Microelectronic Circuit Design Methodologies

General

  • Course Code: 1613
  • Semester: 6th
  • Course Type: Scientific Area (SA)
  • Course Category: Optional (OP)
  • Scientific Field: Electronics (EL)
  • Lectures: 4 hours/week
  • ECTS units: 6
  • Teching and exams language: Greek
  • Recommended prerequisite courses: (1504) Electronic Devices
  • Coordinator: Papakostas Dimitrios
  • Instructors: Intzes Ioannis

Educational goals

The aim of the course is to understand the manufacturing technology and design methodology of analog, digital and mixed integrated circuits as well as the general principles of their architecture and methods of testing their reliability. Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

  • Describes the key milestones of the historical overview of how integrated circuits are constructed and identifies and explains the processes applied and the current techniques used in integrated circuit technology.
  • Recognizes and distinguishes the methods and technology of manufacturing integrated resistors, capacitors, diodes, bipolar transistors BJT, MOSFET, CMOS.
  • Explains the operation and differentiates the design of basic stages of analogue integrated circuits such as power mirrors, differential amplifiers, effect amplifiers.
  • Explains the operation of basic stages of digital integrated circuits such as inverter, switch, key gates, complex combinatorial and sequential circuits.
  • Recognizes and evaluates the main methods of testing and quality control of analog and mixed ICs and examining and judging the main methods of testing digital ICs.
  • Recognizes and appreciates the basic features of integrated circuit analysis and masking software.
  • Know and use software tools for logical and physical design and simulation of integrated circuits and analyze, synthesize and design simple integrated layouts.
General Skills
  • Search, analyze and synthesize data and information, using the necessary technologies.
  • Decision making.
  • Independent work.
  • Teamwork.
  • Exercising criticism and self-criticism.
  • Promoting free, creative and inductive thinking.

Course Contents

Chronology. Crystal Growth Techniques. Microcircuit types. Manufacturing process: silicon purification, crystal growth, wafers cutting, molding, oxidation, photolithography, ion diffusion or implant insertion, plating, packaging.
Integrated resistors, capacitors, diodes, BJT, MOSFET, CMOS.
Proportional integrated circuits: power mirrors, differential amplifiers, effect amplifiers.
Digital integrated circuits: inverter, switch, key gates, complex combinatorial and sequential circuits.
Integrated Circuit Design Methodologies and Tools.
Reliability and quality control. Examination methods. Signal addition, detection and comparison. Boundary scan. Digital Circuit Control. Error models. Complexity of tests. Built-in self-test (BIST). Signature Analysis.
Layout analysis and design software.

Teaching Methods - Evaluation

Teaching Method
  • Face to face theoretical teaching.
  • Laboratory training in layout analysis and design software.
Use of ICT means
  • Power Point Presentations software.
  • Electronic communication with students.
Teaching Organization
Activity Semester workload
Lectures52
Writing and presenting compulsory work40
Individual study and analysis of literature60
Preparation for laboratory exercises and projects28
Total 180
Students evaluation

The course grades are derived from the final exam of the semester and from the work that students do and present. The course must be at least five (5).
The work deals with topics related to recent developments in microelectronics and is presented by students in groups of two (usually) individuals. It is based on recent and reliable bibliography and includes a text description of approximately 2000 words and a presentation file with approximately 25 slides. The presentation of the work (20΄-30΄ duration) takes place during the teaching hours and attendance is compulsory for all students.
Assessment criteria are accessible to students from the course web site.

Recommended Bibliography

Recommended Bibliography through "Eudoxus"
  1. Kang Sung - Mo (Steve), Leblebici Yusuf, "CMOS Digital Integrated Circuits Analysis & Design", McGraw-Hill Ed.
  2. P.R. Gray, P.J. Hurst, S.H. Lewis, R.G. Meyer, “Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits,”, John Wiley & Sons
Complementary greek bibliography
  1. Jaeger, Μικροηλεκτρονική, τόμοι Α, Β. Εκδ. Τζιόλα.
  2. Sedra - Smith, Μικροηλεκτρονικά κυκλώματα, τόμοι Α, Β. Εκδ. Παπασωτηρίου.
Complementary international bibliography
  1. R. Geiger, P. Allen, N. Strader: VLSI design for analog and digital circuits,
  2. K. Laker, W Sansen: Design of analog integrated circuits and systems
Scientific journals
  1. IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems
  2. IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits