| Category | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| HW | 4 |
| Exams | 5 |
| Labs | 5 |
This course is a sophomore/junior-level circuit analysis and design class. As the first elective in the sequence of coursework for students interested in integrated circuit (IC) design, it teaches the theory fundamentals of circuits in the context of ICs, and introduces students to the industry-standard tools and workflows in this field.
Building upon the fundamentals taught in 18-220, this class begins with a more mathematically rigorous study of MOSFETs and small signal circuit analysis techniques, before exploring the building blocks of ICs, such as amplifiers and logic gates. There is also an emphasis on the practical side of circuit design; the basis of IC layout are interspersed between the more theoretical topics covered in class, and labs focus on the use of Cadence Virtuoso, an industry-standard electronic design automation (EDA) software suite.
This class generally focuses on the analog side of circuit analysis and design. While the latter half of the syllabus covers digital circuits and logic design, such topics are taught through the lens of analog analysis; for example, properties of logic gates, such as propagation delay, are explained in terms of the underlying parasitic capacitances of MOSFETs.
Lectures in this class can be dense, and requires effort to fully grasp the material. The presentation of topics is somewhat mathematically rigorous, but should be accessible for all students with a basic grasp of algebra and calculus. Homework assignments are generally light, and exams focus on concepts rather than memorizing formulae or performing complex computation. Labs can be challenging at times, due to the learning curve involved with Cadence Virtuoso.
- Circuit Analysis
- MOSFETs
- Small Signal Analysis
- Single Transistor Amplifiers
- IC Layout and Silicon Implementation
- Digital Circuits
- Attend lectures. This is one of those classes where attending lectures and paying attention is a more effective and time-efficient way to learn the material, even for those who are confident of their ability to study it themselves
- While lectures are well taught and thoroughly explained, the slides and posted material may not be the most clear or comprehensive, so don't rely on skipping lectures and reading up
- Don't get confused with notation. Symbols and equations used in this class might be different from those found in textbooks or online; it seems that every source has their own set of symbols and styles
- Get good at small signal analysis. This might be one of the more confusing topics to students in 18-220, but is an essential concept for this class, and manageable once you are able to gain an intuition for it
- Focus on getting a deep, intuitive understanding of the concepts covered in class, and practice derivations. Don't get too bogged down with the equations; exams will generally ask for derivations, not the equations