Product Documentation

Virtuoso ADE Explorer User Guide
Product Version IC23.1, November 2023

Contents

1

Getting Started with ADE Explorer

Introducing Virtuoso ADE Explorer

Licensing Requirements

Opening Virtuoso ADE Explorer

Opening ADE Explorer From CIW

Opening ADE Explorer From Virtuoso Schematic Editor

Opening ADE Explorer Using Schematic Editor Workspace

ADE Explorer Toolbars in Virtuoso Schematic Editor

ADE Explorer Menu in Schematic

Virtuoso ADE Explorer Graphical User Interface

Outputs Setup Pane and Tabs

Run Preview Tab

Switching Between ADE Explorer and ADE Assembler

2

Setting Up Explorer Environment

Prerequisites For Running Explorer

Choosing a Design

Choosing a Simulator

Setting the Simulation Temperature

Choosing an Analysis

Choosing Model Library Path

Specifying Simulator Options

Simulator Options Form

Virtuoso Accelerated Parallel Simulator (APS)

Virtuoso UltraSim Simulator Interface

Virtuoso AMS Simulator Interface

Virtuoso HSPICE Simulator Interface

Setting up High-Performance Simulation Options

Virtuoso Accelerated Parallel Simulator (APS)

Setting Up Simulation Files

Specifying Simulation Files

Specifying Simulation Files Using Variables

Using Shell Environment Variables to Specify the Paths

Enabling and Disabling Simulation Files

Editing Simulation Files

Deleting Simulation Files

Setting up Simulator Environment Options

Setting up Design Variables

Adding a New Variable

Deleting Values

Copying Values From and To Schematic

Displaying Values on the Schematic

Finding Design Variables in Schematic

Performing Parameterization in Design Variables

Creating and Displaying Netlists

The .simrc File

Incremental Netlisting

Creating and Displaying a Netlist

Variables for Customizing Netlist Generation

Setting up Stimuli

Setting up Stimuli Using the Stimuli Assignment Form

Creating and Managing Stimuli

Specifying a Stimulus File

Example of a Spectre Stimulus File

Setting up Cosimulation Options

Setting up MDL Mode

Saving the Current Setup

Importing a Saved Setup

Specifying Simulation Results Directory Location

How does ADE Explorer save the results in the results database?

