Course Catalogue

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This course integrates and consolidates students' knowledge of semiconductor physics and microelectronics devices, enhances understanding of mixed signal integrated circuits, and develops design skills through 4 comprehensive hands-on experiments using modern electronic design automation (EDA) software tools. It will enable students to apply electronics theory to practice by extracting circuits from a layout, designing a circuit unit, tuning its corresponding layout, and testing an op-amp circuit design.

Course will be delivered through experiments in laboratories at UESTC continuously in Semester 2.

Mandatory Entry Requirements

None

Recommended Entry Requirements

None

None

None

Assessment

Laboratory practical: 75% (4 experiments assessed on laboratory reports)

Design study essay: 25%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those contributing to Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some experimental or coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Due to the nature of the hands-on experimental coursework and the sequencing of the assessments, it is not possible to reassess the laboratory-based coursework.

This course aims to consolidate students' knowledge on microelectronic devices, enhance their understanding of integrated circuits, and develop their design skills through 4 comprehensive experiments using industry-standard EDA tools. It is also to improve the students' ability to think independently, analyse designs holistically and solve problems experimentally.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

■ Integrate knowledge of semiconductor physics, consolidate it on microelectronics and use their industry-standard EDA tools;

■ Enhance understanding of NMOS-IV characteristics, analyse mixed signal ICs, apply the knowledge to circuit sizing, and evaluate its outcome;

■ Create, and develop test skills for, a common-source amplifier, a two-stage CMOS operational amplifier, and its layout using EDA (including design rule checking and layout vs schematic tests).

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components of the course's summative assessment. In addition, students must submit the portfolio of material associated with the design study.

Students must attend at least 75% of the scheduled laboratory sessions.