Using the Command-Line Interface with SPICE

Garbage in, garbage out. —Anonymous SPICE is a dependable simulation engine, yet it has a handful of idiosyncrasies that can trip up even experienced users. In this article we’ll focus on the subtle file‑format and circuit‑topology rules that SPICE enforces, not on bugs that produce incorrect resul

In a gated S‑R latch, the enable pin allows the Q and Q̅ outputs to remain latched regardless of the S or R signals. By removing one of those inputs, we obtain a multivibrator latch that eliminates any illegal state. Such a circuit is called a D latch, and its internal logic looks like this:  

The common‑base amplifier is the most uncommon of the three basic transistor configurations, largely because its operating characteristics differ markedly from the common‑emitter and common‑collector circuits. This section examines its structure, key performance metrics, and typical use‑cases. Wh

DIACs are a specialized class of unidirectional semiconductor devices—essentially Shockley diodes connected in parallel with opposite polarity—to create a bidirectional trigger element for alternating‑current (AC) circuits. When a single Shockley diode conducts, it allows current flow in only one di