Saving Results in ADE Explorer

Saving an OCEAN Script

Closing a Session

Configuring and Customizing ADE Explorer Settings

Customizing Your .cdsinit File

Customizing Your .cdsenv File

Customizing Your Menus File

Setting UNIX Environment Variables

Using Signals or Triggers

3

Setting Up Analyses

Setting Up Analyses

Disabling an Analysis

Deleting an Analysis

Specifying Order for Analyses

Setting Up a Spectre Analysis

Transient Analysis

Transient Noise Analysis

S-parameter Analysis

Transfer Function Analysis

Sensitivity Analysis

DC Match Analysis

AC Match Analysis

Stability Analysis

Pole-Zero Analysis

Loop Finder Analysis

Other Spectre Analyses

Setting Up an Analysis for UltraSim

Setting Up an Analysis for AMS

Setting Up an Analysis for HSPICE

Transient Analysis

AC Match Analysis

DC Match Analysis

Setting Up EM/IR Analysis

Specifying Basic Settings

Specifying Technology Files

Setting Up Voltus-Fi Options

Setting Up the Solver Method and Time Window

Reviewing Summary Information and Adding Customized Options

Viewing Results

Viewing the Layout Analysis

EMIR Analysis Setup Form Description

EMIR Analysis Setup – Basic Tab

EMIR Analysis Setup – Techfile Tab

EMIR Analysis Setup – Voltus-Fi Tab

EMIR Analysis Setup – Solver Tab

EMIR Analysis Setup – Summary Tab

Setting Up EM/IR Analysis for AMS Simulator

Running Advanced Analysis Simulations

4

Specifying Output Data to be Saved or Plotted

Using the Outputs Setup Pane

Specifying Whether a Result is to be Saved or Plotted

Type of Outputs to be Saved or Plotted

Saving Output Expression

Saving Output Signals

Saving a Digital Bus

Saving OCEAN or MATLAB Measurement

Editing an OCEAN or a MATLAB Script File

Writing a MATLAB Measure

Creating Expression Outputs Using the Expression Builder

Defining Specifications for an Output

Saving Violation Filter

Saving Operating Point Parameters

Using MATLAB® Expressions in Outputs

Deleting Outputs

Adding a User-Defined Column

Renaming a User-Defined Column

Deleting a User-Defined Column

Filtering and Searching in Outputs Setup Pane

Importing and Exporting Outputs to a CSV File

Structure of a CSV File

Exporting Outputs

Importing Outputs

Specifying which Outputs to Save

Saving Selected Voltages or Currents

Saving All Voltages or Currents

Expressions to be Measured Across Dimensions

Environment Variables for PSFXL Output Format

PSFXL Environment Variables for Site Administrators

5

Working with Device Instance Parameters

Creating Device Instance Parameters

Changing the Value of Device Instance Parameters

Sweeping Pcell Parameters

Specifying Values of Device Instance Parameters

Creating Matched Device Parameters

Creating Ratio-Matched Device Parameters

Deleting a Device Parameter

Enabling and Disabling Parameters

Adding Notes to Parameters

Viewing Parameters by Property and Object Names

Filtering Device Instance Parameters

Creating Custom Device Filters

Changing the Order of Device Parameters

Disabling Callbacks on Swept Device Parameters

Adding or Modifying Specifications for Parameters and Design Variables

Specifying an Inclusion List of Values

Specifying an Exclusion List of Values

Specifying a Range of Values

Specifying Center and Span

Specifying Center and Span as a Percentage

Deleting a Parameter Specification

Creating Parameter Ranges

Working with Parametric Sets

Adding a Variable to a Parametric Set

Removing a Variable from a Parametric Set

Ungrouping Parametric Sets

Enabling or Disabling Parametric Sets

6

Working with Corners

Opening the Corners Setup Form

Specifying Temperature

Specifying Values for Design Variables and Parameters

Adding Model Files to a Corner

Specifying Sections for Model Files

Adding a Model Group to a Corner

Creating a Model Group

Saving and Loading Model Groups

Adding Corners Tags

Modifying Corner Values

Working with Corners

Renaming a Corner

Adding Notes to a Corner

Disabling and Enabling Corners

Changing the Order of Corners

Removing Corners Using the Setup Assistant

Removing Corners Using the Corners Setup Form

Managing Corners Using Editing Options

Viewing Corner Settings

Copying Corners

Exporting Corners

Importing Corners

Setting Up a Default Set of Corners

Running Resource Estimation for a Specific Corner

Working with Corner Groups

Creating a Corner Group

Expanding a Corner Group

Filtering Corners

Deleting Saved Filters

