SPICE is a general-purpose, open-source analog electronic circuit simulator. It stands for Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis. ngspice is a successor, and is easily installable on Linux. It’s the simulator I’ve used to explore the Skywater 130 PDK.

Here’s an example spice simulation file that I used to simulate the inverter I drew.

And here’s a nice demo of me showing how a flip-flop works by simulating a Sky130 D type flip flop with SPICE.

Course feedback

Huge thanks to Matt Venn for creating the phenomenal Zero to ASIC course and making chip design accessible to beginners like me. The course structure, step-by-step tutorials, and Matt's dedication to answering every doubt made this complex field understandable. Even more generous was the discounted course access and free tile opportunity!

Pathan Rehman Ahmed Khan (digital course)