Electronics (ELEC) Courses
Note: The Departments of Electronics and Systems and Computer Engineering offer courses in: Biomedical and Electrical Engineering, Communications Engineering, Computer Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering and Engineering Physics.
Advanced Topics in Integrated Circuits and Devices
Topics vary from year to year.
Silicon Photonics
Fundamentals of silicon photonics, advanced electromagnetic theory, guided wave optics, interferometry, silicon-on- insulator (SOI) photonics, silicon based waveguide devices (planar, rib, strip), fabrication of photonic devices, passive and active silicon photonic devices such as modulators, lasers, detectors, silicon opto-electronic integration.
Renewable and Distributed Energy Resource Technologies
Topics covered include renewable energy resources, photovoltaic systems, wind generation systems, energy storage units, electric vehicles, grid integration, distributed generation, microgrid, active distribution network, modeling and analysis of power system components, state-of-the-art power system simulation tools.
Signal Integrity in High-Speed Designs: Modeling and Analysis
Crosstalk, distortion, ground bounce, skin effect. Interconnect modeling/simulation, packages, ground/power planes, Elmore delay, lossy-coupled, frequency-dependent transmission lines, telegraphers equations, extraction, measured parameters, macromodeling: passivity/causality, MoC/MRA, vector fit, model reduction, electromagnetic compatibility/interference, mixed-domain systems, concurrent analysis.
Introduction to Electronic Design Automation Algorithms and Techniques
Digital design process; overview of design automation tools/methodologies; theory of computational complexity; layout compaction; placement and partitioning; floorplanning; routing; digital simulation; switch-level simulation; logic synthesis; verification; analog and RF simulation.
Neural Networks for High-Speed/High-Frequency Circuit Design
Introduction to neural network methodologies for computer-aided design of high-speed/high-frequency circuits, including modeling of passive and active devices/circuits, and their applications in high-level design and optimization in wired and wireless electronic systems.
Advanced Linear and Nonlinear Circuit Theory and Applications
Graph theory, incidence matrices, cutset matrices, generalized KCL, topological formulation, state-space equations, Tellegen's theorem, state-transition matrix, multi-port representation, stability, passivity, causality, synthesis of passive circuits, active networks, nonlinear dynamic circuits.
Microwave and Millimeterwave Integrated Circuits
Design of communications electronics components with emphasis on GaAs MMIC implementation. Overview of MESFET, HEMT, HBT device modeling. Integrated lumped/ distributed passive element modeling. Broadband impedance matching. Design of direct-coupled amplifiers, distributed amplifiers, power devices and amplifiers, phase shifters, switches, attenuators, mixers, oscillators.
Passive Microwave Circuits
Characteristics of homogeneous and inhomogeneous transmission lines and waveguides. Planar transmission lines: stripline, microstrip, coplanar line, slotline. Coupled transmission lines. Modeling of discontinuities. Ferrite components. Microwave network analysis: s-parameters, CAD models. Design of impedance-matching networks, directional couplers, power splitters, filters. Applications in MICs and MMICs.
Analog Integrated Filters
The fundamentals and details of analog continuous-time and SAW filters. Comparison to switched-capacitor filters. Review of filter concepts, types of filters, approximations, transformations. Building blocks such as op amps, transconductance amplifiers, and gyrators. Design using cascaded second-order sections, multiple loop feedback and LC ladder simulations.
Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit Design
Integrated radio front-end component design. Overview of radio systems, frequency response, gain, noise, linearity, intermodulation, image rejection, impedance matching, stability, and power dissipation. Detailed design of low-noise amplifiers, mixers, oscillators and power amplifiers. Use of on-chip inductors and baluns. Process variations, parasitics, and packaging.
Analysis of High-Speed Electronic Packages and Interconnects
Introduction to modeling, simulation and optimization of high-speed VLSI packages; models for packages, interconnects and ground/power planes; lumped, distributed and EM models for interconnects; delay, crosstalk and switching noise; moment matching techniques; concurrent thermal/electrical analysis of IC packages and boards.
Simulation and Optimization of Electronic Circuits
Introduction to computer simulation and optimization of electrical circuits. Time- and frequency-domain formulations for sensitivity analysis and optimization. Optimization techniques for performance-, cost- and yield-driven design of electronic circuits. Optimization approaches to modeling and parameter extraction of active and passive elements.
Computer Methods for Analysis and Design of VLSI Circuits
Formulation of circuit equations. Sparse matrix techniques. Frequency and time-domain solutions. Relaxation techniques and timing analysis. Noise and distortion analysis. Transmission line effects. Interconnect analysis and crosstalk simulation. Numerical inversion techniques. Asymptotic waveform estimation. Mixed frequency/time domain techniques. Sensitivity analysis.
