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EE40212: Advanced microelectronic system design

[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 1
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: Before taking this module you are advised to take EE30121
Description: Aims:
This course begins where Microelectronic Systems (EE30121) finishes in Y3. The aim is to take the mostly theoretical simulation-based material presented in that course and extend it into practical integrated circuit design. This would take the form of working towards a mixed signal circuit design, possibly (but not necessarily) an analogue-to-digital converter. This would bring together the analogue and digital skills learned in Y3 and would result in the fabrication and testing of a real chip that the students can keep at the end of the year.

Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to (i) have a detailed theoretical and practical knowledge of analogue and digital integrated circuit design, (ii) have a thorough knowledge and be able to use state-of-the-art software design tools(iii) use these skills to design, test and layout an integrated circuit design which can be submitted for fabrication.

Skills:
Students will develop their analogue design skills in particular the practical, industry-standard methods of design. In digital design the students will learn how to analyse and assess the potential performance of large scale systems including multiple processors.

Content:
Additional analogue circuit techniques including advanced current mirrors, voltage references, power amplifiers and precision current sources, behavioural modelling using methods such as VerilogA. Learning the use of the analogue layout design tool and its extension to mixed analogue/digital design is crucial to this course. Additional digital material will include multi-processor architectures, bus structures, high speed I/O and implementation of application-specific algorithms.

Programme availability:

EE40212 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
  • UEEE-AFM15 : MEng(Hons) Electronic Systems Engineering (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AKM15 : MEng(Hons) Electronic Systems Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 5)

EE40212 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
  • UEEE-AFM13 : MEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AKM13 : MEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 5)
  • UEEE-AFM01 : MEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AKM01 : MEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 5)
  • UEXX-AFM02 : MEng(Hons) Integrated Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (Year 4)
  • UEXX-AKM02 : MEng(Hons) Integrated Mechanical and Electrical Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 5)

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.