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ADI Design Tools — LTspice Export Reference

Analog Devices provides a suite of specialized design tools intended to accelerate your path to simulation. Use these tools upstream of LTspice to quickly explore component selection, evaluate performance trade-offs, and generate a starting schematic — then export directly to LTspice schematic files for full circuit verification.

Table of Contents

  1. Signal Chain Designer
  2. Analog Filter Wizard
  3. Analog Photodiode Wizard
  4. Precision ADC Driver Tool
  5. LTpowerCAD

Signal Chain Designer

URL: https://tools.analog.com/en/signalchaindesigner/

Signal Chain Designer is a web-based platform for building and simulating precision signal chains. It lets you assemble a chain of ADI precision components — amplifiers, ADCs, DACs, references, and other signal-path devices — evaluate system-level performance, and export a set of LTspice schematics for further verification.

Workflow

  1. Build — Select and connect ADI precision components (amplifiers, ADCs, DACs, voltage references, etc.) to form the signal chain.
  2. Simulate — Evaluate system-level performance metrics within the tool:
    • Transfer functions
    • Noise performance
    • Power consumption
    • Input/output ranges
    • DC errors
  3. Export — Export the complete signal chain to LTspice for full transient, AC, or noise simulation.

Exporting to LTspice

Download using the LTspice Simulation Files button within the tool. The export produces LTspice schematics containing the selected components with ADI SPICE models pre-wired according to the signal chain topology.

Schematic Simulation type Verification goal
AC .ac Frequency response / bandwidth
Noise .noise Noise analysis
Transient .tran Time-domain transient behavior

Notes

  • Signal Chain Designer is part of ADI’s Precision Studio suite.
  • The export is a .zip file containing multiple schematics — unzip it first, then open the schematic that matches your intended simulation type.
  • Component models in the exported schematic are ADI-supplied SPICE models; do not substitute generic op-amp models without verifying pin compatibility.

Analog Filter Wizard

URL: https://tools.analog.com/en/filterwizard/

The Analog Filter Wizard is a web-based tool for designing active filters using real ADI op-amp models. It walks you from ideal filter specifications through real-world circuit behavior, accounting for op-amp non-idealities, and exports a complete implementation to LTspice for further simulation.

Supported Filter Types

  • Low-pass
  • High-pass
  • Band-pass

Workflow

  1. Specify — Enter filter requirements: type (LP/HP/BP), frequency, and attenuation targets.
  2. Evaluate — The wizard shows how the design transitions from ideal theoretical response to real-world behavior driven by the selected op-amp’s characteristics.
  3. Analyze trade-offs — Examine the impact of op-amp specifications on filter performance:
    • Gain-bandwidth product
    • Output-referred noise
    • Input and output swing limitations
    • Quiescent supply current requirements
    • Frequency response plots
  4. Export — Export the complete filter schematic to LTspice for full simulation and verification.

Exporting to LTspice

Use the All Files or SPICE Only button on the Next Steps tab within the tool. The export produces a .zip file containing multiple LTspice schematics with the filter topology, component values, and real ADI op-amp models pre-wired. Open the schematic that matches your intended simulation type.

Schematic Simulation type Verification goal
AC .ac Frequency response
Noise .noise Noise analysis
Transient .tran Time-domain transient behavior

Notes

  • The export is a .zip file — unzip it before opening in LTspice.
  • The exported schematics are hierarchical: a top-level schematic references filter stage blocks. Double-click a stage block on the top-level schematic to navigate into it and inspect or modify the individual stage circuitry.
  • Op-amp models in the exported schematic are ADI-supplied SPICE models selected by the wizard; substituting a different op-amp requires verifying pin compatibility and updating the model reference.
  • Use an .ac simulation in LTspice to verify frequency response against the wizard’s predicted plots.
  • Use a .tran simulation to check time-domain behavior and slew-rate effects not captured in AC analysis.

Analog Photodiode Wizard

URL: https://tools.analog.com/en/photodiode/

The Analog Photodiode Wizard provides a structured workflow for designing transimpedance amplifier (TIA) circuits for photodiode interfaces. It lets you select a photodiode, configure TIA component values, evaluate key performance trade-offs through detailed plots, and export the complete circuit to LTspice for full simulation.

