The course is intended to provide skills on the basics of electronic circuit and systems and electronic instrumentation. Fundamental concepts and
theory will be integrated by exercises and laboratory activity. At the end of the course the students will be able to analyze the functioning
principles of most common electronic devices, circuits and systems, and to operate basic electronic instrumentation.
Analog and digital signals, signal elaboration and the analog-to-digital conversion
process. Operating principles of electronic measuring instruments and analysis, also experimental, of the characteristics of basic
instrumentation. Semiconductor electronic devices, analog circuits and systems, digital combinatorial and sequential circuits, mixed-signal
circuits for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion. 1. Signals and signal elaboration Analog signals: time and frequency domain,
Fourier analysis, discrete and continuous spectra. Analog signal elaboration: linear and non-linear functions, amplifiers, filters. Digital
signals: fundamental characteristics and binary coding. Analog-to-digital conversion (A/D): sampling, aliasing, quantization, resolution and number
of bits. Digital signal elaboration: algorithms, memory storage. 2. Instrumentation Measuring techniques for static and dynamic electrical
quantities. General characteristics of electronic measurement instruments. Main metrological characteristics: sensitivity, resolution,
measurement accuracy and uncertainty, influencing quantities. General characteristics of sensors and transducers. Laboratory instrumentation:
multimeter, analog oscilloscope, digital oscilloscope, signal generator. 3. Devices Basic concepts on semiconductors. PN-junction diodes. Bipolar
transistors (BJT) and field-effect transistors (FET). 4. Analog circuit and systems Structure and characteristics of operational amplifiers (OA).
Feedback amplifiers. Linear applications of OAs: non-inverting, inverting, summing, differential amplifiers, configurations with impedances, filters
and oscillators. Brief notes on non-linear applications of OAs. Nonidealities of OAs. Comparators, example of on/off regulation circuit. Instrumentation amplifiers. Examples of measurement systems comprising sensors, signal conditioning, elaboration and output blocks. 5. Integrated circuit technology Overview on the fabrication technology of integrated circuits (IC): basic technological processes, manufacturing processes for MOS transistors and for passive components. Interconnections. The role of software in IC design. 6. Digital blocks and logic gates Binary coding and logic operators. Logic functions and logic gates. Ideal logic inverter. Noise margins. Static and dynamic power dissipation. Rise, fall and propagation times. Logic families. CMOS inverter and dynamic power dissipation. 7. Combinational circuits Combinatorial logic. Adder, subtractor, ALU. Parity check generator and
detector. Multiplexer and demultiplexer. Gates with 3-state output. Coders and decoders. ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM memories. 8.
Sequential circuits Sequential logic. Set-Reset bistable cell and applications. Timing and clock. Flip flop types: SR, JK, D, T. Flip flop
applications. Dividers. Shift registers (SIPO, PISO). Synchronous and asynchronous counters. RAM memories. Brief notes on programmable
logic devices, microcontrollers, microprocessors. 9. Analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and digital-to-analog converters (DAC) Counting ADC.
Tracking ADC. Successive approximation ADC. Flash ADC flash. Singleand double-ramp ADC. Binary weight DAC. R/2R DAC. Pulse width
modulation DAC.
1. Signals and signal elaboration Analog signals: time and frequency domain, Fourier analysis, discrete and continuous spectra. Analog signal
elaboration: linear and non-linear functions, amplifiers, filters. Digital signals: fundamental characteristics and binary coding. Analog-to-digital
conversion (A/D): sampling, aliasing, quantization, resolution and number of bits. Digital signal elaboration: algorithms, memory storage. 2.
Instrumentation Measuring techniques for static and dynamic electrical quantities. General characteristics of electronic measurement
instruments. Main metrological characteristics: sensitivity, resolution, measurement accuracy and uncertainty, influencing quantities. General
characteristics of sensors and transducers. Laboratory instrumentation: multimeter, analog oscilloscope, digital oscilloscope, signal generator. 3.
Devices Basic concepts on semiconductors. PN-junction diodes. Bipolar transistors (BJT) and field-effect transistors (FET). 4. Analog circuit and
systems Structure and characteristics of operational amplifiers (OA). Feedback amplifiers. Linear applications of OAs: non-inverting, inverting,
summing, differential amplifiers, configurations with impedances, filters and oscillators. Brief notes on non-linear applications of OAs.
Nonidealities of OAs. Comparators, example of on/off regulation circuit. Instrumentation amplifiers. Examples of measurement systems
comprising sensors, signal conditioning, elaboration and output blocks. 5. Integrated circuit technology Overview on the fabrication technology of
integrated circuits (IC): basic technological processes, manufacturing processes for MOS transistors and for passive components.
Interconnections. The role of software in IC design. 6. Digital blocks and logic gates Binary coding and logic operators. Logic functions and logic
gates. Ideal logic inverter. Noise margins. Static and dynamic power dissipation. Rise, fall and propagation times. Logic families. CMOS
inverter and dynamic power dissipation. 7. Combinational circuits Combinatorial logic. Adder, subtractor, ALU. Parity check generator and
detector. Multiplexer and demultiplexer. Gates with 3-state output. Coders and decoders. ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM memories. 8.
Sequential circuits Sequential logic. Set-Reset bistable cell and applications. Timing and clock. Flip flop types: SR, JK, D, T. Flip flop
applications. Dividers. Shift registers (SIPO, PISO). Synchronous and asynchronous counters. RAM memories. Brief notes on programmable
logic devices, microcontrollers, microprocessors. 9. Analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and digital-to-analog converters (DAC) Counting ADC.
Tracking ADC. Successive approximation ADC. Flash ADC flash. Singleand double-ramp ADC. Binary weight DAC. R/2R DAC. Pulse width
modulation DAC.
Lecture short-notes and support material prepared by the instructor and made available on line. Reference textbooks: - C. K. Alexander, M. N. O.
Sadiku, “Circuiti elettrici” 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill, 2008.
Lectures and training classes, complemented by practical laboratory
experiences.
Written test possibly complemented by an oral exam. The test is made of: - Seven multiple-choice questions (total points up to 21/30) - One
open question on theory (points up to 4/30) - One exercise (points up to 5/30).
Test passed for points of written test>21. Test failed for points of written test<18.
Oral exam for 18<=points of written test<=21.