A circuit simulator for simulating characteristics of a circuit including a multilayer capacitor, comprising a processor configured to perform a circuit analysis method that comprises:
- determining an equivalent circuit for the multilayer capacitor to be one of a first equivalent circuit and a second equivalent circuit, the first equivalent circuit including:
- a first parallel circuit connecting a capacitance (C1) and a resistance (Rc1);
- a first series circuit connecting the first parallel circuit in series with a capacitance (Cm);
- a second parallel circuit connecting a capacitance (Cp) in parallel with a resistance (Rp2);
- a second series circuit connecting a resistance (Rp1) in series with the second parallel circuit;
- a third parallel circuit connecting the first series circuit, the second series circuit, and a capacitance (C0) in parallel;
- a third series circuit connecting an inductance (L1) and a resistance (RL1) in series;
- and
- a fourth parallel circuit connecting an inductance (Lm) in parallel to the third series circuit,
- wherein the third parallel circuit, an inductance (Ls), the fourth parallel circuit, and a resistance (Rs) are connected in series,
- the second equivalent circuit including:
- a first parallel circuit connecting a resistance (Rc1) and a capacitance (C1) in parallel;
- a second parallel circuit connecting a capacitance (C2) and a resistance (Rc2) in parallel;
- a third parallel circuit connecting a capacitance (C3) and a resistance (Rc3) in parallel;
- a first series circuit connecting the first parallel circuit, the second parallel circuit, the third parallel circuit, and a mutual capacitance (Cm) in series;
- a fourth parallel circuit connecting a capacitance (Cp) in parallel with a resistance Rp2;
- a second series circuit connecting a resistance (Rp1) in series with the fourth parallel circuit;
- a fifth parallel circuit connecting the first series circuit, the second series circuit, and a capacitance (C0) in parallel;
- a third series circuit connecting an inductance (L1) and a resistance (RL1) in series;
- a fourth series circuit connecting an inductance (L2) and a resistance (RL2) in series;
- a fifth series circuit connecting an inductance (L3) and a resistance (RL3) in series;
- and
- a sixth parallel circuit connecting the third series circuit, the fourth series circuit, the fifth series circuit, and an inductance (Lm) in parallel,
- wherein the fifth parallel circuit, an inductance (Ls), the sixth parallel circuit, and a resistance (Rs) are connected in series;
- determining optimum circuit constants of the equivalent circuit using actually measured characteristics of the multilayer capacitor;
- and
- calculating frequency characteristics of the equivalent circuit in accordance with the determined optimum circuit constants for the equivalent circuit.