A project oriented undergraduate CMOS analog microelectronic system design course

Pedagogy This paper presents some of the techniques used at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth to introduce analog microelectronic system design to undergraduate electrical engineering students. The following paper discusses a wide range of assignments that attempt to address student’s varied learning styles. These assignments not only take the form of traditional homework, but also include computer aided design and layout projects, in-class group problem solving and laboratory measurements. A. Educational Benefits Many universities throughout the country currently offer undergraduate courses in digital microelectronic system design as either a technical elective or as a required course (often for a computer engineering specialization). in the senior year. An ideal follow-on course is the introduction to analog microelectronic system design. This two semester course sequence of digital and analog microelectronic system design provides several benefits. The first benefit is a reinforcement of MOSFET operation, especially the FET’s non-ideal and submicron operation. The analog design course can also start out at a higher level almost immediately since the basic integrated circuit fabrication process and FET operation topics have already been discussed in the digital course. An analog and digital microelectronic system design course sequence provides students a better understanding of the importance and utility of mixed-mode integrated circuit operation. Finally, a course in analog microelectronic system design reinforces general analog circuit concepts covered in traditional junior level electronics courses. Introduction Analog integrated circuit design is seeing a resurgence because of new mixed-signal environments such as sensor interface technology and communications and other wireless applications. Our electrical engineering students should be introduced to these technologies since new employment opportunities for high frequency and mixed signal designers are appearing each day, and the future looks bright for this trend to continue. Preparing undergraduate electrical engineering students to contribute to these new technologies, however, is not easy with the framework of most engineering curricula. Introduction of an analog design course requires careful thought to the pedagogy. This paper outlines the issues facing faculty introducing such a course at the undergraduate level. Among the issues discussed are course content as well as student centered learning techniques used at UMass Dartmouth to facilitate student understanding of analog integrated circuit design techniques. B. Educational Details An analog microelectronic system design course based on CMOS technology has been taught at the senior level at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for the last 5 years. During this time, the pedagogy has been evolving to try to encompass varied student learning styles. In addition to traditional classroom lectures and homework problems, a number of student centered learning techniques are used to aid in student understanding of the material. The students are provided an assortment of assignments for the term: homework, in-class student centered group problems, computer aided design, simulation and layout assignments and measurements on selected CMOS-based circuits. The topics covered in the course are typical of material found in popular texts by Allen and Holberg [1] or Johns and Martin [2]. loop, an important part of teaching engineering design.