Electronic Systems and Devices

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Apply appropriate mathematical techniques to solve semiconductor problems
• Analyse simple circuits containing active elements such as bipolar transistors, FETs and Opamps and appreciate the practical limitations of such devices.
• Use knowledge of physics to understand the behaviour of semiconductor devices
• Apply appropriate laboratory techniques to measure semiconductor properties (Shared with ELEC1300)

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Appreciate the importance of linearising systems, and the use of linear models
• Use analytical approaches to model the behaviour of semiconductor devices
• Develop analytical approaches to understanding electronic systems and designing functional circuits
• Apply key network theory to allow the abstraction of problems

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Develop analytical approaches to understanding complex physical systems
• Understand the links between mathematical concepts and be able to apply them to a range of engineering problems.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The physical nature of and the source of charge carriers in semiconducting materials
• The construction of simple analog systems such as amplifier circuits and analog switches and the extension of these to complicated systems such as op-amps
• The operation of semiconductor devices.
• The interaction of fields, voltages and currents in semiconductor devices.

Electronic Systems BLOCK

Linear Circuit Analysis

• Mesh, modal and superposition analysis for circuits with voltage sources and resistors
• Matrix notation for mesh equations and solution of matrices including Gaussian elimination
• Analysis of circuits with both current and voltage sources
• Norton and Thevenin and source transformation, including with dependent sources
• The operational amplifier and bipolar transistors as applications of dependent sources
• Linear analysis with dependent sources
• Other useful network analysis including ladder networks and star/delta transform

Basic Amplifiers

• Large signal characteristics and models of FETS and Bipolar
• Basic single transistor amplifier circuits (FET and bipolar)
• FET only circuits (analog switch, MOS inverters as amplifiers, power MOSFETS)
• Small signal models of single transistor amplifiers
• Analysis of practical common emitter and common collector amplifiers

Operational Amplifier Circuits

• Linear op amp circuits: inverting/non-inverting amplifier, adder, subtractor, voltage follower
• Buffers, cascading
• Schmitt trigger, precision diode, relaxation oscillator
• Introduction to frequency dependence, integrators, differentiators (aspects of filters)
• Design of simple systems, triangle wave generator
• Introduction to practical limitations of op-amps (power supply, GBP)

Device BLOCK

SOLID STATE PHYSICS AND SEMICONDUCTORS

• Crystalline and microcrystalline materials, lattices, glasses
• Energy levels, bandgaps, electrons and holes
• Direct and indirect semiconductors (energy-momentum diagrams)
• Carrier concentrations, Fermi Levels and Density of States
• Fields and potentials
• Drift and diffusion currents

PN JUNCTIONS

• Band diagrams
• Poisson’s equation
• The Diode equation
• Junction and depletion capacitance

BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTORS

Teaching and learning methods

The content of this module is delivered through lectures, module website, directed reading and tutorials.

Students work on their understanding through a combination of independent study, preparation for timetabled activities, tutorials and problem classes, along with formative assessments in the form of coursework assignments.

Students work on their practical skills, professional skills and technical understanding in technical and assessed laboratories.

Resources & Reading list

Internet Resources

Introduction to Analog and Digital Communications - Simon Haykin, Michael Moher.

Textbooks

Price, T. E (1997). Analog Electronics - An Integrated PSpice Approach. Prentice Hall.

Dorf R C, Svoboda J A (2006). Introduction to Electric Circuits. Wiley.

I.Otung (2001). Communication Engineering Principles. Palgrave.

Assessment strategy

This module is assessed by a combination of coursework, assessed laboratories and a final assessment in the form of a written examination.

The Laboratory assessment which covers practical Learning Outcomes is assessed in the Laboratory Programme Module which includes in-semester opportunities for redeeming failure. These marks are carried forward to the Supplementary Assessment period or External Repeat.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External