cadence simualtion question

When I am using spectreS today, it keeps reporting error saying cannot find model file or cannot find model for instances. I spent 2 hours fighting with this thing and finally gave up. I saved the model files, modn.m modp.m cpoly.m etc. at different places but it doesn't make any differnece. I am exhausted. anybody knows what the problem is? Thanks a lot.

I think the problem is due to path setting....
it generally placed within ~/tech/~.....u also could check with the spectre window...from where u runs the simulation....go to the setup menu from menu bar...there u could find env setup...like temp etc....there u will find model file....u check whether the file name and path r ok.....

I am sure that ur "model path" is not correct,pls check ur "model path" carefully!

I checked and checked. I even typed pico /auto/.../modn.m to open the model file. Actually I have some simulation that's workable before with simulation states saved. The path of the model file hasn't been changed. The difference is the university updated the cadence to a newer version. The new version has an extra item of 'corners' on the model path dialogue menu. I don't know what it is though.

I am not sure about spectreS, but you should only have 2 names for the model (one for nmos, and one for pmos). Look at your model file, look for names after .model (that should be your model name). You can then specify the appropriate name in the properties of your instance (ie choose user defined model)

vista:
maybe you should check this:
first, use the absolute path instead of relative path
second, inspect the included file name and path in your model file
third, is your instances model name corresponding with your model? though it seems impossible to happens

INDEX:model path error waring problem cadence

vistapoint said:

I checked and checked. I even typed pico /auto/.../modn.m to open the model file. Actually I have some simulation that's workable before with simulation states saved. The path of the model file hasn't been changed. The difference is the university updated the cadence to a newer version. The new version has an extra item of 'corners' on the model path dialogue menu. I don't know what it is though.

Click to expand...

First,u edit .m type model file and save it in ur model directory.
Second, set absolute model path,not as "/auto/.../modn.m".The model path shouldn't include .m file name,only model path.
Third, "enviroment options" select "spetre" file syntax.
Run!!!

check if ur model file is spectre compatible ..

I did everything you mentioned here. The results are still the same. I have multiple model files,modn.m, modp.m, cpoly.m, and etc., provided by the foundary. And I used them before without problem. so they are spectreS compatible. I checked inside they do not have any 'include' files. I have been using the complete file path, and I tested the path by typing in pico /auto/.../modn.m to open the file without problem. (In cadence I didn't include the file name in the path)

In "enviroment options" , in the 'include/stimulus file syntax' I select "spetre" file syntax(prevously cdsSpice). Finally it still reports'... is an instance of undefined model'.

The instances are from the library also provided by foundary. The model name automatically associated with the instance and is unchangable. So it shouldn't be the problem.

huojinsi said:

vistapoint said:

I checked and checked. I even typed pico /auto/.../modn.m to open the model file. Actually I have some simulation that's workable before with simulation states saved. The path of the model file hasn't been changed. The difference is the university updated the cadence to a newer version. The new version has an extra item of 'corners' on the model path dialogue menu. I don't know what it is though.

Click to expand...

First,u edit .m type model file and save it in ur model directory.
Second, set absolute model path,not as "/auto/.../modn.m".The model path shouldn't include .m file name,only model path.
Third, "enviroment options" select "spetre" file syntax.
Run!!!

Click to expand...

Added after 13 minutes:

Here is the complete model file of modn.m. modp.m ... are similar. In the instances, it is always modn, modp and etc. not the name after .model


* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
************* XXX ******** MODEL PARAMETERS ***************************
* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
* Simulator : SpectreS
* Device : modn
* Model : subckt MOS BSIM3v3
* Revision : B.3; 2000-11-27
* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
* TYPICAL MEAN CONDITION
* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
* TNOM = 27 deg C
*
* Syntax: usem modn instance w l ad as pd ps nrd nrs
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
*
simulator lang=\spice
.subckt &1 d g s b
simulator lang=\spectre
m1 (d g s b) &1 w=&2 l=&3 ad=&4 as=&5 pd=&6 ps=&7 nrd=&8 nrs=&9
simulator lang=\spice
.model &1 bsim3v3 version=\3.1 type=\n capmod=2 &
&
mobmod=1 nqsmod=0 noimod=1 &
&
k1=8.522e-01 &
k2=-1.044e-02 k3=1.471e+01 k3b=-3.750e+00 &
nch=9.200e+16 vth0=7.768e-01 &
voff=-1.650e-01 dvt0=3.117e+00 dvt1=6.848e-01 &
dvt2=-1.660e-01 keta=2.386e-03 &
pscbe1=2.866e+08 pscbe2=7.890e-06 &
dvt0w=0.000e+00 dvt1w=0.000e+00 dvt2w=0.000e+00 &
&
ua=3.224e-10 ub=1.699e-18 uc=3.678e-11 &
u0=5.200e+02 &
&
dsub=5.000e-01 eta0=2.973e-02 etab=-3.570e-02 &
nfactor=5.593e-01 &
&
em=4.100e+07 pclm=1.640e+00 &
pdiblc1=4.490e-02 pdiblc2=2.810e-04 drout=5.000e-01 &
a0=7.879e-01 a1=0.000e+00 a2=1.000e+00 &
pvag=1.295e+00 vsat=9.883e+04 ags=1.110e-01 &
b0=1.452e-07 b1=0.000e+00 delta=1.500e-02 &
pdiblcb=0.000e+00 &
&
w0=1.763e-06 dlc=9.837e-08 &
dwc=1.101e-07 dwb=1.626e-08 dwg=0.000e+00 &
ll=0.000e+00 lw=0.000e+00 lwl=0.000e+00 &
lln=1.000e+00 lwn=1.000e+00 wl=0.000e+00 &
ww=-5.610e-15 wwl=0.000e+00 wln=1.000e+00 &
wwn=1.200e+00 &
&
at=3.300e+04 ute=-1.800e+00 &
kt1=-4.200e-01 kt2=-3.940e-02 kt1l=0.000e+00 &
ua1=0.000e+00 ub1=0.000e+00 uc1=0.000e+00 &
prt=1.810e+03 &
&
cgdo=3.400e-10 cgso=3.400e-10 cgbo=1.400e-10 &
cgdl=0.000e+00 cgsl=0.000e+00 ckappa=6.000e-01 &
cf=0.000e+00 elm=5.000e+00 &
xpart=1.000e+00 clc=1.000e-15 cle=6.000e-01 &
&
rdsw=1.311e+03 wr=1.000e+00 &
cdsc=6.673e-04 cdscb=2.693e-04 cdscd=0.000e+00 &
prwb=2.900e-02 prwg=0.000e+00 cit=3.623e-05 &
&
tox=1.700e-08 &
nlx=1.000e-10 &
xl=0.000e+00 xw=0.000e+00 &
&
alpha0=0.000e+00 beta0=2.840e+01 &
&
af=1.330e+00 kf=1.040e-26 ef=1.000e+00 &
noia=1.000e+20 noib=5.000e+04 noic=-1.40e-12 &
&
rd=0.0 rs=0.0 rsh=4.200e+01 &
minr=1.000e-03 &
rdc=0.0 rsc=0.0 &
lint=9.837e-08 wint=1.101e-07 &
ldif=0.0 hdif=1.250e-06 &
xj=3.000e-07 &
js=2.000e-05 jsw=0.000e+00 &
n=1.0 &
cj=4.500e-04 mj=4.100e-01 pb=8.100e-01 &
cjsw=5.500e-10 mjsw=2.500e-01 pbsw=8.100e-01 &
fc=0.0 fcsw=0.0 &
dskip=\no tlev=0 tlevc=0
.ends &1
* ----------------------------------------------------------------------

jliang said:

I am not sure about spectreS, but you should only have 2 names for the model (one for nmos, and one for pmos). Look at your model file, look for names after .model (that should be your model name). You can then specify the appropriate name in the properties of your instance (ie choose user defined model)

Click to expand...

Hi vistapoint:
1. For spectreS,one .m model file only have a model type parameter. For example,modn.m file only inludes the parameter of the same type nmos,not includes the parameter of pmos and the different type nmos.
2. The word name after .model is corresponding to ur .m model name. I have a correct bipolar sample model (beause i design bipolar circuit), the model file name is NPN1.m, and the model parameter is down:
" * model name NPN1.m
.model NPN1 NPN &
Level=1 &
IS=9.3258E-17 BF=112.6543 NF=1.0 VAF=338.8353 IKF=8.90E-03 &
ISE=2.9124E-17 NE=1.27 BR=0.0878 NR=1.0 VAR=16.8295 &
......
"
From ur model parameter,i cann't see the word name after .model is corresponding to ur .m model name. I am sure ur edited mode file isn't correct!
3. About others set,pls refer to my up post.

If you use 5.033, change environment setting Netlisting Mode="Analog"

There was a bug like this, when you type Analog without " ,simulator was stopping without finding model parameters.Check this first..

I am using 5.0.33. I added

setenv CDS_NETLISTING_MODE Analog

in my .cshrc but the problem persists. Actually the simulator pops up a notice saying it will set it to be "Analog" before I can proceed.

BigBoss said:

If you use 5.033, change environment setting Netlisting Mode="Analog"

There was a bug like this, when you type Analog without " ,simulator was stopping without finding model parameters.Check this first..

Click to expand...

Added after 5 minutes:

I understand '1'. I was just posting one example of the model file because the problems are the same for other components(pmos, resistor, and cap)

I don't know what I can do about '2'. The strange thing is it worked before and nobody changed the files. Any suggestion on what I can do? Or somebody can post a working spectreS model file? I just need a single component to see if the simulator can find it.

huojinsi said:

Hi vistapoint:
1. For spectreS,one .m model file only have a model type parameter. For example,modn.m file only inludes the parameter of the same type nmos,not includes the parameter of pmos and the different type nmos.
2. The word name after .model is corresponding to ur .m model name. I have a correct bipolar sample model (beause i design bipolar circuit), the model file name is NPN1.m, and the model parameter is down:
" * model name NPN1.m
.model NPN1 NPN &
Level=1 &
IS=9.3258E-17 BF=112.6543 NF=1.0 VAF=338.8353 IKF=8.90E-03 &
ISE=2.9124E-17 NE=1.27 BR=0.0878 NR=1.0 VAR=16.8295 &
......
"
From ur model parameter,i cann't see the word name after .model is corresponding to ur .m model name. I am sure ur edited mode file isn't correct!
3. About others set,pls refer to my up post.

Click to expand...

No any way! Pls contact Cadence Technology Supporter!

Please check also the "Section" parameter where you need to tell the simulator which process corner you want to use .. for example, ff (fast fast) ..

You can find the process corner name in your model file..