Integrated Circuit Technology
Survey of technology used in silicon VLSI integrated circuit fabrication. Crystal growth and crystal defects, oxidation, diffusion, ion implantation and annealing, gettering, CVD, etching, materials for metallization and contacting, and photolithography. Structures and fabrication techniques required for submicron MOSFETs. Applications in advanced CMOS processes.
Digital Integrated Circuit Testing
Production testing of digital integrated circuits. Outline of methods of testing used in production. Testing schemes and design for testability. Faults and fault models, yield estimates, testability measures, fault simulation, test generation methods, sequential testing, scan design, boundary scan, built-in self test, CMOS testing.
Microwave Semiconductor Devices and Applications
Theory of operation for microwave diodes (varactor, p-i-n, Gunn, IMPATT) and transistors (BJT, MESFET, HBT, HEMT). Small-signal, large-signal, and noise models for CAD. Diode oscillators and reflection amplifiers. Design of transistor oscillators and amplifiers. Discussion of technology/fabrication issues and MMIC applications.
Radar Systems
Fundamentals; range equation, minimum detectable signal, radar cross-section, pulse repetition frequency, range ambiguities. Radar classes: CW, FM-CW, MTI, tracking, air surveillance, SSR, PAR, MLS, SAR, SLAR, OTH, 3D and bistatic radars. Radar subsystems; transmitters, antennas, receivers, processors, displays, detection criteria; CFAR receivers, noise, clutter precipitation.
Optical Fibre Communications
Transmission characteristics of and design considerations for multi-mode and single-mode optical fibre waveguides; materials, structures, and device properties of laser light sources; properties and performance of p-i-n and avalanche photodiodes; types of optical fibre signal formats, preamplifier topologies, noise, receiver sensitivity, transmitter design, link design.
Phase-Locked Loops and Receiver Synchronizers
Phase-locked loops; components, fundamentals, stability, transient response, sinusoidal operation, noise performance, tracking, acquisition and optimization. Receiver synchronizers: carrier synchronizers including squaring loop, Costas loop, and remodulator for BPSK, QPSK BER performance; clock synchronizers including early-late gate, in-phase/midphase, and delay line multiplier.
Fundamentals of Antenna Engineering
Basic properties of antennas (gain, radiation patterns, polarization, antenna temperature). Analysis of common antennas (dipoles, loops, helices, aperture antennas, microstrip, dielectric resonator antennas, reflectors). Analysis and design of linear and planar arrays (array factors, beam scanning, amplitude weighting, feed networks).
Fourier Optics
The theory and applications of diffractive and non-diffractive coherent optics, with emphasis on holograms, tomography and high-speed optical computing. Mathematical basis: generalized 2-D Fourier transforms, transfer function of an optical system, 2-D sampling theory, Helmholtz equation, Green's theorem, and the classical diffraction theories.
Nonlinear Microwave Devices and Effects
The physical basis and mathematical modeling of a variety of microwave/millimeter-wave devices, (some of which exhibit the most extreme nonlinear behaviour known), how they can be exploited in practical circuits and systems, and how the resulting device/circuit interactions can be analyzed.
Fibre and Waveguide Components for Communications and Sensors
Optical wave propagation in dielectric waveguides. Theory and practice for passive photonic devices used for routing, filtering, and signal processing, including structural and biochemical sensors. Directional couplers and splitters, filters (gratings and etalons), Mach-Zehnder interferometers, Arrayed waveguide gratings, and dispersion compensators.
Principles of Photonics
Electromagnetic wave propagation in crystals; review of geometric optics; Gaussian beam propagation; optical fibres; dielectric waveguides for optical integrated circuits; optical resonators; optical properties of materials; theory of laser oscillation; specific laser systems; electro-optic modulators; photorefractive materials and applications; holography; optical interconnects.
Advanced Topics in Solid State Devices and IC Technology
Recent and advanced topics in semiconductor device physics, modeling, and integrated circuit fabrication technology. Topic varies from year to year according to departmental research interests. Students may be expected to contribute lectures or seminars on selected topics.
Advanced Topics in CAD
Recent and advanced topics in computer-aided techniques for the design of VLSI and telecommunications circuits. Topics will vary from year to year according to the departmental research interests. Students may be expected to contribute lectures or seminars on selected topics.
