This section describes the features that are new in Micro-Cap 10.

Overview

Micro-Cap 10 incorporates many incremental refinements reflecting requests received from users. These and other small, incremental refinements are a big part of what makes the product so easy to use. The technical advancements in MC10 are principally four in number:

Threading

Using threading techniques, multiple CPUs are employed to reduce simulation time.

PSS

Periodic Steady State uses techniques pioneered by Aprille and Trick to calculate the periodic steady state, removing any short term transients from the time-domain waveforms, greatly simplifying many types of circuit analysis problems.

Distortion:

Two completely new analyses make creation of harmonic and intermodulation distortion plots easy.

Optimization

Optimization has been improved by the addition of three additional methods. The complete list of methods now includes, Powell, Hooke, Levenberg-Marquardt, and Differential Evolution.

Threading

Micro-Cap 10 uses threading for significant speed improvement where multiple CPUs are available. When multiple independent analyses are requested, Micro-Cap uses threading technology to speed up the overall analyses by allocating each sub-analysis to a different CPU. This is most benficial when stepping temperature or parameters, in Monte Carlo Analysis, and with harmonic and intermodulation distortion analysis.

Analysis

PSS: Periodic Steady State

This new analysis mode, which finds the time domain periodic steady state waveforms, was added to Transient, Harmonic Distortion, and Intermodulation Distortion. It is executed after the optional operating point and runs in lieu of the normal time domain run. PSS uses a shooting method to eliminate the transients normally encountered to arrive at steady state waveforms.

Harmonic Distortion Analysis

The existing harmonic distortion analysis was greatly expanded to make creation of distortion plots easy. You can step input level and/or frequency and create plots of THD, THDN (with noise), SINAD, SNR, and any harmonic vs VIN, VOUT, PIN, or POUT. Plots can be done as voltage or power ratios in dB, %, or simple numeric format. PSS methods can be used to achive rapid convergence of the output waveforms to minimize FFT errors, producing accurate distortion analysis.

Intermodulation Distortion Analysis

Intermodulation distortion analysis lets you step input level and/or frequency and create plots of IM2, IM3, or H1 (1'st harmonic) vs F, VIN, VOUT, PIN, or POUT. Plots can be done as voltage or power ratios in dB, %, or simple numeric format. PSS methods are also available as in the case of harmonic distortion. You can use SMPTE, CCIF, or DIN standards for input voltage and frequency, or enter your own.

FFT Dialog Box

The FFT panel on the Analysis Properties page (F10) has a new field called Frequency Step. Enter a value here and the an adjustment is made in the Lower Time Limit value and vice versa, according to the formula: Fundamental Frequency = 1 / (Upper Time Limit - Lower Time Limit)

Distortion Plots Waveform Buffer

Distortion plots created in harmonic and intermodulation analyses can be saved and recalled from the Waveform Buffer.

Plot, Save but Don't Plot, Don't Save and Don't Plot buttons

These button options can be selected for each waveform or curve in the Analysis Limits dialog box.

FFT Auto-scaling

FFT auto scaling is now done using the FFT upper and lower time limit parameters.

Branch Values in Plots

This lets you plot expressions that use waveform values from different branches. A branch is a Mont-Carlo case or a stepped value. V(1)@1 - V(1)@2 plots the difference of V(1) between branch 1 and branch 2.

Point Tag Numeric Format

The X and Y numeric formats of point tags are now separately specifiable.

HSPICE Compatibility

A small step toward HSPICE compatibility was taken by allowing '3*V(1)' to mean the same thing as {3*V(1)}.

Save Curves CSV Format:

Curves can now be saved in either CSF or USR formats. CSV stands for Comma Separated Values, the favored format for importing data into Excel. The numeric format for the data can also be specified.

Save Curves Auto Save

This option automatically saves selected waveforms after each run.

Cursor Values in Text Expression

This lets you write analysis expression text using cursor values CursorLX, CursorLY, CursorRX, CursorRY as variables.

Copy Cursor Values to Clipboard

This lets you copy the contents of the cursor table to the clipboard.

Enable / Disable / Hide

By right-clicking in the Page or P (Plot) fields you can enable, hide, or disable curves that use the Page or Plot number. Enable saves the data. Disable does not. Hide stops the plot display but saves the data.

Import and Export of WAV Files

WAV audio files can now be imported and exported allowing one to hear the output of an audio amplifier.

AC Power:

AC power is now calculated as P = V * Conjugate(I)

Time-domain Power

When RMS on-schematic display is requested, transient analysis power is now calculated as P = RMS(V) * RMS(I)

Time Data Retention

The definition of the transient analysis Time Range format of tmax, [tmin] has been changed to tmax, [tstart]. The analysis always starts at T = 0 but data points prior to tstart are now discarded after plotting. If you move the plot or rescale it after the run is over the data points prior to tstart are not replotted because they have not been saved.

Sort Function for Page and Plot Number

The page names and plot numbers can now be sorted alpha-numerically.

Plot Expression Right-Click

Additional functions are now available by right-clicking on the underlined expression text within the plot, including scales and formats, and plot line and text color.

Histogram, Performance, 3D, FFT Windows

The old limit of 10 for these windows was eliminated.

Sweep Resistance in DC Analysis

Resistance values may now be directly swept in DC analysis.

Stepping Enabled

When stepping is enabled, the Stepping button in the Analysis Limits dialog box is shown in bold.

Initial Conditions Editor Format

A Format button provides numeric format control for the .IC, Write, and Print commands.

AC Analysis Limits Default Changes

The Frequency Range method now defaults to Log, and the Number of Points now defaults to 1001.

