Title :
A Novel Analog Integrated Circuit Design Course Covering Design, Layout, and Resulting Chip Measurement
Author :
Lin, Wei-Liang ; Cheng, Wang-Chuan ; Wu, Chen-Hao ; Wu, Hai-Ming ; Wu, Chang-Yu ; Ho, Kuan-Hsuan ; Chan, Chueh-An
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Nat. Chung Hsing Univ., Taichung, Taiwan
fDate :
5/1/2010 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
This work describes a novel, first-year graduate-level analog integrated circuit (IC) design course. The course teaches students analog circuit design; an external manufacturer then produces their designs in three different silicon chips. The students, working in pairs, then test these chips to verify their success. All work is completed within one semester, and the grading cycle in the most recent offering of the course extended from September 2007 to February 2008, when there were 10 students enrolled. The manufacturer´s shuttle cycle is 3.5 months. Most students in the course have only a college-level electronics background. The manufacturing process is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company´s (TSMC) 0.35 ¿m CMOS Mixed-Signal 2P4M Polycide 3.3/5 V. The three successful chips consist of a voltage controlled oscillator, a high-performance differential amplifier, and a temperature-independent voltage reference generator. Section VI describes assessment and student feedback as well as proposed course improvement.
Keywords :
CMOS integrated circuits; analogue integrated circuits; differential amplifiers; educational courses; engineering education; integrated circuit layout; integrated circuit testing; reference circuits; voltage-controlled oscillators; CMOS mixed-signal 2P4M polycide; chip measurement; graduate level analog integrated circuit design course; high performance differential amplifier; integrated circuit layout; size 0.35 mum; temperature independent voltage reference generator; voltage 3.3 V; voltage 5 V; voltage controlled oscillator; Analog circuits; Analog integrated circuits; Circuit testing; Educational institutions; Integrated circuit measurements; Manufacturing processes; Semiconductor device manufacture; Semiconductor device measurement; Silicon; Voltage-controlled oscillators; Analog circuits; analog integrated circuits (IC); education; layout; measurement;
Journal_Title :
Education, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TE.2009.2015654