Learning objectives
The course aims at providing an in-depth understanding of:
1. operation of quasi-sinusoidal oscillators,
2. fundamentals of the analogue signal conditioning chain in electronic instruments,
3. noise analysis
4. continuous-time active filters
5. physical principles of sensors
6. models of transduction between different energy domains
Moreover, a student who successfully fulfills the course requirements, should be able to do the followings:
1. design quasi-sinusoidal oscillators, filters and signal conditioning circuits
2. design of sensor/transducer elements for physical measureands, their respective interface electronics and precision measurement techniques
Finally, thanks to lab practice, students should
1. demonstrate hardware and equipment skills:
1.1. Demonstrate the safe and proper use of basic laboratory equipment
1.2. Demonstrate proper techniques for debugging/troubleshooting an experimental setup
1.3. Design, build, and characterise a custom set of signal conditioning circuits and transducers to make engineering and/or scientific measurements
2. demonstrate experimental and analytical skills:
2.1. Demonstrate the design/planning and completion of safe experiments,
2.2. Demonstrate manipulation and presentation of experimentally-obtained data,
2.3. Analyze and compare the results of mathematical and computer modeling of an experiment with actual experimental results
3. demonstrate the beginnings of professional practice:
3.1. Effectively communicate in written form the design, completion, and analysis of experiments,
3.2. Effectively communicate by oral presentation the design, completion, and analysis of experiments
Prerequisites
Familiarity with analog circuit analysis (transistor models, small signal circuit analysis, frequency compensation, etc.), building blocks (amplifiers, mirrors, etc.) as taught in Elettronica 2.
Familiarity with electronic instruments.
Course unit content
To introduce students with the fundamentals of modern electronic instrumentation and sensor principles. 9 CFU will be dedicated to lessons and 3 CFU to a laboratory project.
Topics include:
1. electronic instruments
1.1. signal conditioning components such as
1.1.1. electronic amplifiers (voltage and current feedback amplifiers, transconductance amplifiers), isolating amplifiers, differential and instrumentation amplifiers, charge amplifiers
1.1.2. active filters
1.1.3. non-linear circuits (logarithmic amplifiers, multipliers)
1.1.4. sample&holds amplifiers
1.2. voltage reference
1.3. oscillators
1.4. electronic noise
2. sensors
2.1. sensors and actuators: introductions
2.1.1. lumped modeling, energy-conserving transducers, linear and non-linear system dynamics
2.2. Elasticity, stress and strain tensors, stiffness and compliance matrices. Elements of mechanical structures
2.3. Physical principles of sensing, modeling and applications
2.3.1. resistance (specific resistivity, temperature sensitivity in RTD and NTC, strain sensitivity and piezoresistance, moisture sensitivity), signal conditioning (bridges, linearisation)
2.3.2. capacitance
2.3.3. magnetism (Faraday’a law, Ampère law, induction), applications (fluxgate, search-coil, LVDT), conditioning (synchronous detection method applied to fluxgate sensor)
2.3.4. Hall effect and magnetoresistance
2.3.5. magnetostriction, applications (actuator and position sensor)
2.3.6. Thermal expansion, heat transfer, Seebeck and Peltier effects, thermocouples, pn junction sensors, hot-wire anenometer
2.3.7. piezoelectric effect, signal conditioning in practical sensor design (at low-frequency and resonance)
The lab project will be designed to provide students with an opportunity to consolidate their theoretical knowledge of electronics and sensors and to acquaint them with the art and practice of circuit and product design.
Projects include electric, magnetic and piezo sensors, electronic instrumentation such oscillators and signal-conditioning circuits. A specification or functional description will be provided, and the students will design the circuit, select all components, construct a breadboard or a PCB, and test. The objective will be functional, pragmatic, cost-effective designs.
Full programme
Lessons:
1. ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTATION (33 hours)
1.1. signal conditioning components such as: (Total: 16 hours)
1.1.1. voltage and current feedback and transconductance amplifiers (3 hours)
1.1.2. isolating, differential, instrumentation, and charge amplifiers (4 hours)
1.1.3. introduction to filters, active filters (6 hours)
1.1.4. non-linear circuits (logarithmic amplifiers, multipliers) (2 hours)
1.1.5. sample&holds amplifiers (1 hours)
1.2. voltage reference (1 hours)
1.3. sinusoidal oscillators (8 hours)
1.3.1 Positive feedback and Negative resistance oscillator concepts
1.3.2 Oscillator start-up requirement and transient
1.3.3 Amplitude limits, frequency control
1.3.5 RC, LC, crystal oscillators
1.4. electronic noise (8 hours)
1.4.1 noise analysis in passive circuits; diode, BJT and FET noise; 1/f noise;
1.4.2 two-port noise analysis, role of source resistance, equiv. input noise voltage
1.4.3 noise figure, total input noise for cascaded blocks
2. SENSORS (33 hours)
2.1. sensors and actuators: introductions, lumped modeling; (1 hours)
2.2. energy-conserving transducers, linear and non-linear system dynamics (6 hours)
2.3. Elasticity, stress and strain tensors, stiffness and compliance matrices. Elements of mechanical structures (4 hours)
2.4. Physical principles of sensing, modeling and applications
2.4.1. resistance (specific resistivity, temperature sensitivity in RTD and NTC, strain sensitivity and piezoresistive effect, moisture sensitivity), signal conditioning (bridges, linearisation) (4 hours)
2.4.2. capacitance (1 hours)
2.4.3. magnetism (Faraday’a law, Ampère law, induction), applications (fluxgate, search-coil, LVDT), conditioning (synchronous detection method applied to fluxgate sensor) (4 hours)
2.4.4. Hall effect and magnetoresistance (2 hours)
2.4.5. magnetostriction, applications to actuators and position sensors (1 hours)
2.4.6. thermal sensors (4 hours)
2.4.6.1. thermal expansion, heat transfer, Seebeck and Peltier effects
2.4.6.2 thermocouples,
2.4.6.3 pn junction sensors,
2.4.6.4 hot-wire anenometer
2.4.7. piezoelectric sensors (6 hours)
2.4.7.1 piezoelectric effect, modeling
2.4.7.2 signal conditioning in practical sensor design at low-frequency and at resonance
Laboratory: (4 x 11 hours)
The lab project will be designed to provide students with an opportunity to consolidate their theoretical knowledge of electronics and sensors and to acquaint them with the art and practice of circuit and product design.
Projects include electric, magnetic and piezo sensors, electronic instrumentation such oscillators and signal-conditioning circuits. A specification or functional description will be provided, and the students will design the circuit, select all components, construct a breadboard or a PCB, and test. The objective will be functional, pragmatic, cost-effective designs.
Bibliography
General purpose book:
A. S. Sedra, K. C. Smith, Circuiti per la microelettronica, EdiSES, 4a Ed. (sulla 6a in inglese), 2013
S. Franco, Design with operational amplifiers and analog integrated circuits, 3rd ed., McGrawHill, 2002 (ISBN: 0071207031)
S.D. Senturia, Microsystem Design, Springer, 2001,
(ISBN: 978-0-7923-7246-2) Cap.5-10
R. Pallas-Areny, J. G. Webster, Sensors and signal conditioning, 2nd ed., J. Wiley & Sons Inc., 2001 (ISBN: 0-471-33232-1)
J. Fraden, Handbook of modern sensors, Springer, 3a Ed.
Practical design techniques for sensor signal conditioning, Analog Devices, http://www.analog.com/
Oscillator design (only for academic year 2013-2014):
R. W. Rhea, Discrete oscillator design, Artech House, 2010, (ISBN: 978-1-60807-047-3)
Agilent technologies, Oscillator design guide, sept. 2004.
ADS manual.
Teaching methods
There will be 33 Lectures of 2 hours each and a number of homework assignments.
Moreover, there will be a laboratory assignment. The project will be developped during 11 weeks (4 consecutive hours per week)
More informations will be available at the beginning of the semester in the web page (lea.unipr.it)
Assessment methods and criteria
Grading:
Homework assignments: 3/16
Oral examination: 9/16
Oral presentation of the project, due before Christmas: 2/16
Report due to the end of January: 2/16
Other information
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