Unit information: Analogue Integrated Circuit Design in 2014/15

Unit name	Analogue Integrated Circuit Design
Unit code	EENGM6030
Credit points	10
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Warr
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	EENGM6011
School/department	School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Faculty	Faculty of Engineering

Description including Unit Aims

This unit aims to equip the students with appropriate knowledge for contemporary schematic entry-driven SPICE-verified analogue integrated circuit design. The unit focuses on the use of an industry-standard toolset for IC design affording the students relevant skills for practice. Teaching is carried out in a PC laboratory with continuous practical elements and learning exercises.

The EDA package used is currently Cadence Virtuoso. The principle and application is equally applicable to all contemporary platforms offering an analogue IC design flow. The underlying algorithms of simulation and the measurement techniques are generic.

The material starts with the design flow from concept to product and then addresses in detail schematic entry, design for manufacture, circuit simulation and Process/Voltage/Temperature variation.

Students taking this unit are expected to hold an electrical/electronics-based first degree.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

• Describe the contemporary mechanisms for managing the engineering of an analogue IC product.
• List the trade-offs in analogue IC design.
• Discuss common-differential signal mode interpretation/operation.
• Apply contemporary schematic-driven design for analogue integrated circuits.
• Employ multiple two-port devices, characterised by their terminal characteristics, in the realisation of an analogue functionality.
• Analyse various analogue circuits using SPICE analysis and evaluate sub-circuit performance against a specification.
• Recognise the imperfect nature of integrated circuit manufacture and apply the mechanisms to accommodate, model and overcome it.
• Recognise high and low impedance circuit nodes and inspect associated frequency domain characteristics, assessing their implication on the overall circuit functionality.
• Practice designing integrated circuit amplifiers, references and feedback control systems, assess their performance and formulate alterations to the circuit to meet a specification.

Teaching Information

Combination of lectures and laboratory sessions

Assessment Information

Design Practical(50%), An analogue system design to component level to satisfy a design specification and a set of justified student-generated operational parameters. Estimated effort 18-24 hours. Short timescale coursework activity (50%).An analogue circuit design to satisfy a design specification. Estimated effort 6-10 hours.

Reading and References

• Johns, David A; Martin, Ken., Analogue Integrated Circuit Design, Wiley.

• Allen, Phillip W; Holbert Douglas R., CMOS Analog Circuit Design, Oxford.