Noise Output Nodes Prompt

Right-clicking in the Noise Output field of the AC Analysis Limits dialog box provides a list of available node names.

Improved Illegal Expression Error Messages

The error message for illegal expressions was expanded to show the entire expression and the point in the expression where the error occurred.

Error Page

A separate error page now captures all errors generated by an analysis. This is useful when errors that do not stop the run are encountered. This page keeps a record of them for later perusal. For example, a Monte Carlo run of 1000 cases may generate a few "Timestep too small" errors but the overall 1000 run sequence continues and deposits error messages here.

Function Source Extention

Function voltage and current sources can now reference the B, H, and Flux values in their expressions.

Plot

Sensitivity Analysis: The output expression limit of 10 has been removed.

Schematic Editor

On-schematic text editing

Grid text can now be edited directly by clicking the text body while holding down the Alt key.

Favorites

A Favorites tab was added to the Component Panel. This tab keeps track of your component usage and provides a list arranged with the most often used parts at the top.

Mouse Info Box

When you hold the mouse over a part, this box shows basic information like voltages and currents. The content of the box now optionally contains much more data such as beta, capacitance, conductance, and many more values from the internal device structure.

Text Search

The text find command was elaborated to show all instances of the text, as it is being typed. The currently selected piece is highlighted with Previous and Next navigating the instances found.

Local VIP Font and Format Control

The font and numeric format of node voltages, pin currents, and power values are now controlled from the circuit Properties page (F10), rather than being global formats that apply to all circuits.

Find Command

This command now allows Find and Replace operations on any attribute or grid text.

Color/Font Change

The new Change / Attribute feature has been expanded to allow simultaneous changes of color and or font of selected part attribute text.

Global Settings Default

Non-default global settings are now shown with bold printing to emphasize the change.

Text Align

This command lets you align selected grid or attribute text.

User Created Toolbar Bitmaps

Users can now create and assign new bitmaps for favorite commands.

Schematic Region Enable / disable

A Show/Hide capability for the boolean enable text was added as well as font/color control. On-schematic text editing was added for the enable text.

Find Component

The size of this dialog box is now adjustable to provide more space for large lists of parts that match the specified text string.

Close All Files

A command was added to close all open files.

File Save

This command now allows saving a circuit file while in an analysis.

Topology Check Option

The Path to Ground, Voltage Loop, and Floating Nodes checks are now optional.

PWL

The character limit for the PWL table edit area was removed.

Windows Dialog Box

A Windows dialog box was added to easily activate, close, or save open windows.

Bill of Materials Parts Grouping

The Parts can be grouped (as in earlier versions) or ungrouped according to the status of the Group Parts check box.

Automatic Check for Update

The program now automatically checks the web site to see if a newer version is available.

Models

WAV File Source

This source gets its waveform from a WAV file, allowing convenient importation of audio and other waveforms.

BJT Quasi-saturation Model

The BJT model was expanded to handle the quasimod, rco, gamma, and vo parameters.

IBIS Models

The IBIS model was expanded to handle the I/O open drain, I/O open source, I/O open sink, open drain, open source, and open sink models.

Optimization

New Optimiztion Algorithms:

Optimization has been improved by the addition of three additional methods. These include Hooke, Levennerg-Marquardt, and Differential Evolution. Each method has its own strength and is optimal in different kinds of problems. Together they provide powerful assistance in solving optimization problems. The new methods are available in each analysis optimization routine and in the Model program optimizer.

Optimizer Curve Fit from File

The optimizer has been expanded to allow importing data sets from a file to facillitate using the optimizer to curve fit with large data sets.

Monte Carlo

GAUSS and UNIF functions

The GAUSS, AGUASS, UNIF, and AUNIF functions can now be used to compactly specify a component's distribution values.

User Defined Scales

Histogram X and Y scales can now be set automatically.

Bar Tops

Histogram bar tops can be annotated with either quantity found or percentage found in each bar's range.

Runs Display:

The histogram display includes the number of runs.

Low, Mean, High Format

These quantities are now shown in engineering notation, e.g. 10n vs 1e-8.

Statistics in Printout:

The low, mean, high, and sigma (standard deviation) are now shown in the numeric output.t.

Expressions

NINT Operator

The NINT operator was added. NINT(2.7) = 3.

INT Operator

The INT operator was added. INT(2.7) = 2.

Harmn Function

The HARMN function was added. Its output is the same as the HARM function, but normalized to the 1'st harmonic's value.

Plotting D(NODE) and V(NODE)

When you have a digtal node connected to an analog node, D(NODE) plots the waveform for the digital node and V(NODE) plots the analog waveform.

Model Program

More Optimizers

Model optimization has been improved by the addition of three additional methods. The complete list of methods now includes Powell, Hooke, Levennerg-Marquardt, Differential Evolution.

User-defined Circuits Optimizing

Model now supports optimization using user-defined test circuits. No longer are you limited to determining parameters for a fixed number of devices. Test circuits can be created to determine optimized parameters for BSIM3, BSIM4 PSP, IGBT, and other devices.

BJT Parameters

BJT optimized parameters now include the NK parameter.

Shape Editor

Find Command

A Find command facillitates locating shape names.

Picture Files

Pictures files may be imported to serve as a part of a shape file.

Duplicate Command

A new Duplicate command makes an exact copy of the selected shape and assigns it a new name.

Groups

Shapes may now be assigned group names.

Save and Revert Options

The Save and Revert options are now available on the tool bar, so it is no longer necessary to quit in order to save or restore the file you are working on.

Package Editor

Auto Check

Entering a new package automatically enables it by setting its check mark.

Multiple Entries

Multiple packages can now be entered by assigning a duplicated entry to more than one package at a time.