Electrical Linear Networks in Practice and Theory

Abstract

The ELN [1] formalism allows one to analyze/design electrical networks consisting of linear elements only (capacitor, inductor, resistor, current/voltage source, gyrator, nullor, controlled current/voltage sources, etc.). No nonlinear device, e.g., the simplest p-n junction diode, is supported, thereby limiting the utility of this framework. In a very rudimentary way, a bi-junction transistor (BJT) or metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) may be modeled as a switch. The ELN module structure is very similar to that of LSF—SystemC-AMS [1] built-in modules connected appropriately via channels. Moreover, like LSF, ELN modules need to interact with either TDF or pure SystemC modules to read in/out data. In the ELN examples examined subsequently, SystemC-AMS library module sca_eln::sca_node is used as the electrical terminal for each electrical device, rather than the sca_eln::sca_terminal. This is because the latter has to be bound to the sca_eln::sca_node in the final circuit, for correct simulation.