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Programme & Unit Catalogues


EE50227: Sensors and instrumentation

[Page last updated: 04 August 2021]

Academic Year: 2021/2
Owning Department/School: Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: EX 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Examination (EX 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Description: Aims:
To provide a detailed understanding of the essential techniques for electronic sensors and interfaces.

Learning Outcomes:
After successfully completing this unit the student will be able to demonstrate:
A comprehensive understanding of the relevant scientific principles of sensors and instrumentation circuits.
An understanding of the concepts relevant to sensor circuit design and instrumentation and the ability to apply them critically and effectively.
A critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights of the principles in sensor circuit design and instrumentation.
A systematic, detailed and critical understanding of sensor and instrumentation components and circuits and their design, ranging from the well-established principles to new techniques.
Advanced level knowledge and understanding of a wide range of the practical technologies currently used in sensor and instrumentation circuits and devices.
Detailed knowledge of a number of practical technologies for sensor architectures and techniques.
The ability to design sensor interface electronic circuits.

Skills:
Numeracy: Analysis and design of analogue and mixed signal circuits (TFA).
Use IT to collect, analyse and present technical information; solve problems, communicate effectively and retrieve information (TFA).
Use appropriate professional simulation and design tools (TFA).
Employ a range of established and new techniques to review and critically analyse information concerning engineering problems, and to propose and implement solutions in a professional manner (TFA).

Content:
Sensors: electromagnetic coils, MEMS sensors, piezoelectric sensors, capacitive sensors (comb, plate).
Amplifier circuits: transimpedance, transconductance, impedance matching, bandwidth performance, compensation.
Data converters: Sigma Delta, Nyquist rate conversion, oversampling, delta modulators, quantization noise, noise shaping.
Filter Design: analogue, practical realization, circuits, digital.
Noise Analysis: flicker noise, thermal noise, quantization noise, analysis techniques.
Closed loop control: Sigma Delta, Phase locked loops.

Programme availability:

EE50227 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering

EE50227 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2021/22 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2022/23 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2021/22.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.