Acquired knowledge:

After taking this subject the students will know and understand:
• Main issues related to the stability of OpAmp–based feedback circuits and the fundamental approaches in dealing with them both within the OpAmp (frequency compensation of the OpAmp frequency characteristics) and external (eg. compensation circuitry for amplifiers driving large capacitive loads or for applications that place large capacitances at the OpAmp inputs)
• OpAmp parameters and limitations; root causes; modeling; main methods of reducing/compensating their effects
• Mode of operation, parameters and main applications of the Current–feedback OpAmp (CFB–OA); the differences between voltage and current–mode operation, as applied to traditional OpAmp and CFB–OA
• Main requirements and circuit solutions for instrument amplifiers
• Main specifications and parameters, standard circuit solutions (mode of operation, advantages and drawbacks) for several non–linear circuits — comparators, precision rectifiers, peak detectors, sample–and–hold
• Main types and circuit implementations of harmonic oscillators and signal generators
• Parameters and implementation methods of, and applications with, analog multipliers
• Operating principles, parameters and usual applications of the Phase–locked–loops (PLL)
• Noise modeling and analysis of its effects; main methods of reducing noise in electronic circuits; design of low-noise amplifiers

Acquired skills

After taking this subject the students will know how to:
• Analyse and design/size analog systems with general–purpose integrated circuits such as: traditional OpAmp, CFB–OA, instrument amplifiers, analog multipliers, PLLs
• Determine the effects of OpAmp non–idealities and design/size circuits for reducing/compensating these effects
• Choose the appropriate general–purpose integrated circuit for a given system/task
• Derive main specifications for an instrument amplifiers, based on general system requirements; design a circuit with an integrated IA and/or design an IA based on OpAmps or CFB–OAs
• Analyse and design systems with and circuits for non–linear applications such as: comparators, precision rectifiers, peak detectors, sample–and–hold
• Analyse and design systems with analog multipliers
• Analyse frequency synthesizers and FM demodulators implemented with integrated PLL circuits
• Analyse and design low–noise amplifiers

Acquired abilities:

After taking this subject the students will be able to:
• Measure main parameters of usual analog circuits and systems using standard laboratory equipment
• Analyse through simulations a large range of analog systems
• Design and implement analog systems with general-purpose ICs; test their operation and measure main parameters using standard analog lab equipment

Examination Data

The final mark is based on three elements:

1. Written examination consisting of questions on theory (1 hour) and problems on circuit analysis and design (2 hours)
2. Lab results
3. Homework

The final mark is computed using the following formula:

N=0.7*E + 0.2*L + 0.1*H

Important note: the minimum requirements for obtaining a passing mark are:

1. Attending all lab classes and obtain passing marks at the tests taken during these classes
2. Get at least half the points awarded for each of the three elements above