ELEC ENG 2101 - Electronic Circuits

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2021

Principles, analysis and applications of diodes, bipolar junction transistors and field-effect transistors. Amplifier concepts (types, equivalent circuit, gain, frequency response etc). Review of op-amps and discussion of non-idealities. Introduction to active filters and resonant circuits. Introduction to soldering.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code ELEC ENG 2101
    Course Electronic Circuits
    Coordinating Unit School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 7 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites ELEC ENG 1100
    Incompatible ELEC ENG 2105
    Course Description Principles, analysis and applications of diodes, bipolar junction transistors and field-effect transistors. Amplifier concepts (types, equivalent circuit, gain, frequency response etc). Review of op-amps and discussion of non-idealities. Introduction to active filters and resonant circuits. Introduction to soldering.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Ali Pourmousavi Kani

    Part A: Circuit Analysis Lectures
    Name: Dr Ali Pourmousavi Kani
    Email: a.pourm@adelaide.edu.au  
    Room: Ingkarni Wardli 3.55

    Part B: Amplifiers, Diodes, Bipolar Transistors, Field-Effect Transistors
    Name: Assoc. Prof. Wen Soong
    Email: wen.soong@adelaide.edu.au 
    Room: Ingkarni Wardli 3.53

    Practical Coordinator
    Name: Dr Hong-Gunn Chew
    Email: honggunn.chew@adelaide.edu.au 
    Room: Ingkarni Wardli 3.52


    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

    This course consists of the following components:

    1. Lectures and Quizzes
    Three lectures a week starting in Week 1.
    Three quizzes will be held in the semester during the set timeslots. (Note, these are different to the lectures time slots)

    2. Tutorials
    One tutorial every week of the semester, starting in Week 2.

    3. Practicals
    Please consult the course timetable for the location and starting times of the practicals
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

     
    1 Apply systematic methods to the analysis of electric circuits in time and frequency domains
    2 Determine the frequency response of circuits with passive components
    3 Describe the physical principles, construction, characteristics, modelling and limitations of diodes, field-effect and bipolar junction transistors
    4 Analyse the performance of diode and transistor circuits and simple transistor amplifiers as discrete and integrated devices
    5 Model and analyse differential and simple amplifier circuits and describe the effect of non-idealities on their small signal, large signal and frequency response performance
    6 Use a circuit simulation package to model circuits with passive and active components such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, and transistors
    7 Construct and test simple amplifier circuits and measure their gain and frequency response

     
    The above course learning outcomes are aligned with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for the Professional Engineer.
    The course is designed to develop the following Elements of Competency: 1.1   1.2   1.3   1.4   1.5   2.1   2.2   2.3   2.4   3.1   3.2   3.4   3.5   3.6   

    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1,2,3,4,5,6,7
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1,3,4,5
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    6,7
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    6,7
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    A set of course notes, practice problems and other supporting materials will also be available for downloading from the course web site.
    Recommended Resources
    The following book is a suggested reference for the course:
    Adel S. Sedra and Kenneth C. Smith, “Microelectronic Circuits,” 6th Edition or higher (Oxford University Press).
    Online Learning
    Extensive use will be made of the MyUni web site for this course, https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/courses/23420.

    Course notes, tutorial problems and solutions, laboratory exercises and practice problems will all be available for downloading from the web site. Where the lecture theatre facilities permit, audio or video recordings of lectures will also be available for downloading.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course relies on lectures as the primary delivery mechanism for the material. Tutorials supplement the lectures by providing exercises and example problems to enhance the understanding obtained through lectures. Practicals are used to provide hands-on experience for students to reinforce the theoretical concepts encountered in lectures. Continuous assessment activities provide formative assessment opportunities for students to gauge their progress and understanding.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
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    Activity

    Contact Hours

    Workload Hours

    Lecture

    36 x Lecturer

    36

    36 x 2

    Tutorials

    6 x Tutorials

    6

    6 x 2

    Practicals

    Pre-amplifier design, implementation and testing (7 x 3 sessions)

