.

Opening the PSFASCII file ../psf/subckts.info.subckts ...

Aggregate audit (4:15:21 PM, Mon Nov 4, 2019):
Time used: CPU = 4.07 s, elapsed = 5.78 s, util. = 70.4%.
Time spent in licensing: elapsed = 34.5 ms.
Peak memory used = 141 Mbytes.
Simulation started at: 4:15:16 PM, Mon Nov 4, 2019, ended at: 4:15:21 PM, Mon Nov 4, 2019, with elapsed time (wall clock): 5.78 s.
spectre completes with 0 errors, 1 warning, and 7 notices

Which ADE flavour are you using? ADE L, XL, Explorer or Assembler? Or if not ADE, how are you running the simulation? ADE L

How are you plotting the "k-stability factor" - explain precisely how you are doing this. Results --> Direct Plot --> Main Form --> sp --> Kf --> plot

Please copy and paste the analysis statements from the input.scs file in ADE (the bottom part of the input.scs), particularly the "sp" analysis lines.

ps=0.7u*2+(700.0n) nrd=0.3u/(700.0n) nrs=0.3u/(700.0n) \
par1=((1)*(1))
I10 (net032 vss) isource dc=500u type=dc
I5 (net31 vss) isource dc=500u type=dc
I29 (net13 vss net18 net14) ideal_balun
PORT3 (LNA vss) port r=50 type=dc
PORT4 (out vss) port r=50 num=2 type=dc
E0 (LNA vss RFout\- RFout\+) vcvs gain=1
E2 (out vss RFout\- RFout\+) vcvs gain=1
simulatorOptions options reltol=1e-6 vabstol=1e-8 iabstol=1e-13 temp=27 \
tnom=27 homotopy=all limit=delta scalem=1.0 scale=1.0 \
compatible=spice2 gmin=1e-12 rforce=1 maxnotes=5 maxwarns=5 digits=5 \
cols=80 pivrel=1e-3 sensfile="../psf/sens.output" checklimitdest=psf
sp sp ports=[PORT1 PORT3] start=2G stop=3G dec=1000 donoise=yes \
oprobe=PORT3 iprobe=PORT1 annotate=status
modelParameter info what=models where=rawfile
element info what=inst where=rawfile
outputParameter info what=output where=rawfile
designParamVals info what=parameters where=rawfile
primitives info what=primitives where=rawfile
subckts info what=subckts where=rawfile
saveOptions options save=allpu

Are there any errors that appear in the CIW when you do this? No errors.

Andrew and Tawana, 

Thanks for your comments. I have checked with school and they will upgrade it. But I am not sure if thats the problems since I was previously running it even with the older cadence version. 

Regarding the missing Port, I have to mention that I have a couple of ports in other parts of the circuit but not used in this simulation. So it will not be an issue since the SP analysis is running and I can get the S parameters without any issue. The only issue is the result of Kf. 

I have checked the equation and that is exactly the same as what you mentioned above, BTW I copied yours into my calculation and the result is the same and nothing shows up.

Can you plot anything else from the Direct Plot form for the sp analysis? For example, plotting s11 or s22, or any of the other metrics? Is it just Kf that is the problem?

Regards,

Andrew.

Andrew, 

I can plot S11, S21, S12, S22, NF. But I cannot plot  Kf and B1f or even Z parameters. 

Here is the error that I get when I plot z-parameters:

ERROR (WIA-1006): Unable to plot expression <zpm('sp 1 1)>

because it does not evaluate to an object that can be plotted, like a waveform or

parametric wave. See the Visualization & Analysis Tool documentation for information

about the types of objects that can be plotted in Visualization & Analysis Tool. Only

the expressions that evaluate to those objects can be plotted.

