Automatic generation of optimization programs using an electrical simulator with an optimization package

In this paper we present the software layer hierarchy that encapsulates a commercially available electrical simulator with an optimization package, for the automatic generation of optimization programs for analog components of data conversion circuits. Given a set of specifications and an initial guess for the transistor geometries of the selected topology, the optimization program is automatically generated and run within the simulator to return the optimized values for the circuit variables. A simulation is performed with such values and the results compared against the desired set of specifications, triggering the repetition of the cycle if needed.