Enabling or Disabling Filtered Corners

Resizing Corners

Simulating Corner

7

Running a Simulation

Prerequisites to Run Simulation

ADE Explorer Simulation Flow

Setting up Job Policies

Setting Up the Default Job Policy

Specifying a Job Policy Name

Optimizing a Single Point Run

Specifying a Distribution Method

Specifying Max Jobs

Specifying an LBS Job Policy

Specifying Job Timeouts

Specifying Error Reporting Options

Saving or Deleting a Job Policy

Running Simulations With ICRP Job Control Mode

Running Simulations With ICRP Job Control Mode

Specifying Multiple Run Options

Setting Up Resource Options

Suspending and Resuming Simulation Runs

Automatically Suspend Simulations When the Disk Space is Low

Manually Suspend Simulations

Starting a Simulation

Simulation RunTime Improvements

Performance Enhancements by Simulating Group of Points

Interrupting or Stopping a Simulation

Canceling Simulations for Selected Corners

Viewing Run Preview

Refreshing the Setup Summary and Points Table

Enabling or Disabling Run Points in Points Table

Using the Information Displayed on the Run Preview Tab

Setting the Debugging Options

Debugging Points

8

Performing Monte Carlo Analysis

Before Running a Monte Carlo Analysis

Specifying Monte Carlo Run Options

Performing a Standard Monte Carlo Run

Performing Sensitivity Accuracy

Performing Yield Verification

High Yield Methods

Creating Statistical Corners

Running Confidence Interval - Autostop Method

Specifying Instances for Monte Carlo Mismatch and Process Variation

Selecting Schematic Instances for Applying Mismatch Variations

Selecting Instances of Cellviews for Applying Mismatch Variations

Selecting Subcircuit Instances for Applying Mismatch Variations

Manually Specifying the Instances for Applying Mismatch Variations

Modifying an Existing List of Selected Instances

Deleting Instances Selected for Applying Mismatch Variations

Running Advanced Methods

Viewing Monte Carlo Results

Managing Monte Carlo Results in the Yield View

Expanding and Collapsing Output Data

Viewing Data for a Specific Confidence Interval

Filtering Out Data from the Yield View

Generating Plots, Tables, Files, and Reports

Plot/Print versus Iteration

Printing Correlation Tables

Plotting Histograms

Plotting Scatter Plots

Exporting Results to a CSV File

Viewing Statistical Parameters for Monte Carlo Samples

Displaying Statistical Parameters of Statistical Corners

9

Plotting and Printing

Setting Plotting Mode

Distributed Plot Commands

Refreshing Graphs

Performing Quick Plotting

Using the Plot Output Commands

Plotting the Current or Restored Results

Plotting Parasitic Simulation Results

Using the Direct Plot Commands

Using the Direct Plot Main Form

For Transient Results

For Noise Results

For Noise Separation

For Stability Results

For Pole Zero Results

For Transfer Function

For S-Parameter

S-Parameter Probing

For Loop Finder

Printing Results

Printing Components

Printing DC Operating Points

Printing Transient Operating Points

Printing Model Parameters of Components

Printing Noise Parameters of Nodes or Components

Printing DC Mismatch Summary

Printing AC Match Summary

Printing Stability Summary

Printing Pole Zero Summary

Printing DC Node Voltages

Printing Transient Voltages

Printing Sensitivities

Printing Capacitance Data

Precision Control for Printing

Using SKILL to Display Tabular Data

Annotating Simulation Results

Annotating DC Node Voltages

Annotating DC Operating Points

Annotating DC Currents

Annotating Transient Voltages

Annotating Transient Currents

Annotating Transient Operating Points

Annotating AC Operating Points

Specifying the Data Directory for Labels

Saving and Removing Annotated Labels

Conditional Search for Results

Form Field Descriptions

Setting Plotting Options

S-Parameter Results

Circuit Conditions

10

Real-Time Tuning in Simulations

Opening the Real-Time Tuning Assistant

RTT Graphical User-Interface

Working with the RTT Assistant

Backannotating Variables and Parameters from RTT

Some Useful Points

Viewing Results in Virtuoso Visualization and Analysis XL

Viewing Waveform Info-Balloons on Schematic

11

Viewing Results

Viewing the Simulation Results

Hiding and Showing Data on the Results Tab

Hiding Test Details

Hiding Specification Details

Hiding Corner Results

Hiding Measured Result Values

Hiding Minimum and Maximum Values

Showing Only Errors