Workflow

  1. Select photodiode — Choose from the built-in device library, or enter custom parameters:
    • Photodiode capacitance
    • Shunt resistance
    • Peak current
  2. Evaluate — The wizard immediately computes key performance trade-offs:
    • Closed-loop bandwidth
    • Peaking (Q-factor)
    • ENOB (Effective Number of Bits)
    • SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio)
  3. Analyze — Review detailed plots to guide component selection:
    • Pulse response
    • Frequency response
    • Noise-gain characteristics
  4. Adjust — Modify TIA component values and observe updated plots in real time.
  5. Export — Export the complete TIA schematic to LTspice for comprehensive validation.

Exporting to LTspice

Use the All Files or SPICE Only button on the Next Steps tab within the tool. The export produces a .zip file containing three LTspice schematics, each configured for a specific simulation:

Schematic Simulation type Verification goal
Transient .tran Pulse response behavior
AC .ac Closed-loop bandwidth and peaking
Noise .noise Noise-gain characteristics

Notes

  • The export is a .zip file — unzip it before opening in LTspice.

Precision ADC Driver Tool

URL: https://tools.analog.com/en/adcdriver

The Precision ADC Driver Tool enables detailed simulation of precision ADC-and-driver signal chains. It evaluates architectural and component-level trade-offs using actual device parameters, helping designers identify potential issues with amplifier selection, ADC input-kickback settling, and distortion before moving to full SPICE simulation.

Workflow

  1. Select components — Choose the ADC and driver amplifier from ADI’s precision device portfolio.
  2. Evaluate trade-offs — The tool computes system-level performance metrics based on actual device parameters:
    • System-level noise
    • Harmonic distortion
    • Time-domain settling behavior at the ADC input
  3. Identify issues — Assess potential problems related to:
    • Amplifier selection
    • Input-kickback settling
    • Distortion mechanisms
  4. Export — Export the complete driver-ADC configuration to LTspice for further simulation and verification.

Exporting to LTspice

Use the Download LTspice Simulation button in the Next Steps tab within the tool. The export produces three LTspice schematics, each configured for a specific simulation:

Schematic Simulation type Verification goal
Kickback .tran ADC input-kickback settling behavior
Operating Range .tran Driver and ADC operating range
Noise .noise System-level noise

Notes

  • The export is a .zip file — unzip it before opening in LTspice.
  • Exported schematics use templated models for the ADC and amplifier to ensure all designs are immediately simulatable in LTspice.
  • Templated models can be replaced with the corresponding ADI macromodels available in the LTspice component library for higher-fidelity simulation with device-specific behavior.

LTpowerCAD

URL: https://www.analog.com/en/lp/ltpowercad.html

LTpowerCAD is a complete power supply design tool that guides users through the full regulator design process. It recommends component values and performance estimates specific to the application, displays real-time feedback loop and power stage results, and exports the completed design to LTspice for full time-domain simulation and verification.

LTpowerCAD includes LTpowerPlanner, a system-level power architecture design tool for planning complex power trees before diving into individual regulator designs.

LTpowerPlanner — System-Level Power Tree Planning

LTpowerPlanner is the starting point for multi-rail power system design. It operates at the architecture level, above individual regulator design:

  1. Build — Create an interactive block diagram defining voltage rails and load currents.
  2. Discover — Find pre-validated power-tree solutions from ADI’s portfolio.
  3. Compare — Evaluate alternative architectures side by side with real-time calculations.
  4. Refine — Select components and finalize the power tree before moving into LTpowerCAD for per-regulator design.

LTpowerCAD — Regulator Design Workflow

LTpowerCAD guides individual regulator design in five steps:

  1. Search — Specify supply requirements (input voltage, output voltage, output current); the tool suggests suitable ADI regulator ICs.
  2. Design — Configure component values; the tool provides recommendations and warnings for component selection.
  3. Analyze — Review real-time performance results:
    • Efficiency calculations
    • Feedback loop Bode plot (gain and phase margin)
    • Power stage performance
    • Transient response
  4. Summarize — Generate a detailed design summary.
  5. Export — Export the design to LTspice for full time-domain simulation.

Exporting to LTspice

Use the LTspice button on the schematic page within LTpowerCAD. The export produces a single .asc file that opens directly in LTspice, with the regulator model and surrounding components pre-wired.

Notes

  • LTpowerCAD is a Windows desktop application — download and install it from the URL above before use.
  • LTpowerPlanner is included in the LTpowerCAD installation; no separate download is required.
  • Use a .tran simulation in LTspice to verify time-domain switching behavior, output ripple, and transient load response.

See also: DEVICE-MODELS-GUIDE.md for working with ADI SPICE models in LTspice, SIMULATION-COMMANDS-REFERENCE.md for simulation command syntax

Documentation source: github.com/analogdevicesinc/ltspice-reference