Overview
Multisim features a comprehensive suite of SPICE analyses for examining circuit behavior. These analyses range from the
basic to sophisticated. Each analysis helps you to obtain valuable information such as the effects of component tolerances an
sensitivities. For each analysis you need to set settings that will inform Multisim exactly what to analyze, and how.
Multisim simplifies the procedure for an advanced analysis by providing a configuration window. This abstracts away the
complexities associated with SPICE syntax and configuration of an analysis. With this window you merely need to specify the
parameter values and output nodes of interest.
This tutorial is part of the National Instruments SPICE Analysis Fundamentals Series.
(http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/12794) Each tutorial in this series provides you with step-by-step instructions on how
to configure and run the different SPICE analyses available in Multisim.powerful simulation and analysis while abstracting the
complexity of SPICE syntax.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Running DC Sweep Analysis
3. Additional Resources
1. Introduction
DC Sweep Analysis is used to calculate a circuits’ bias point over a range of values. This procedure allows you to simulate a
circuit many times, sweeping the DC values within a predetermined range. You can control the source values by choosing the
start and stop values and the increment for the DC range. The bias point of the circuit is calculated for each value of the
sweep.
Multisim performs DC Sweep Analysis using the following process:
1. The DC Operating Point is calculated using a specified start value.
2. The value from the source is incremented and another DC Operating Point is calculated.
3. The increment value is added again and the process continues until the stop value is reached.
4. The result is displayed on the Grapher View.
Assumptions: Capacitors are treated as open circuits, inductors as shorts. Only DC values for voltage and current sources
are used.
2. Running DC Sweep Analysis
In this section you will use two example circuits to learn how to configure DC Sweep Analysis.
Example 1:
1. Open circuit file zener.ms11 located in the Downloads section. This is a simple Zener regulator circuit where the diode
maintains a nearly constant output even though the current through it changes.
In this case, the 1N4462 component has a Zener voltage (VZ) of 7.5 V and a 5% tolerance. The minimum and maximum input
voltages that can be regulated by the Zener diode are 7.41 V and 26.41 V respectively. You will use DC Sweep Analysis to
study the behavior of the regulator circuit when the input voltage is varied from 0 V to 40 V.
Parameter Meaning
Change Filter Filters the variables displayed to include internal nodes (such as nodes inside a BJT mo
del or inside a SPICE subcircuit), open pins, as well as output variables from any sub-m
odules contained in the circuit.
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Note: In SPICE (http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/5414#toc1), the command that performs an DC Sweep Analysis has
the following form:
.DC <SOURCE_NAME> <START_VALUE> <STOP_VALUE> <INCREMENT>
Basically these are the same parameters that were defined in Table 1 but in Multisim you do not have to worry about the
SPICE syntax.
3. Configure the Analysis Parameters as shown in Figure 2.
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