*Warning* Wave1 is not a waveform object that can be displayed and

will be DELETED automatically.

name: "Z11 magOhm"

Can you do the following tests in the CIW after running the simulation and trying to plot in the direct plot form:

outputs(?result 'sp ?map nil)
zpm('sp 1 1)
kf(sp(1 1 ?result "sp") sp(1 2 ?result "sp") sp(2 1 ?result "sp") sp(2 2 ?result "sp"))

and paste here exactly what it shows in the CIW - the pasted commands and output/errors between them. For me it shows:

outputs(?result 'sp ?map nil)
("s11" "s21" "s12" "s22" "cy11"
"cy21" "cy12" "cy22"
)
zpm('sp 1 1)
srrWave:0x32b12020
kf(sp(1 1 ?result "sp") sp(1 2 ?result "sp") sp(2 1 ?result "sp") sp(2 2 ?result "sp"))
srrWave:0x32b12190

Andrew

Here is what I got:

outputs(?result 'sp ?map nil)

zpm('sp 1 1)

kf(sp(1 1 ?result "sp") sp(1 2 ?result "sp") sp(2 1 ?result "sp") sp(2 2 ?result "sp"))

("s11" "s21" "s12" "s22")

nil

srrWave:0x30bd7420

This is also the whole commands when I ran the ADE L:

Delete psf data in /ECEnet/home/student/mehdina94rm/Sim/LNA_diff_matching_finalized_tb/spectre/config/psf.

generate netlist...

*Error* def: function is write protected and cannot be redefined - ansCdlCompPrim

*Error* load: error while loading file - "./.xkit/setup/x_all/cadence/xenv/skill/ansCdlCompPrim.ile" at line 0

*Error* def: function is write protected and cannot be redefined - ansCdlCompPrim

*Error* load: error while loading file - "./.xkit/setup/x_all/cadence/xenv/skill/ansCdlCompPrim.ile" at line 0

Begin Incremental Netlisting Nov 5 16:48:04 2019

End netlisting Nov 5 16:48:05 2019

The netlist is up to date.

Time taken to compare the design with netlist: 1.0s

...successful.

compose simulator input file...

...successful.

start simulator if needed...

...successful.

simulate...

INFO (ADE-3071): Simulation completed successfully.

reading simulation data...

...successful.

outputs(?result 'sp ?map nil)

zpm('sp 1 1)

kf(sp(1 1 ?result "sp") sp(1 2 ?result "sp") sp(2 1 ?result "sp") sp(2 2 ?result "sp"))

("s11" "s21" "s12" "s22")

nil

srrWave:0x30bd7420

A bit odd, because I'm not sure why the zpm would be failing.What's also odd, is that the kf appears to be returning a waveform in the CIW...

Can you provide a few more things:

1. The PORT1 definition from the input.scs (I want to see if there's anything unusual about it)
2. What does _getPortParamInfo() return if you invoke that in the CIW?
3. Similarly what does ocnPrint(kf(sp(1 1 ?result "sp") sp(1 2 ?result "sp") sp(2 1 ?result "sp") sp(2 2 ?result "sp"))) show in the CIW?

Andrew

• The PORT1 definition from the input.scs (I want to see if there's anything unusual about it)  I have already deleted the other ports to eliminate the confusion.
• What does _getPortParamInfo() return if you invoke that in the CIW? 

_getPortParamInfo()

((1 68.0 "PORT5")

(2 50.0 "PORT3")

)

• Similarly what does ocnPrint(kf(sp(1 1 ?result "sp") sp(1 2 ?result "sp") sp(2 1 ?result "sp") sp(2 2 ?result "sp"))) show in the CIW?

ocnPrint(kf(sp(1 1 ?result "sp") sp(1 2 ?result "sp") sp(2 1 ?result "sp") sp(2 2 ?result "sp")))

freq (Hz) kf(sp(1 1) sp(1 2) sp(2 1) sp(2 2))