Filtering Results Using Column Filters

Showing the Starting Point

Showing Fixed Parameters for a Design Point

Viewing Netlist for Results

About Results Views

Detail - Transpose

Using the Detail - Transpose View

Using the Status View

Freezing Columns

Sorting Results in the Detail and Detail-Transpose Views

Working with Plotting Templates

Backannotating from ADE Explorer Results

Re-evaluating Expressions and Specifications

Viewing Specification Results in the Results Tab

Comparing S-Parameter Data

Viewing Results in Error Mode

Viewing Results for Passivity Mode

Interpolating S-Parameter Data

Working with Datasheets

Creating a Datasheet for a Checkpoint

Displaying Customized Waveform Images in the Datasheet

Opening a Datasheet

Customizing the Datasheet Format and Structure

12

Performing Reliability Analysis

Specifying Reliability Options

Specifying Aging Model Files

Specifying Reliability Options

Migrating Reliability Setup from ADE L

Running the Reliability Simulation

Viewing the Reliability Simulation Results

Device Lifetime and Degradation Results

Model Parameter Changes Results

Viewing the Reliability Aged Netlist

Annotating Simulation Results to the Schematic

Saving Reliability Options

Loading Reliability Options

13

Performing Circuit and Device Checks

An Introduction to Checks and Asserts

Dependency on Simulators

Viewing Checks and Asserts in the Setup Assistant

Adding Checks and Asserts

Adding Checks using the Checks/Asserts Assistant

Copying Checks or Asserts

Importing Asserts from Text Files Included in the Setup

Filtering Violations

Running Simulations and Viewing Violations

Specifying the Global Device Check Options

14

Helping Simulations to Converge

Commands for Forcing Convergence

Initial Conditions

HspiceD Convergence Aids

Selecting Nodes and Setting their Values

Releasing Voltages

Changing Voltages

Loading an Existing Convergence Setup

Highlighting Set Nodes

Storing a Solution

Restoring a Solution for Spectre

15

Working with AMS Simulator

Creating a Configuration Cellview

Setting Up the Default Simulator for a Configuration

Setting Up a Config Cellview Using Virtuoso Schematic Editor or Virtuoso Text Editor

ADE Explorer and AMS Integration

Setting up AMS Options

Working with Global Signals in AMS

Additional Arguments Form

Setting up Environment Options

About the AMS Unified Netlister

Benefits of AMS UNL

Things to Know When Using the AMS UNL Flow

Migrating to AMS UNL

Features of AMS UNL

Exporting IP Blocks in AMS UNL

Limitations of AMS UNL

Setting Up the AMS Netlister Options

Process-Based Save and Restart (PBSR) flow

Saving Simulation Snapshots at Different Time Points

Saving Simulation Snapshots Periodically

Pre-requisites for Restarting a simulation from a Saved Snapshot

Restarting a Simulation from a Saved Snapshot

Netlist and Run Options Form

Simulating the Design Using the xrun Command

Debugging Verilog-A Instances in AVUM flow

Saving or Plotting Selected Voltages or Currents for AMS Simulation

Adding a Node or Terminal to a Set

DSPF-in-the-Middle Flow for AMS Simulations

Using the runams Command

runams Command Options

How to Use runams Options

runams Command Examples

Viewing the Output Log for AMS

Viewing the Error Explanation for AMS

Using the SimVision Debugger

Setting Up a Cross Selection Menu to Launch the Post Simulation Analysis Form

Display Partition

Default Digital Discipline Selection

16

Working with HSPICE Simulator

Introduction to HSPICE Direct Simulator

HspiceD Features

Model Libraries

Distributed Processing Support

Running Analyses

Passing Command-Line Options

Specifying HSPICE Options

Convergence Aids

Control Mapping of Nets

Setting up Reliability Option

17

Simulating Multi-Technology Designs and Defining Locally Scoped Models and Options

Enabling Locally Scoped Models and Options

Enabling Local Scoping for a Cell

Enabling Local Scoping for an Instance

Disabling Local Scoping

Limiting the View by Library or Instance

18

auLvs Netlisting

Customization Using the .simrc File

Related Documentation on auLvs

19

Working with UltraSim Simulator

Specifying UltraSim Simulator Interface

Specifying UltraSim Options

UltraSim Power Network Solver

UltraSim Interactive Simulation Debugging

Saving Outputs for UltraSim Simulations

Saving Selected Voltages or Currents

A

auCdl Netlisting

What Is auCdl and Why Do You Need It?

Licensing Requirements

Running auCdl from within DFII

Running auCdl from the Command-Line

Creating a config view for auCdl

How to include partial netlist file in SUBCKT calls

Generating individual SUBCKT netlists

Customization Using the .simrc File

auCdl-Specific Parameters

View List, Stop List, Netlist Type, and Comments

Preserving Devices in the Netlist

Removing Devices in the Netlist

Printing CDL Commands

Defining Power Node and Ground Node

Support for Global Power and Ground Signals from CDL UI

Evaluating Expressions

NLP Expressions

Mapping Global Pins

Renaming Cell Names

Renaming Pcell Subcircuits

Customizing Bulk Node Search

Support for HED Features

Custom Netlisting Procedures

ansCdlSubcktCall

ansCdlCompParamPrim

ansCdlSpecParamPrim

ansCdlSubcktCallExtended

ansCdlHnlPrintInst

Netlist Customization Using netlistProcOpts

Blackbox Netlisting

Additional Customizations

Automatically Including a Partial Netlist File within the .SUBCKT Definition for the Top or Mid-Level Cells in your Design

Including a ROM-Insert Netlist Automatically Into the auCdl Netlist

PININFO for Power and Ground Pins

.PARAM Statement

Specifying Terminal Order for auCDL Netlisting in the Edit CDF Form

Specifying the Terminal Order for Terminals in .simrc

Rules followed to Print Terminal Order during Netlisting

Changing the Pin Order

Arranging the Terminal Ordering

Notification about Net Collision

Making a Stop Cell at Subcircuit Level

Printing Empty Subcircuits

Passing Parameter

Netlisting the Area of an npn

CDF Simulation Information for auCdl

Device CDF Values

Netlist Examples

What is Different in the 4.3 Release

Complete Example

B

Environment Variables

Simulation Environment

LBS Distributed Processing Environment

Simulator-Specific Environment Variables

Environment Variables for Distributed Processing

Environment Variables for Distributed Processing with LBS

additionalNetlistOptions

applySaveOptionsToNetlist

createStatisticalCornerType

enableMonteCarloOverStatisticalCorners

incrementalUpdate

iterationUpdates

minGroupSizeSplitAcrossIdleJobs

numberOfPointsToview

saveProcessOptionDefaultValue

saveMismatchOptionDefaultValue

saveSimulationData

autoConfigNameForConfigCreation

connectRulesList

constraintListForConfigCreation

defaultVsupForVAR

disableCompileVAAsVAMS

disableRunModeInDP

enableChangeSpectrePath

filesOnIrunCmdLineHDL

ipAddIpLabelAsPrefix

ipExportHDLFiles

libraryListForConfigCreation

maxNumSnapShots

saveAllSnapShots

snapShotBaseName

snapShotNameTimeUnit

snapShotSaveMode

stopListForConfigCreation

viewListForConfigCreation

ipPreserveEnvVars

ipEnableDutCell

ieUseUcmAsDefault

ams.netlisterOpts

ignoreUnsetDesVars

precisionDigits

asimenv.netlist

issueInfoMsgOnCellRename

doExactTermMatch

auCore.selection

alwaysFlattenNames

maestro.cpupdtr

maestro.distribute

showEnableRFReferenceFlowUI

maestro.explorer

confirmBeforeTestOrCornerDelete

nameDisplayWidthInDataView

resultsFilteringColumnsList

showFilterInDataView

useExpressionBuilder

usePlottingTemplate

yieldViewMaxOutputsShowExpanded

saveImplicitSignalsDuringRun

hideShowMultiProcess

showUnitsInResults

textColorForSpecFailInResults

textColorForSpecNearInResults

textColorForSpecPassInResults

showNativeRelxpertSwitch

showRedundantPointsinDT

defaultParametersAllowList

defaultParametersAssistantFilter

enableGroupByTagsForVars

enableGroupByTagsForCorners

disableInfoAnalysisOutputWhenUIDisabled

disableHighPerformanceSimulationEnableMS

hideStringResultsFailures

defaultParametersAllowList

showRemoveTmpADEDirButton

showMSOptionsInSpectreXTab

deleteUnusedProbes

disableHighPerformanceSimulationSpectreXOption

donotExpandNameForparam_file

showNoiseSummaryinTableWidget

maestro.license

maestro.plotting

distributedPlotEnabled

distributedPlotEnableCIW

distributedPlotJobPolicy