    21

    21 x 2

    In-class tests

    3 x Tests

    3

    3 x 4

    Exam

    1 x Exam

    3

    3 x 5

    Total

    69

    153

     

    Learning Activities Summary

    Week

    Lecture

    (T, W, F)

    Topic

    Lecturer

    Tutorial

    Practical (EC)

    Practical (ECM)

    Week 1

    2-Mar

    1

    Introduction and course organisation

    Review of circuit principles

    APK

    APK 

     

     

    2

    Review of basic analysis methods (KCL, KVL)

    Systematic methods; nodal and mesh analysis

    APK

    3

    Superposition

    APK

    Week 2

    9-Mar

    4

    RC and RL circuits – time domain analysis

    APK

     

     

    5

    Steady state sinusoids and frequency domain analysis

    APK

    6

    Frequency response and Bode plots

    APK

    Week 3

    16-Mar

    7

    RLC networks – time domain

    APK

    APK 

     

     

    8

    RLC networks – frequency domain

    APK

    9

    Op Amps (review). Simple amplifiers.  Integrator and differentiator (time domain)

    APK

    Week 4

    23-Mar

    10

    Op amps – frequency domain analysis – HP and LP filters

    APK

    Op amps

    (Altium)

     

    11

    Op amps – frequency domain analysis – bandpass and bandstop filters.

    Higher order filters

    APK

    12

    Op amps – non ideal properties.

    APK

    Week 5

    30-Mar

    13

    Test 1 – Part 1

    WLS

    APK 

    Op amps

    (Altium)

     

    14

    Diodes – DC characteristics

    WLS

    15

    Diode Physics

    WLS

    Week 6

    6-Apr

    16

    Diode Application

    WLS

    WLS

    Op amps

    (Altium)

     

    17

    BJT structure

    WLS

    18

    BJT structure

    WLS

    Week 7

    27-Apr

     

    PUBLIC HOLIDAY TUESDAY

     

     

     

     

    Op amps

     

    19

    BJT circuit models

    WLS

    20

    BJT circuit models

    WLS

    Week 8

    4-May

    21

    BJT circuit models

    WLS

    WLS

    Op amps

     

     

    22

    Review Lecture

    WLS

    23

    MOSFET structure

    WLS

    Week 9

    11-May

    24

    Test 2 – Diode and BJT

    WLS

     

    Pre-amplifier

     

    Op amps

    (Altium)

    25

    MOSFET circuit models

    WLS

    26

    MOSFET circuit models

    WLS

    10

    18-May

    27

    MOSFET - Complementary Structures - Amplifier

    WLS

    WLS

    Pre-amplifier

    Op amps

    (Altium)

    28

    MOSFET - Complementary Structures - Amplifier

    WLS

    29

    BJT/MOSFET – Differential amplifier and current mirrors

    WLS

    Week 11

    25-May

    30

    BJT/MOSFET – Differential amplifier and current mirrors

    WLS

     

     

    Op amps

    31

    BJT/MOSFET – Differential amplifier and current mirrors

    WLS

    32

    Amplifier class and BJT output stage

    WLS

    Week 12

    1-Jun

    33

    Amplifier classes and BJT output stage

    WLS

    WLS

     

    Op amps

    34

    Review Lecture

    WLS

    35

    Test 3 – MOSFET & Diff amp

    WLS

    Week 13

    Swot Vac

    Revision

    APK/WLS

     

     

     

     

    Specific Course Requirements
    Students are required to have access to Altium software. This is available at various facilities such as the CATS suite or the undergraduate computer labs of the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering. It is the individual student’s responsibility to ensure his or her access to these facilities at appropriate times is available.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Weighting (%) Individual/ Group Formative/ Summative
    Due (week)*
    Hurdle criteria Learning outcomes
    Tutorials 10 Individual Formative Weeks 2-12 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
    Practicals 20 Group Formative Weeks 4-10 Min 40% 5. 6. 7.
    Tests 15 Individual Summative Weeks 4, 8, 11 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
    Examination 55 Individual Summative End of semester Min 40% 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
    Total 100
    * The specific due date for each assessment task will be available on MyUni.
     
