ET4292 | Semiconductor Device Modeling and Characterization for Modern

Applications

| ECTS: 4

Responsible Instructor Dr.ir. R. van der Toorn ([email protected]) Contact Hours / Week

x/x/x/x 0/0/0/3 Exam Period 4, 5

Course Contents This course will start with an introduction of what the most advanced semiconductor IC technologies are about today. In terms of todays and upcoming applications, one can think of advanced RF applications, such as wireless communication, car radar or all-wheather landing radar systems. Other important trends have to do with reduction of power consumption. We shall orient ourselves on past, present and future of semiconductor technology and see how semiconductor industry is organized to deal with its challenges. We will discuss the central role of Computer Aided Design, device modelling and device characterization. We shall see how technical requirements are specified in terms of Figures of Merits (FoMs). Then we shall see in suitable detail what semiconcuctor technologies are used for advanced applications (Si CMOS, SiGe BiCMOS, III-V technologies). To achieve understanding of how modern advanced semiconductor devices function, we shall review the physical principles that they obey.

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In selected cases we shall thoroughly practise the reasoning, on basis of those physical principles, that is needed to get understanding of the working, possibilities and limitations of state-of-the-art active semicon- ductor devices. This will lead to an in-depth understanding of the concept of device models, such as are used for both computer aided device design or electronic circuit design. In practise, such understanding is needed, both at the level of development of new generations of devices and tech- nology and on the level of applying such devices and technology in circuit or system design.

Education Method Lectures Literature and Study

Materials

Hand-outs, Lecture Notes Assessment written examination

ET4293

| Digital IC Design

| ECTS: 4

Responsible Instructor Dr.ir. N.P. van der Meijs ([email protected]) Contact Hours / Week

x/x/x/x 0/0/4/0 Exam Period 3, 4 Expected prior

knowledge

Linear circuit theory. Digital circuits.

Course Contents This course will present a broad yet thorough overview of the subject of digital VLSI design, spanning both the circuit and the system abstractions. This complete picture is the only way to make the right tradeoffs, find the most suitable optimizations and the best implementation strategies for very large scale integrated circuits in deep-submicron technologies. After an introduction to technology, devices and interconnect, combinational logic gates and sequential elements are studied. This is followed by system level perspectives of implementation fabrics, interconnect issues, timing issues and the design of macro blocks. At each level, the opportu- nities and limitations of the physical implementation are considered for finding better solutions and tradeoffs. This includes the consequences of the analog behavior of digital systems with respect to e.g. cross-talk noise and signal waveforms, that generally tend to become more influential with each new technology generation.

Education Method Lectures and design assignment

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ET4294

| Microwave Circuit Design

| ECTS: 5

x/x/x/x 0/3/0/0 Exam Period 2, 3 Expected prior

knowledge

Passive Microwave Components (ET4280)

Course Contents The optimization of technology, devices and circuits for microwave appli- cations requires fundamental knowledge of RF design and high frequency device characterization. This is caused by the fact that surrounding circuitry and wiring parasitics will strongly affect the achievable perfor- mance of active devices. For this reason we will discuss in detail active device matching for optimum gain, noise, linearity and efficiency. Since realistic commercial LNAs, PAs, mixers, etc. compete on all of the require- ments above; focus will be placed on how the best overall performance can be achieved without trading-in other specifications. The outline of the course is as follows; we start with a short fresh up of the required network theory. Followed by a discussion of basic design techniques for matching networks using lumped (inductors, capacitors) and distributed elements (transmission lines). We proceed with the utilization of this knowledge in design of conventional (hybrid) microwave amplifiers under various constrains. Next we make the step to Integrated Circuits and discuss optimum device scaling and the changes in design philosophy when going from hybrid to on-chip RF / microwave design. During the lectures the use of CAD and Microwave measurement instruments are demonstrated. The lectures are accompanied by real-life wireless design problems (labs) which have to be solved using professional simulation tools like Agilent's Advanced Design System (ADS).

Education Method Lectures + homeworks Literature and Study

Materials

Hand-outs + recommended books Assessment Homeworks + written exam

Remarks More details are available on Blackboard, to participate this course, please enroll using Blackboard

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