distributedPlotLoadCdsInit

distributedPlotLingerTime

distributedPlotPolicyNameFilter

distributedPlotEnableNonSupportedPlotWarning

quickPlotGlobalWriteDisable

dspfBindingSummary

dspfBindingToCell

mspsSkipMappingForExtractedViews

netlistSmartViewDSPFOnRecreateNetlist

supportDspfMasterOption

plotSensitivityDataInSeparateSubwindows

maestro.simulation

maestroViewEnvName

cancelRunAfterRetries

maestro.stimuli

maestro.stimuliTool

maestro.variables

AC Match Analysis Environment Variables

Spectre.emirOpts

autoLoadVfiFile

dynamicAnaSummaryBox

editSummaryInfoTable

hideAnalysesItems

solverMethodTable

spgsFilterMoscap

staticAnaSummaryBox

timeWindowListBox

Spectre.envlpOpts

Spectre.envOpts

lsuspEnvOverridesState

setTopLevelAsSubckt

enable_dcsweep_op_info

tranFilterExtreme

dynamicParameter

dynParamSetChoice

dynParamSetInput

spectreXAdvanced

spectreXMpOption

spectreXEnablePostLayout

spectreXAccuracyScale

spectreXMpThreads

spectreXMtOption

spectreXNumThreads

spectreXMTPOption

voltus_fi.results

Real Time Tuning Environment Variables

Environment Variables

C

Environment Variables for Spectre Simulator Options Form

Simulator Options - Main

checklimitskipinsts

generalnoiseinst

generalnoiseinstonoff

Simulator Options - Algorithm

Simulator Options - Component

nport_default_passivity

nportcompressfiledir

nportunusedportgmin

nportunusedportrmin

nportbbsversion

nportbbsfittedfiledir

Simulator Options - Check

checklimitskipfile

checklimitskipsubs

redefinedparams

Simulator Options - Annotation

maxnotestologfile

maxwarnstologfile

Simulator Options - Miscellaneous

ahdllint_maxwarn

D

Environment Variables for Spectre Analyses Options Form

additionalParams

additionalParams

spectre.outputs

saveBySubcktInstances

spectre.relxOpts

agingPointsType

checknegagingclamp

checknegagingtype

degCheckException

enableOutputDevDegInFile

enableSelfheating

gaAgePointsUnit

gaAgeStepTotalStep

mosAgeModelFilePath

mosAgingTimeUnit

mosCalcLifetime

mosMaskDevInclude

mosMaskDevInstance

mosOutputDevDegInFilePath

otherODDOptions

reportModelParamChanged

Environment Variables for Reliability Analysis

E

Migrating From ADE L to ADE Explorer

Migrating an ADE L Setup to ADE Explorer

Migrating ADE L Setup Using Load State Form

Migrating an ADE L State by Opening the Cellview in ADE Explorer

Migrating ADE L Setup Using SKILL

Highlights of ADE Explorer

Customizing Menus in ADE Explorer

Reusing Changes from the .menu File

Customizing Menus Using a Trigger in .cdsinit

F

ADE Explorer Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Zij show large values sometimes?

How to run more than 10 OCEAN sessions at once?

How to get the list of output signals and expressions set using SKILL?

How to read and load design variables from a text file to ADE L window?

Why does the RTT assistant not evaluate expressions if the output format is set to SST2?

Why do the schematic annotations not get updated automatically when a new simulation is run?

G

Cadence© Load Balancing Software (LBS) Distribution Method

Introduction to LBS Mode

System Administration of Distributed Jobs with LBS

Common LBS Setup Requirements

Additional Requirements

Setting up DRMS in LBS Distribution Method

System Requirements for cdsqmgr Setup

System Requirements for LSF Setup

System Requirements for SGE Setup

Validating the LBS Distributed Processing Setup

Submitting Simulation Jobs in LBS Distribution Method

Submitting Distributed Processing Jobs

Submitting Distributed Processing Jobs in OCEAN

Submitting Distributed Jobs in LBS using the Command Mode

Monitoring Distributed Jobs in LBS Method

Debugging an LBS Distributed Processing Setup

Debugging LBS with cdsqmgr

Debugging LBS with Third-Party DRMS

Troubleshooting FAQs

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