This page is continually reinventing itself and you should expect it to change.
Coverage: Electronics is the principal technology defining the art of Electrical and Computer Engineering. It is essentially (1) an exposition of devices for which current is not linear with voltage and (2) investment of these as components in circuit applications. Electronic components are as varied as their applications. They can range from items the size of a coffee can for the control of power grids and diesel locomotives, to components so tiny that several hundred can be comfortably fitted on the cross-section of a human hair, although we have not found any necessity to do so as of yet.
In contrast to linear components, which need only one parameter to describe their behavior, non-linear components need a set of parameters. And when they are used in a circuit network their mathematical models must be iterated in order to mimic the electrical behavior of the circuit. To the saving grace of the art of electronics, much of this mathematical grit can be bypassed by approximations, and that is the approach that we use as a user/designer of electronics.
Electronic devices are usually made of semiconductors by means of processes not unlike those inside a volcano. The ones that are coughed up are of two basic types: (1) 'diodes' and (2) 'transistors'. The physics that describe these components is fairly simple, provided you don’t get too interested. The mathematical models are non-linear and a simulation utility is in order to handle the more gritty analyses of circuits using diodes and transistors.
The SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) utility will be used as a means to achieve reasonable analysis of circuits. The simulator package of choice is pSPICE, and a good acquaintance with the pSPICE utility is essential to your command of the art of electronics If you are unsure of your skills or if you need to be refreshed, you should take a look at the tutorials linked to this site.
The operational aspects of this course are represented by the following documents. On the first day of class you will receive them as hardcopies, but they are otherwise accessible at the following links:
You should expect the roadmap to be adaptive. Changes, extra instructions, additions and deletions will be
passed to you via email and website links. So bookmark this site, maintain a good wireless and/or
ethernet connection, and keep an eye on your email.
Personal Communication
Devices
You would not bring a live communication device
into a board meeting and expect to keep your job. And you should not do so in this classroom either.
Mississippi
State University Honor Code
Be advised that much of the homework is in transition. Homework exercises from past editions of the course are not likely to be valid. If (incorrect) solutions from old homework exercises should appear, it will imply that the question of academic dishonesty will need to be revisited. Please do not jeopardize your career over something as stupid as an alphabetic certification letter.
Warning: Be concise. Excess detail is unwanted, and penalties add up
quickly. It is incumbent upon students to practice good report techniques
through the homework environment as much as in more formal situations.
Reset the background for pSPICE for screen capture of outputs from its default black background to a default white background for clearer display of results.
1. RLC tuned circuits and amplifiers
2. AM/FM modulation
If for some reason you are not confident with the pSPICE utility you would be advised to walk through the identified tutorials. They are slow and patient, and will help to get you started and into the more important aspects of pSPICE as needed for expert circuit simulations:
If you do not have a copy of the student version of pSPICE you may be able to find one at the ORCAD/Cadence (updated) site if it has not moved again. It should be a straightforward download and install. And if for some reason this copy is not friendly (sometimes also called 'improved') then we have an old reliable copy at pspice(olde) which may or may not run on the newer operating system platforms. It would most likely be advantageous to download the shiny new version, if you can sort out the menus.
1. Professor’s notes on RLC resonant circuits. Gives a mild summary and identifies the relationships between characteristic frequency f0, characteristic resistance R0, and the resonance response characteristics and damping effects.
2. Professor's notes on BJT circuit analysis. Extends and/or replaces the coverage given by the textbook and emphasizes fast rough methods of analysis (analysis by inspection). Needs update.
3. Professor's
notes on CMOS logic circuit analysis. Replaces the coverage given by the
textbook.
Epiphanies:
Analytical HW solutions Handwritten
Old quizzes No solutions are provided and don’t ask for any.
Past quizzes. Posted afterwards
2. Parts
kit
Note: Lab #1 uses
the parts carried over from ECE 1002. Find them, or repurchase at Radio shack
3. Workstation
4. Parameter
extraction using Excel
(Example: Experiment 2)
5. Parameter
extraction using Excel
(Example: Experiment 3)
Electronically submitted lab reports: (1) Go to ECE Home and click on ‘Intranet’. (2) Login under Intranet. Look under the ‘Tools/Service’ menu. Find an entry for ‘Lab report
submittal’. (3) Click on Lab
report submittal and follow the instructions. Submit as .pdf file
Rules of Engagement Housekeeping is essential and necessary for this lab to work efficiently and effectively. Everything needs to be ready and robust for the next user. This document identifies the rules and protocols for good housekeeping. It is also emplaced under transparent cover at each workstation.
Oscilloscope Learn about its assets and capabilities. Comprehensive knowledge and command is expected.
In CMOS exercises it will be necessary to install device parameters in the nMOS and pMOS templates in the circuit simulation (SPICE) utility. These are available through the MOSIS fabrication service, which is a friend of long-standing to the university community. The parameters consistent with the textbook approach to the MOS transistor are the level-2 SPICE parameters, (as represented by the MOSIS n71v process) also called the 'physical model' of the MOSFET. Since most of the present MOS technologies operate at feature sizes less than 0.5 um and are subject to second-order field effects, device models at the level-49 level are necessary.
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