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Analog and mixed-signal IC design in a junior electronics course sequence

As MOS Integrated Circuits (ICs) have come to dominate analog and digital electronics, introductory electronics courses in ECE programs have evolved to place greater emphasis on MOS transistors and amplifiers. However, due to the perception that IC design is too esoteric, both lecture and laboratory coverage of this important topic are usually deferred to more advanced courses. Design experiences are instead limited to circuits using ACcoupled discrete components or operational amplifiers. This paper presents a new approach to teaching introductory electronics that incorporates the design and layout of MOS ICs. The coverage of topics in the two-semester sequence only needs minor changes from the traditional approach. Topics on the physics and design of bipolar devices are de-emphasized, but not eliminated. Similarly, we retain basic coverage of discrete-component design. We add coverage of IC processing and the design of basic analog and mixed-signal circuits at the transistor and layout levels. In the lab, students start with traditional exercises using operational amplifiers, discrete components, and circuit simulation. They next undertake IC-based projects that include the design and layout of basic logic gates and differential pairs. The lab concludes with a capstone project where students design, lay out, and simulate complex circuits based on material found in IEEE publications. These projects can be submitted to MOSIS for fabrication and evaluation in later courses. The resulting course sequence gives ECE students a better understanding of the relationship between MOS ICs and electronics. It also offers hands-on experience with circuit design at the chip level. The design and fabrication of student projects generates enthusiasm and motivates students' efforts to grasp underlying fundamentals and theory.