MICROELECTRONICS

The Microelectronics course concerns the study of electronic circuits for the processing of analog and digital signal. In particular, the student will acquire techniques for the generation of sinusoidal signals and for the treatment of analog signals using conditioning circuits and active filters. Knowledge of power stages and main circuits for analog-digital conversion completes this first part of the course. In the second part, the course aims at introduce students to the design flow of microprocessor electronic systems and wants to give special importance to the technological aspects that characterize the realization of modern microprocessor systems. The course provides a strong practical component which consists in carrying out a number of laboratory exercises based on the use of appropriate tools for circuit simulation and synthesis.

Feedback: Elements of negative and positive feedback. The general structure of feedback. The four basic feedback topologies. Feedback amplifiers and their analysis. Examples of practical feedback electronics circuits.

Signal generation and waveform-shaping circuits: Basic principles of sinusoidal oscillators. Single transistor sinusoidal transistors. Bistable, monostable and astable multivibrators. Precision rectifiers. Logarithmic signal compression.

Operational amplifiers: applications. Active filters. Low-pass filter. High-pass filter. Bandpass filter. Switched-capacitors circuits: inverting and non inverting integrators. Switched capacitors filters. D/A converters: binary resistive network, R-2R resistive network. A/D converters: feedback, double ramp, flash.

Output stages: Class A output stage. Efficiency of the class A output stage. Class B output stage. Class AB output stage. Class AB output stage for Operational Amplifiers.

Ultimo aggiornamento: 09-10-2024

A. Sedra, K. C. Smith, “Circuiti per la Microelettronica”, Oxford University Press, New York (USA). Edizione Italiana a cura di Aldo Ferrari, distribuito da Edizioni Ingegneria 2000, Roma.

R. C. Jaeger, “Microelettronica”, ed. McGraw Hill Italia.

Lessons' notes and slides.

Ultimo aggiornamento: 09-10-2024

The Microelectronics course concerns the study of electronic circuits for the processing of analog and digital signal. In particular, the student will acquire techniques for the generation of sinusoidal signals and for the treatment of analog signals using conditioning circuits and active filters. Knowledge of power stages and main circuits for analog-digital conversion completes this first part of the course. In the second part, the course aims at introduce students to the design flow of microprocessor electronic systems and wants to give special importance to the technological aspects that characterize the realization of modern microprocessor systems. The course provides a strong practical component which consists in carrying out a number of laboratory exercises based on the use of appropriate tools for circuit simulation and synthesis.

Knowledge and understanding: after passing the exam, the student knows the fundamental principles of operation of analog and digital electronic circuits for signal processing. He knows the fundamental design methodologies for the modern digital systems. In particular, he knows the basis of the microprocessor based circuit design.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: after passing the exam, the student is able to analyze and design analog circuits for the generation and conditioning of signals. Also, he is able to analyze and design microprocessor circuits. Finally, he is able to analyze the behavior of analog and digital electronic circuits proposed in literature.

Autonomy of judgment: in order to pass the exam, the student must independently answer theoretical, analytical and design questions with free answer and is therefore led to develop independent judgment on the completeness, depth and correctness of the answers freely provided.

Communication skills: after passing the exam, the student is able to illustrate the theoretical and technical motivations underlying the properties of analog and digital fundamental circuits. In addition, he is able to illustrate the theoretical design issues of modern microprocessor systems by means of an appropriate and conscious language.

Learning skills: after passing the exam, the student is able to learn independently other basic characteristics of modern circuit electronics to apply in novel circuit configurations and/or microprocessor design.

Ultimo aggiornamento: 09-10-2024

Knowledge of the basic principles and circuits of analog and digital electronics. Knowledge of mixed analog/digital circuit simulators such as PSpice.

Ultimo aggiornamento: 09-10-2024

Lectures, computer exercises, electronics laboratory

Ultimo aggiornamento: 09-10-2024

Method of assessment and evaluation

The assessment examination consists of written and oral tests aimed at ascertaining the understanding of the theoretical and practical methods for the analysis and synthesis of analog and digital electronic circuits, maximum score 30/30 cum laude.

30 cum laude: complete, in-depth and critical knowledge of the topics, excellent language skills, complete and original interpretative ability, full ability to independently apply knowledge to solve the proposed problems;

28 - 30: complete and in-depth knowledge of the topics, excellent language properties, complete and effective interpretative skills, able to independently apply knowledge to solve the proposed problems;

24 - 27: knowledge of the topics with a good degree of command, good language skills, correct and safe interpretative skills, good ability to correctly apply most of the knowledge to solve the proposed problems;

20 - 23: adequate knowledge of the topics but limited mastery of them, satisfactory language skills, correct interpretative ability, more than sufficient ability to independently apply the knowledge to solve the proposed problems;

18 - 19: basic knowledge of the main topics, basic knowledge of technical language, sufficient interpretative ability, sufficient ability to apply the basic knowledge acquired;

<18 Insufficient: the student does not have an acceptable knowledge of the topics covered during the course.

Ultimo aggiornamento: 09-10-2024