Linear Technology has re-configured its free SPICE circuit simulation software to run on multi-core processors.
"Parallel processing has been a long-standing challenge for SPICE simulators," said the firm. "LTspice IV implements proprietary methods that parallelise tasks that would require as little as 5µs to run single-threaded."
It claims version IV's multi-threaded solvers speed up the simulation of medium to large-sized circuits by a factor of three on a quad core host.
Also included are assembly language sparse matrix solvers that "approach the theoretical flop limit of current floating point units", said Linear.
LTspice IV also includes integrated schematic capture and waveform viewing and ships with, but is not limited to, models of the company's Linear's switch-mode chips.
It is not artificially restricted by component or node count and can be used for general purpose work, said Linear.
