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2020/2021

Integrated Heterogenous Systems Design

Code: 42838 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
4313797 Telecommunications Engineering OB 1 2
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Francesc Serra Graells
Email:
Francesc.Serra.Graells@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
english (eng)

Teachers

Raul Aragonés Ortiz

Prerequisites

In order to achieve the best understanding of syllabus contents, the following background is needed:

•    Signal processing
•    Circuit theory
•    Electronic devices
•    Analog CMOS circuits

Objectives and Contextualisation

The aim of this syllabus can be split into two goals:

•    Introduction to the design of A/D and D/A converters in CMOS technologies
•    Hands-on experience on the high-level description languages used for the simulation of these mixed integrated circuits.

Competences

  • Be capable of using programmable logic as well as designing advanced electronic systems, both analogue and digital.
  • Capacity for critical reasoning and thought as means for originality in the generation, development and/or application of ideas in a research or professional context.
  • Capacity for designing and manufacturing integrated circuits.
  • Capacity for working in interdisciplinary teams
  • Knowledge of the hardware description languages for highly complex circuits
  • Maintain proactive and dynamic activity for continual improvement
  • Students should know how to apply the knowledge they have acquired and their capacity for problem solving in new or little known fields within wider (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the area of study
  • Students should know how to communicate their conclusions, knowledge and final reasoning that they hold in front of specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously

Learning Outcomes

  1. Be capable of designing heterogeneous electronic systems
  2. Capacity for critical reasoning and thought as means for originality in the generation, development and/or application of ideas in a research or professional context.
  3. Capacity for working in interdisciplinary teams
  4. Design advanced electronic systems, both digital and analogue
  5. Design analogue and mixed integrated circuits
  6. Maintain proactive and dynamic activity for continual improvement
  7. Students should know how to apply the knowledge they have acquired and their capacity for problem solving in new or little known fields within wider (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the area of study
  8. Students should know how to communicate their conclusions, knowledge and final reasoning that they hold in front of specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously

Content

Chapter 1. Introduction to integrated heterogeneous systems
1.1. Evolution of CMOS technologies
1.2. Trends in analog and mixed IC design
1.3. A/D and D/A conversion principles
1.4. ADC and DAC figures of merit
1.5. Lab proposal: My Delta-Sigma ADC in 2.5um CMOS technology (CNM25)

Chapter 2. ADC architectures and CMOS circuits
2.1. ADC classification
2.2. Flash techniques
2.3. Sub-ranging, time-interleaving and pipelining techniques
2.4. Successive-approximation techniques
2.5. Integrating techniques
2.6. Delta-Sigma modulation techniques
2.7. Time-domain techniques

Chapter 3. DAC architectures and CMOS circuits
3.1. DAC classification
3.2. Flash techniques
3.3. Pulse-width modulation techniques
3.4. Delta-Sigma modulation techniques

Chapter 4. High-level description languages for mixed simulation
4.1. Matlab-like and Simulink
4.2. Verilog-AMS
4.3. VHDL-AMS
4.3. SystemC AMS
4.4. XSpice

(Seminar about CNM25 design kit)

Chapter 5. Delta-Sigma Modulators for ADC
5.1. Oversampling and noise shaping principles
5.2. Architecture selection based on quantization error
5.3. Switched-capacitor CMOS implementations
5.4. Modeling circuit second order effects
5.5. Digitally assisted techniques
5.6. Low-power circuit topologies

Chapter 6. Application to Low-Power Read-Out ICs for Smart Sensors
7.1. High-resolution SC Delta-Sigma ADC for space applications
7.2. Compact pixel integrating ADC for infrared and X-ray imagers
7.3. Potentiostatic CT Delta-Sigma ADC for electrochemical integrated sensors

 

Methodology

 

•    Directed activities: lectures, case studies and exercises, lab sessions and seminars
•    Supervised activities: tutorials
•    Non-supervised activities: study, lab pre-work

 

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Case studies and exercises 10 0.4 2, 1, 6, 7
Lab sessions 12 0.48 2, 3, 1, 6, 7
Lectures 23 0.92 1, 5, 4, 7
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 15 0.6 2, 5, 4, 6
Type: Autonomous      
Lab pre-work 10 0.4 2, 3, 5, 4, 6, 7
Study 68 2.72 2, 1, 5, 4, 6, 7

Assessment

Progressive evaluation of the overall mark is based on the following weights:

•    Two partial exams (25%+25%)
•    Lab report (40%)
•    Solved exercises (10%)

The above evaluation scheme is only applicable when marks for first and second items are greater or equal to 5/10.

If the combined mark for partial exams is less than 5/10, students can re-take a single exam (remedial exam) to recover that 50% of the overall mark.

Lab work (including sessions and report) is mandatory to pass evaluation and it can not be recovered. 

Finally, students will be considered as absent (i.e. "No Presentat") if they do not attend lab sessions OR they are not present at the required exams.

Any change on the above evaluation method will be communicated in advance.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Lab report 40% 4 0.16 2, 3, 1, 5, 4, 6, 7
Partial exam 1 25% 2 0.08 2, 1, 5, 4, 7, 8
Partial exam 2 25% 2 0.08 2, 1, 5, 4, 7, 8
Remedial exam (only when required) 50% 2 0.08 2, 1, 5, 4, 7
Solved exercises 10% 2 0.08 1, 5, 4, 7

Bibliography

Materials supplied during class sessions are almost self-explanatori. For a deeper understanding of both theoretical and practical contents, the following readings are recommended:

•    R. van de Plassche, CMOS Integrated Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog Converters, Kluwer Academic Publishers
•    R. Schreier and G. C. Temes, Understanding Delta-Sigma Data Converters, John Wiley & Sons
•    V. Peluso, M. Steyaert and W. Sansen, Design of Low-Voltage and Low-Power CMOS Delta-Sigma A/D Converters, Kluwer Academic Publishers
•    F. Medeiro, A. Pérez-Verdú and A. Rodríguez-Vázquez, Top-Down Design of High-Performance Sigma-Delta Modulators, Kluwer Academic Publishers
•    T. Tuma and A. Burmen, Circuit Simulation with SPICE OPUS: Theory and Practice, Modeling and Simulation Science, Engineering and Technology, Birkhäuser Boston
•    A. Hastings, The Art of Analog Layout, Pearson Prentice Hall