Simulation and verifcation software for superconducting electronic Circuits

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The dissertation presents simulation and veri cation software for both high- and low-level de-signs with emphasis on superconducting integrated circuits. A static timing analysis tool calledSuperSTA is introduced as a method of analysing high-level superconducting designs in termsof the longest delay from any input to any output. This method of analysis provides metricswith which a design can be scrutinized and judged based on prede ned criteria. A super-conducting circuit simulator, JoSIM, is also introduced as a modi ed nodal analysis transientsimulator which uses trapezoidal integration to solve a circuit netlist. A SPICE syntax circuitnetlist is analysed and a matrix constructed, whereafter the Ax = b linear algebra problem issolved using the KLU algorithm. JoSIM incorporates unique features such as a modi ed nodalphase analysis method, parametrization through expression parsing and alphanumeric nodenames. JoSIM includes a built-in graphical user interface for direct result veri cation. This isachieved using the cross-platform graphical library FLTK as well as Python's Matplotlib library.The design of the simulator and all the incorporated components are discussed in a step-by-stepmanner. JoSIM is compared to existing superconducting circuit simulators and judged in termsof accuracy and ability to simulate very large scale superconducting circuit designs. Results areinvestigated and recommendations for future improvements and optimizations to the simulator are discussed

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University