After the installation process, the software is ready to be used. When the program is launched, the following startup screen is displayed.

From this screen, the following actions can be performed:

• Adjusting the program settings

• Reopening an existing schematic

• Starting a new project

In the context of this manual, a new project will be created. The figure below shows a blank schematic window, and now most of the other tools are available.

The figure above shows the available tools for creating and editing a schematic. The tools, from left to right, have the following functions:

• Wire tool: used to draw electrical connections between components.

• Ground tool: adds a ground symbol. Every circuit in LTspice needs at least one ground node to function properly. All the voltages in the circuit will be referenced to the ground.

• Voltage source component: places a voltage source (DC or AC) with the option to choose from a pulse/sine waveform.

• Resistor: adds a resistor component where resistance, tolerance, and power ration can be specified.

• Capacitor: adds a capacitance component where capacitance, voltage rating, current rating, equivalent resistance/inductance/capacitance can be specified.

• Inductor: adds an inductor component where inductance, peak current, series resistance and parallel resistance/capacitance can be specified.

• Diode: adds a diode where the average forward current and breakdown voltage can be specified. It is also possible to select other diode types from the library.

• Component library: this tool opens the component library where the all the components in the library can be selected, including switches, transistors, etc.

• Label Net:adds a net label, which names a wire so it can be referenced elsewhere in the circuit or for waveform plotting.

The figure below shows the visualization of some of the basic components mentioned earlier used in LTspice

To start and configure the analysis, the green triangle in the top left corner of the toolbar must be pressed. When pressed, below window will open to add the details for the simulation. For this example, an instant transient simulation with a duration of one second is configured. For the full explanation of the analysis configuration, consult the manual that was previously mentioned. After simulation, the measurement screen will appear, allowing to measure and plot various data.