Interfacing circuit simulation with optimization packages

Abstract

The most effective optimization tech- niques assume that the objective (and constraint) func- tions are differentiable, and their (at least) first derivatives are available. In the case of circuit simulation, even if the derivatives can be obtained analytically, the amount of calculations can be quite excessive, and then numerical approximation of gradient information can be the simplest and the most effective solution. The paper describes an interface between a nongradient circuit simulator and gradient optimization packages.