2G NaN

2.00461G in

2.00923G NaN

2.01386G NaN

2.01851G NaN

2.02316G NaN

2.02782G NaN

2.0325G NaN

2.03718G NaN

2.04188G NaN

2.04659G NaN

2.0513G NaN

2.05603G NaN

2.06077G NaN

2.06552G NaN

2.07028G -inf

2.07506G -inf

2.07984G -inf

2.08463G in

2.08944G in

2.09426G -inf

2.09908G -inf

2.10392G in

2.10877G in

2.11364G NaN

2.11851G NaN

2.12339G -inf

2.12829G NaN

2.13319G NaN

2.13811G -inf

2.14304G in

2.14798G in

2.15293G NaN

2.15789G in

2.16287G in

2.16785G NaN

2.17285G in

2.17786G -inf

2.18288G in

2.18791G -inf

2.19296G in

2.19801G in

2.20308G -inf

2.20816G -inf

2.21325G in

2.21835G -inf

2.22346G -inf

2.22859G in

2.23373G in

2.23888G in

2.24404G in

2.24921G in

2.25439G -inf

2.25959G in

2.2648G in

2.27002G -inf

2.27525G -inf

2.2805G -inf

2.28576G in

2.29103G -inf

2.29631G in

2.3016G -inf

2.30691G in

2.31222G -inf

2.31755G in

2.3229G -inf

2.32825G in

2.33362G in

2.339G -inf

2.34439G in

2.3498G in

2.35521G in

2.36064G in

2.36608G in

2.37154G in

2.377G -inf

2.38248G in

2.38798G -inf

2.39348G -inf

2.399G -inf

2.40453G -inf

2.41007G -inf

2.41563G -inf

2.4212G -inf

2.42678G in

2.43237G in

2.43798G -inf

2.4436G -inf

2.44923G -inf

2.45488G in

2.46054G -inf

2.46621G -inf

2.47189G -inf

2.47759G in

2.4833G NaN

2.48903G in

2.49477G in

2.50052G in

2.50628G in

2.51206G in

2.51785G in

2.52366G in

2.52947G -inf

2.5353G -inf

2.54115G in

2.54701G in

2.55288G -inf

2.55876G -inf

2.56466G -inf

2.57057G -inf

2.5765G in

2.58244G in

2.58839G in

2.59436G NaN

2.60034G -inf

2.60633G -inf

2.61234G -inf

2.61836G in

2.6244G NaN

2.63045G -inf

2.63651G in

2.64259G in

2.64868G in

2.65479G NaN

2.66091G in

2.66704G in

2.67319G in

2.67935G -inf

2.68553G -inf

2.69172G NaN

2.69793G NaN

2.70415G NaN

2.71038G NaN

2.71663G -inf

2.72289G -inf

2.72917G in

2.73546G -inf

2.74176G in

2.74808G -inf

2.75442G -inf

2.76077G NaN

2.76713G in

2.77351G in

2.77991G -inf

2.78631G NaN

2.79274G NaN

2.79917G NaN

2.80563G in

2.8121G NaN

2.81858G NaN

2.82508G NaN

2.83159G NaN

2.83812G -inf

2.84466G NaN

2.85122G NaN

2.85779G NaN

2.86438G -inf

2.87098G NaN

2.8776G NaN

2.88423G NaN

2.89088G in

2.89754G NaN

2.90422G in

2.91092G -inf

2.91763G -inf

2.92435G in

2.9311G NaN

2.93785G NaN

2.94463G in

2.95141G NaN

2.95822G NaN

2.96504G -inf

2.97187G NaN

2.97872G in

2.98559G NaN

2.99247G in

3G -inf

t

I have also tried a simple matching network but I got the same issue, I could generate the S11 but could not generate the Z-parameters.

OK, you're using different ports from above now (PORT5 and PORT3). The fact that there are lots of inf and NaN suggests there's a divide by zero in there somewhere. Kf is a fairly simple calculation, so something is a little awry with the s-parameters.

Can you provide the entire netlist? If not, please contact customer support and share it there (if you can't share it in public). This is almost certainly a function of the circuit, and so we'd need to see that.

Andrew.

OK, you're using different ports from above now (PORT5 and PORT3). The fact that there are lots of inf and NaN suggests there's a divide by zero in there somewhere. Kf is a fairly simple calculation, so something is a little awry with the s-parameters.

Can you provide the entire netlist? If not, please contact customer support and share it there (if you can't share it in public). This is almost certainly a function of the circuit, and so we'd need to see that.

Andrew.