Advanced Topics in VLSI
Recent and advanced topics in the design of very large scale integrated circuits, with emphasis on mixed analog/digital circuits for telecommunications applications. Topic varies from year to year according to departmental research interests. Students may be expected to contribute lectures or seminars on selected topics.
Submicron CMOS and BiCMOS Circuits for Sampled Data Applications
The analog aspects of digital CMOS and BiCMOS circuit design in submicron technologies including reliability; sampled analog circuits, including amplifier non-ideal characteristics and switch charge injection; CMOS/BiCMOS amplifier design considerations, leading up to standard folded-cascode and two-stage circuits.
Microsensors and MEMS
Physical design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfabricated sensors and actuators. An overview of thin and thick film processes and micromachining techniques will provide fabrication background. Device design including piezoresistive, piezoelectric, electromagnetic, thermal, optical, and chemical sensors and actuators.
ASICs in Telecommunications
Introduction to modern ASIC technologies for Telecom. Review of circuit-level building blocks for typical wireline and wireless applications, including power/performance tradeoffs. Corresponding FPGA analog and digital IO circuits are discussed. A topical literature study and circuit level design exercises.
Advanced Topics in Electromagnetics
Recent and advanced topics in electro-magnetics, antennas, radar systems, microwave devices and circuits, or optoelectronics. The subject material will vary from year to year according to research interests in the department and/or expertise provided by visiting scholars or sessional lecturers.
Theory of Semiconductor Devices
Equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions in a semiconductor. Carrier transport theory. Physical theory of basic semiconductor device structures and aspects of design: PN junctions and bipolar transistors, field effect devices. Current transport relationships for transistors. Charge control theory. Modeling of device mechanisms. Performance limitations of transistors.
High-Speed and Low-Power VLSI
High-Speed and Low-Power CMOS VLSI circuit techniques. Low and high levels of abstraction; transistor, switch, logic-gate, module, system levels. State-of-the-art techniques to optimize the performance and energy consumption of a circuit. One or more of these techniques are used in a design project.
Surface-Controlled Semiconductor Devices
Fundamentals of the MOS system; MOS capacitors. Long channel behaviour: theory, limitations and performance of the SPICE level 1 and 2 models. Small geometry effects. Subthreshold operation and modeling. Hot electron effects and reliability.
Behavioural Synthesis of ICs
Various topics related to computer analysis and synthesis of VLSI circuits including: logic synthesis, finite state machine synthesis, design methodologies, design for reuse, testing, common VLSI functions, a review of Verilog.
VLSI Design
IC design course with strong emphasis on design methodology, to be followed by ELEC 5805 (ELG 6385) in the second term. Design philosophies considered will include Full Custom design, standard cells, gate-arrays and sea-of-gates using CMOS and BiCMOS technology. State-of-the-art computer-aided design tools are used.
VLSI Design Project
Using state-of-the-art CMOS and BiCMOS technologies, students will initiate their own design of an integrated circuit using tools in the CAD lab and submit it for fabrication where the design warrants.
Signal Processing Electronics
CCDs, transveral filters, recursive filters, switched capacitor filters, with particular emphasis on integration of analog signal processing techniques in monolithic MOS ICs. Detailed op amp design in CMOS technology. Implications of nonideal op amp behaviour in filter performance. Basic sampled data concepts.
Nonlinear Electronic Circuits
Introduction to non-linear circuits used in today's telecommunications ICs; CMOS non-linear circuits such as direct-RF-sampling mixers, phase-detectors; digital loop-filters, DCOs, frequency synthesizers and clock-and-data-recovery are introduced. Modeling of these non-linear circuits and existing options for simulations and closed form circuit analysis is presented.
Engineering Project I
A one-term course, carrying 0.5 credit, for students pursuing the course work M.Eng. program. An engineering study, analysis and/or design project under the supervision of a faculty member. Written and oral reports are required. This course may be repeated for credit.
Engineering Project II
A one-term course, carrying full-course credit, for students pursuing the course work or co-op M.Eng. program. An engineering study, analysis and/or design project under the supervision of a faculty member. Written and oral reports are required. This course may be repeated for credit.
Directed Studies
Various possibilities exist for pursuing directed studies on topics approved by a course supervisor, including the above listed course topics where they are not offered on a formal basis.
M.A.Sc. Thesis
Ph.D. Thesis
Summer session: some of the courses listed in this Calendar are offered during the summer. Hours and scheduling for summer session courses will differ significantly from those reported in the fall/winter Calendar. To determine the scheduling and hours for summer session classes, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca
Not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session and to determine the term of offering, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca