Graduate Calendar 2008-2009

Electronics

Mackenzie Building 5170
Telephone: 613-520-5754
Fax: 613-520-5708
E-mail: gradinfo@doe.carleton.ca

The Department

Chair of the Department: L. Roy
Associate Chair, Graduate Studies: B. Syrett

In addition to University and Graduate Faculty regulations, all Engineering departments share common procedures that are described in Section 18 of the General Regulations section of this Calendar.

The Department of Electronics offers programs of study and research leading to M.A.Sc., M.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering. These degrees are offered through the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Electrical and Computer Engineering (OCIECE), which is jointly administered by the Departments of Electronics and of Systems and Computer Engineering at Carleton University, and the School of Information Technology and Engineering (SITE) at the University of Ottawa. For further information, including admission and program requirements, see the Institute's section of this Calendar.

The Department of Electronics is concerned with the fields of applied and physical electronics. Effort is strongest in four broad areas: computer-aided design for electronic circuits; physics and fabrication technology for solid-state electronic and photonic devices; VLSI and high-speed analog integrated circuits; and microwave and photonic subsystems and circuits. Specific areas of specialization include:

Computer-Aided Circuit Design

Development of hierarchical simulators for mixed analog/digital circuits; analysis and design of switched-capacitor networks; analysis and design of high speed circuits; optimization techniques; synthesis of VLSI circuits using both algorithmic and knowledge-based approaches; analysis and simulations of communications systems links; layout synthesis and module generation.

Photonic Devices

Waveguides and holographic optical elements for optical interconnects; electro-optic modulators and switches; waveguides for sensing applications.

Solid State Devices

Fundamental semiconductor device physics; device design and novel device structures; device modeling for CAD; new fabrication processes; submicron and quantum effect devices; photovoltaics; semiconductor sensors and transducers.

Integrated Circuit Engineering

Design and development of linear and digital integrated circuits; fabrication processes and test techniques; MOS, bipolar and BiCMOS ICs; VLSI; computer-aided circuit design; MEMS.

Analog Signal Processing

Switched-capacitor filters, transversal filters, operational amplifiers and radio frequency functions in analog signal processing applications, particularly for integrated circuit realization.

Circuits

Active filters; linear and nonlinear circuit design; computer-aided circuit design; phase-locked circuits, carriers and clock synchronizers; mixers, modulators and demodulators.

Microwave Electronics

Microwave amplifiers, oscillators, modulators, frequency converters, phase-shifters; use of FET and bipolar transistors, Schottky barrier, varactor, step recovery and PIN diodes; design using finline, microstrip, stripline, coax, and waveguide; monolithic microwave ICs in GaAs; miniature hybrid microwave ICs. High-performance microwave packaging including low temperature co-fired ceramics.

Communications and Radar Electronics

Circuits for terrestrial and satellite communications; circuit implementation of digital modulation techniques; antenna and array design; communication channel characterization; optical communications circuits; radar transmitter and receiver design.

CITO

The Department is part of the CITO (Communications and Information Technology of Ontario) Centre of Excellence. Current research areas of the Centre with major participation from the Department are: integrated services digital networks, mobile and portable wireless networks, VLSI in communications, and millimetre wave/optical antennas and circuits for personal communications.

Micronet

The Department is a member, along with seven other Canadian universities and several major industrial organizations, of Micronet, the federally sponsored network on Microelectronic Devices, Circuits and Systems for ULSI (ultra-large scale integration). Within the Department, Micronet supports research on: device structures, modeling and fabrication processes for submicron CMOS and BiCMOS ICs; high-speed filters, phase detectors, A-to-D converters, frequency synthesizers and other circuit elements for silicon ICs operating at radio frequencies; analysis and optimization of interconnects for high-speed ICs; and automated generation of custom cells for VLSI design.

Course Offerings

The structure of the courses offered allows a well-integrated master's or Ph.D. program of study to be chosen that is appropriately related to the field of thesis research. Device- and integrated-circuit-oriented courses cover: fabrication, semiconductor device theory, semiconductor device design, integrated circuit design, and integrated circuit reliability. Circuit-oriented courses include: signal-processing electronics, microprocessor electronics, computer-aided circuit design, phase-locked circuits, filter circuits, RF and microwave circuits, antenna and array design. Systems-oriented courses cover: optical fibre communications and radar systems.

Microfabrication Facility

Housed in a Class 100 cleanroom, this laboratory offers a complete set of equipment for the fabrication of solid state devices and small-scale integrated circuits for research purposes. There is a strong emphasis on silicon devices and process technology, including MEMS and silicon photonics. Photomasks can be generated in-house. An e-beam direct-write system supports deep submicron lithography. Modern diffusion furnaces can grow industrial quality gate oxide. LPCVD of silicon nitride, glasses, and polysilicon is available. RIE and ECR plasma etchers can pattern deep submicron features. Magnetron and RF sputtering and e-beam and thermal evaporation are available for metal deposition. A rapid thermal annealer and a variety of diagnostic tools including a SEM, ellipsometer and thin film profilometer complete the equipment set. A well-equipped semiconductor device characterization laboratory complements the facility.

Computing and Circuit Design Facilities

The Department has excellent computing facilities for software development, circuit design and layout for integrated circuits and microwave circuits. IC designs using synthesis, standard cells and layout are supported for fabrication through the Canadian Microelectronics Corporation or in-house.

The graduate computer network consists of 70 SUN workstations and has access to the Internet. Industry standard software includes CADENCE, Mentor Graphics, SYNOPSYS, HSpice, SUPREM, Xilinx, MEDICI, Agilent ADS, Agilent Momentum, Agilent HFSS, MATLAB, MATHEMATICA, FRAMEMAKER, and others.

Measurement Facilities

Advanced instrumentation supports automated testing of both analog and digital integrated circuits at frequencies up to 20 GHz. Low noise test facilities include a phase noise measurement system, dynamic signal analyzers, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, arbitrary waveform generators, digital sampling oscilloscopes, digital data analyzers and generators, and RF frequency synthesizers, all of which may be controlled using the IEEE 488 interface.

The Department has up-to-date facilities for optical frequences, and circuit development and measurement including wafer probing at microwave frequencies ranging up to 40 GHz. Thin-film microwave integrated circuits can be fabricated in-house; there is provision for the fabrication of GaAs MMICs through foundry services. Special purpose microwave equipment includes automated network analyzers, spectrum analyzers and frequency synthesizers, and a complete microwave link analyzer. Data generators and error-detection equipment is available for work on digital communications. The Department also has an anechoic chamber with an automated measurement system for the characterization of antennas up to 20GHz. The research laboratories maintain extensive collaboration with government and industrial research and development agencies in the Ottawa area.

Graduate Courses

Only a selection of listed courses are offered in a particular academic year. All courses extend over one term and are worth 0.5 credit (3.0 credits at the University of Ottawa). Consult the Ottawa-Carleton Joint Institute for Electrical and Computer Engineering (OCIECE) website for course and timetable information at www.ociece.ca

ELEC 5200 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6320)

Advanced Topics in Integrated Circuits and Devices

Topics vary from year to year.

ELEC 5401 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6341)

Signal Integrity in High-Speed Designs: Modeling and Analysis

Crosstalk, distortion, ground bounce, skin effect. Interconnect modeling/simulation, packages, ground/power planes, Elmore delay, lossy-coupled, frequency-dependent transmission lines, telegraphers equations, extraction, measured parameters, macromodeling: passivity/causality, MoC/MRA, vector fit, model reduction, electromagnetic compatibility/interference, mixed-domain systems, concurrent analysis.
Precludes additional credit for this course previously offered as a Special Topics course ELEC 5704 (ELG 6374).

Prerequisite: permission of the Department.

ELEC 5402 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6342)

Computer Methodologies for Digital and RF Design

Digital design process: behavioral models, HDL languages, synthesis, design hierarchy. Simulation of digital circuits. Analog/RF Circuits: large-signal models, timing analysis and relaxation techniques. Iterative methods for solution of nonlinear differential equations. Power supply analysis, ground analysis. Simulation of mixer circuits, multi-tone circuits. Thermal analysis, self-heating.

Precludes additional credit for this course previously offered as a special topics course ELEC 5704Y (ELG 6374Y).

Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

ELEC 5404 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6344)

Neural Networks for

High-Speed/High-Frequency Circuit Design

Introduction to neural network methodologies for computer-aided design of high-speed/high-frequency circuits, including modeling of passive and active devices/circuits, and their applications in high-level design and optimization in wired and wireless electronic systems.

ELEC 5409 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6349)

Microwave and Millimeterwave Integrated Circuits

Design of communications electronics components with emphasis on GaAs MMIC implementation. Overview of MESFET, HEMT, HBT device modeling. Integrated lumped/ distributed passive element modeling. Broadband impedance matching. Design of direct-coupled amplifiers, distributed amplifiers, power devices and amplifiers, phase shifters, switches, attenuators, mixers, oscillators.

ELEC 5501 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6351)

Passive Microwave Circuits

Characteristics of homogeneous and inhomogeneous transmission lines and waveguides. Planar transmission lines: stripline, microstrip, coplanar line, slotline. Coupled transmission lines. Modeling of discontinuities. Ferrite components. Microwave network analysis: s-parameters, CAD models. Design of impedance-matching networks, directional couplers, power splitters, filters. Applications in MICs and MMICs.

ELEC 5502 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6352)

Analog Integrated Filters

The fundamentals and details of analog continuous-time and SAW filters. Comparison to switched-capacitor filters. Review of filter concepts, types of filters, approximations, transformations. Building blocks such as op amps, transconductance amplifiers, and gyrators. Design using cascaded second-order sections, multiple loop feedback and LC ladder simulations.

ELEC 5503 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6353)

Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit Design

Integrated radio front-end component design. Overview of radio systems, frequency response, gain, noise, linearity, intermodulation, image rejection, impedance matching, stability, and power dissipation. Detailed design of low-noise amplifiers, mixers, oscillators and power amplifiers. Use of on-chip inductors and baluns. Process variations, parasitics, and packaging.

ELEC 5504 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6354)

Analysis of High-Speed Electronic Packages and Interconnects

Introduction to modeling, simulation and optimization of high-speed VLSI packages; models for packages, interconnects and ground/power planes; lumped, distributed and EM models for interconnects; delay, crosstalk and switching noise; moment matching techniques; concurrent thermal/electrical analysis of IC packages and boards.

ELEC 5506 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6356)

Simulation and Optimization of Electronic Circuits

Introduction to computer simulation and optimization of electrical circuits. Time- and frequency-domain formulations for sensitivity analysis and optimization. Optimization techniques for performance-, cost- and yield-driven design of electronic circuits. Optimization approaches to modeling and parameter extraction of active and passive elements.

ELEC 5508 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6358)

Computer Methods for Analysis and Design of VLSI Circuits

Formulation of circuit equations. Sparse matrix techniques. Frequency and time-domain solutions. Relaxation techniques and timing analysis. Noise and distortion analysis. Transmission line effects. Interconnect analysis and crosstalk simulation. Numerical inversion techniques. Asymptotic waveform estimation. Mixed frequency/time domain techniques. Sensitivity analysis.

ELEC 5509 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6359)

Integrated Circuit Technology

Survey of technology used in silicon VLSI integrated circuit fabrication. Crystal growth and crystal defects, oxidation, diffusion, ion implantation and annealing, gettering, CVD, etching, materials for metallization and contacting, and photolithography. Structures and fabrication techniques required for submicron MOSFETs. Applications in advanced CMOS processes.

ELEC 5600 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6360)

Digital Integrated Circuit Testing

Production testing of digital integrated circuits. Outline of methods of testing used in production. Testing schemes and design for testability. Faults and fault models, yield estimates, testability measures, fault simulation, test generation methods, sequential testing, scan design, boundary scan, built-in self test, CMOS testing.

ELEC 5602 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6362)

Microwave Semiconductor Devices and Applications

Theory of operation for microwave diodes (varactor, p-i-n, Gunn, IMPATT) and transistors (BJT, MESFET, HBT, HEMT). Small-signal, large-signal, and noise models for CAD. Diode oscillators and reflection amplifiers. Design of transistor oscillators and amplifiers. Discussion of technology/fabrication issues and MMIC applications.

ELEC 5604 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6364)

Radar Systems

Fundamentals; range equation, minimum detectable signal, radar cross-section, pulse repetition frequency, range ambiguities. Radar classes: CW, FM-CW, MTI, tracking, air surveillance, SSR, PAR, MLS, SAR, SLAR, OTH, 3D and bistatic radars. Radar subsystems; transmitters, antennas, receivers, processors, displays, detection criteria; CFAR receivers, noise, clutter precipitation.

ELEC 5605 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6365)

Optical Fibre Communications

Transmission characteristics of and design considerations for multi-mode and single-mode optical fibre waveguides; materials, structures, and device properties of laser light sources; properties and performance of p-i-n and avalanche photodiodes; types of optical fibre signal formats, preamplifier topologies, noise, receiver sensitivity, transmitter design, link design.

ELEC 5606 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6366)

Phase-Locked Loops and Receiver Synchronizers

Phase-locked loops; components, fundamentals, stability, transient response, sinusoidal operation, noise performance, tracking, acquisition and optimization. Receiver synchronizers: carrier synchronizers including squaring loop, Costas loop, and remodulator for BPSK, QPSK BER performance; clock synchronizers including early-late gate, in-phase/midphase, and delay line multiplier.

ELEC 5607 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6367)

Antennas and Arrays

Design projects are interspersed with live and video lectures. Lectures cover definitions, wire structures, mutual coupling, method-of-moments, array theory, photonic devices, frequency independent structures, reflectors, horns, feeds, slotted waveguide and microstrip arrays. Design projects include a printed dipole, yagi and series-fed microstrip patch array.

ELEC 5608 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6368)

Fourier Optics

The theory and applications of diffractive and non-diffractive coherent optics, with emphasis on holograms, tomography and high-speed optical computing. Mathematical basis: generalized 2-D Fourier transforms, transfer function of an optical system, 2-D sampling theory, Helmholtz equation, Green's theorem, and the classical diffraction theories.

ELEC 5609 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6369)

Nonlinear Microwave Devices and Effects

The physical basis and mathematical modeling of a variety of microwave/millimeter-wave devices, (some of which exhibit the most extreme nonlinear behaviour known), how they can be exploited in practical circuits and systems, and how the resulting device/circuit interactions can be analyzed.

ELEC 5701 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6371)

Fibre and Waveguide Components for Communications and Sensors

Optical wave propagation in dielectric waveguides. Theory and practice for passive photonic devices used for routing, filtering, and signal processing, including structural and biochemical sensors. Directional couplers and splitters, filters (gratings and etalons), Mach-Zehnder interferometers, Arrayed waveguide gratings, and dispersion compensators.

Precludes additional credit for this course taken previously as a special topics course ELEC 5709W (ELG 6379W).

Prerequisites: ELEC 3909 or equivalent.

ELEC 5702 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6372)

Optical Electronics

Electromagnetic wave propagation in crystals; review of geometric optics; Gaussian beam propagation; optical fibres; dielectric waveguides for optical integrated circuits; optical resonators; optical properties of materials; theory of laser oscillation; specific laser systems; electro-optic modulators; photorefractive materials and applications; holography; optical interconnects.

ELEC 5703 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6373)

Advanced Topics in Solid State Devices and IC Technology

Recent and advanced topics in semiconductor device physics, modeling, and integrated circuit fabrication technology. Topic varies from year to year according to departmental research interests. Students may be expected to contribute lectures or seminars on selected topics.

ELEC 5704 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6374)

Advanced Topics in CAD

Recent and advanced topics in computer-aided techniques for the design of VLSI and telecommunications circuits. Topics will vary from year to year according to the departmental research interests. Students may be expected to contribute lectures or seminars on selected topics.

ELEC 5705 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6375)

Advanced Topics in VLSI

Recent and advanced topics in the design of very large scale integrated circuits, with emphasis on mixed analog/digital circuits for telecommunications applications. Topic varies from year to year according to departmental research interests. Students may be expected to contribute lectures or seminars on selected topics.

ELEC 5706 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6376)

Submicron CMOS and BiCMOS Circuits for Sampled Data Applications

The analog aspects of digital CMOS and BiCMOS circuit design in submicron technologies including reliability; sampled analog circuits, including amplifier non-ideal characteristics and switch charge injection; CMOS/BiCMOS amplifier design considerations, leading up to standard folded-cascode and two-stage circuits.

ELEC 5707 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6377)

Microsensors and MEMS

Physical design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfabricated sensors and actuators. An overview of thin and thick film processes and micromachining techniques will provide fabrication background. Device design including piezoresistive, piezoelectric, electromagnetic, thermal, optical, and chemical sensors and actuators.

ELEC 5708 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6378)

ASICs in Telecommunications

Introduction to modern ASIC technologies for Telecom. Review of circuit-level building blocks for typical wireline and wireless applications, including power/performance tradeoffs.  Corresponding FPGA analog and digital IO circuits are discussed.  A topical literature study and circuit level design exercises.

ELEC 5709 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6379)

Advanced Topics in Electromagnetics

Recent and advanced topics in electro-magnetics, antennas, radar systems, microwave devices and circuits, or optoelectronics. The subject material will vary from year to year according to research interests in the department and/or expertise provided by visiting scholars or sessional lecturers.

ELEC 5800 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6380)

Theory of Semiconductor Devices

Equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions in a semiconductor. Carrier transport theory. Physical theory of basic semiconductor device structures and aspects of design: PN junctions and bipolar transistors, field effect devices. Current transport relationships for transistors. Charge control theory. Modeling of device mechanisms. Performance limitations of transistors.

ELEC 5802 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6382)

Surface-Controlled Semiconductor Devices

Fundamentals of the MOS system; MOS capacitors. Long channel behaviour: theory, limitations and performance of the SPICE level 1 and 2 models. Small geometry effects. Subthreshold operation and modeling. Hot electron effects and reliability.

ELEC 5803 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6383)

Behavioural Synthesis of ICs

Various topics related to computer analysis and synthesis of VLSI circuits including: logic synthesis, finite state machine synthesis, design methodologies, design for reuse, testing, common VLSI functions, a review of Verilog.

Prerequisite: Some IC design knowledge such as given in ELEC 4708.

ELEC 5804 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6384)

VLSI Design

An IC design course with a strong emphasis on design methodology, to be followed by ELEC 5805 (ELG 6385). in the second term. The design philosophies considered will include Full Custom design, standard cells, gate-arrays and sea-of-gates using CMOS and BiCMOS technology. State-of-the-art computer-aided design tools are used.

ELEC 5805 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6385)

VLSI Design Project

Using state-of-the-art CMOS and BiCMOS technologies, students will initiate their own design of an integrated circuit using tools in the CAD lab and submit it for fabrication where the design warrants.

ELEC 5808 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6388)

Signal Processing Electronics

CCDs, transveral filters, recursive filters, switched capacitor filters, with particular emphasis on integration of analog signal processing techniques in monolithic MOS ICs. Detailed op amp design in CMOS technology. Implications of nonideal op amp behaviour in filter performance. Basic sampled data concepts.

ELEC 5809 [0.5 credit] (ELG 6389)

Nonlinear Electronic Circuits

Introduction to non-linear circuits used in today's telecommunications ICs; CMOS non-linear circuits such as direct-RF-sampling mixers, phase-detectors; digital loop-filters, DCOs, frequency synthesizers and clock-and-data-recovery are introduced. Modeling of these non-linear circuits and existing options for simulations and closed form circuit analysis is presented.

Precludes additional credit for this course taken previously as a special topics course ELEC 5705 (ELG 6375).

Prerequisite: permission of the Department.

ELEC 5900 [0.5 credit]

Engineering Project I

A one-term course, carrying 0.5 credit, for students pursuing the course work M.Eng. program. An engineering study, analysis and/or design project under the supervision of a faculty member. Written and oral reports are required. This course may be repeated for credit.

ELEC 5901 [1.0 credit]

Engineering Project II

A one-term course, carrying full-course credit, for students pursuing the course work or co-op M.Eng. program. An engineering study, analysis and/or design project under the supervision of a faculty member. Written and oral reports are required. This course may be repeated for credit.

ELEC 5906 [0.5 credit]

Directed Studies

Various possibilities exist for pursuing directed studies on topics approved by a course supervisor, including the above listed course topics where they are not offered on a formal basis.

ELEC 5909 [2.0 credits]

M.A.Sc. Thesis

ELEC 6909 [8.5 credits]

Ph.D. Thesis