    This assessment breakdown is registered as an exemption to the University's Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy. The exemption is related to the Procedures clause(s): 1. b. 3.   
     
    This course has a hurdle requirement. Meeting the specified hurdle criteria is a requirement for passing the course.


    Due to the current COVID-19 situation modified arrangements have been made to assessments to facilitate remote learning and teaching. Assessment details provided here reflect recent updates.

    Instead, of the invigilated exam requiring personal attendance, there will be an alternative assessment - without invigilation, administered through MyUni.
    Assessment Related Requirements
    The practical and the examination are hurdle requirements for this course. It is necessary to achieve at least 40% in both the practical and the exam. If this is not achieved, the total course mark will be limited to a maximum of 49.

    A hurdle requirement is defined by the University's Assessment for Coursework Programs policy as "...an assessment task mandating a minimum level of performance as a condition of passing the course.If a student fails to meet a hurdle requirement (normally no less than 40%),and is assigned a total mark for the course in the range of 45-49, then the student is entitled to an offer of additional assessment of some type. The type of assessment is to be decided by the School Assessment Review Committee when determining final results. The student’s final total mark will be entered at no more than 49% and the offer of an additional assessment will be specified eg. US01. Once the additional assessment has been completed, this mark will be included in the calculation of the total mark for the course and the better of the two results will apply. Note however that the maximum final result for a course in which a student has sat an additional assessment will be a “50 Pass”.

    If a student is unable to meet a hurdle requirement related to an assessment piece (may be throughout semester or at semester’s end) due to medical or compassionate circumstances beyond their control, then the student is entitled to an offer of replacement assessment of some type. An interim result of RP will be entered for the student, and the student will be notified of the offer of a replacement assessment. Once the replacement assessment has been completed, the result of that assessment will be included in the calculation of the total mark for the course.
    Assessment Detail

    No information currently available.

    Submission
    All written submissions to formative assessment activities are to be submitted to designated boxes within the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering by 3:00pm on the specified dated and must be accompanied by a signed cover sheet. Copies of blank cover sheets are available from the School office in Ingkarni Wardli 3.26. No late submissions will be accepted. All formative assessments will have a two week turn-around time for provision of feedback to students.

    Full details can be found on the School website:
    http://eleceng.adelaide.edu.au/current-students/undergraduate/
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

    The students liked:

            Practicals: lots of students found the pracs interesting and insightful
            Circuit Analysis Part: because it had more revision and easier to understand
            Electronics parts: covers lots of technologies that is used in nowadays devices

    Some students felt that:

            More relation to real-world application is needed: Because the course covers a number of device technologies, however how that related to real applications was not emphasised.
            Cover circuit analysis part before covering electronic devices: Some students, mainly mechatronics, felt disadvantaged versus EEE students. Though the EEE students have done more circuits material, it is likely that this is also associated with a lack of confidence in their own knowledge of electronics.
            Tutorial marking was eating into the available tutorial time, even though with simple marking that was taking a significant time, between 15-30 mins
            Better sync between tutorials and lectures as in some cases the time was too short to absorb the technical contents to attempt the questions

    School response to SELT Feedback
           Relevance to real-word application: This aspects will be further highlighted and made relevant to real-world problem during the course delivery.
           Circuit Analysis part: The course has been restructured to allow the circuit analysis part delivered before the electronics part. Hopefully there should be no different in technical background knowledge between mechatronics and EEE students as the current program structure deals with that.
           Tutorial marking: Two options are considered, one to ask for submission of attempts before the start of the tutorial and have that passed to the student the same or second day. Another options is to do online submission.
            Better sync between tutorials and lectures: This is an organisation problem and this is already considered when planning tutorial questions.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
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