OVERVIEW

The applied electronics course is aimed at physicists with strong interests in experimental and applied physics.

The first part of the course provides the basics of "advanced" analog topics (transmission lines, electrical noise, and analog signal conditioning), while the second part is totally devoted to digital electronics both from a practical point of view (design of "embedded" digital systems using FPGAs and related design software) and from a conceptual point of view (digital signal processing).

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to study the physical principle, the main constructive aspects and applications of modern sensors and instruments. Students will acquire the ability to design models and use schematizations with full awareness of the limitations involved.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

To provide the essential elements for the use of electronics techniques and tools in scientific work and research. This should enable the student to acquire a good knowledge of analog and digital electronics, with ability to design passive and active networks for signal conditioning; familiarity in the use of interference reduction and signal extraction techniques from noise.

In addition, introduction to hardware description languages (Verilog) will enable understanding and development of relatively complex digital systems.

PREREQUISITES

General electronics concepts.

TEACHING METHODS

Classroom lectures with laboratory exercises and demonstrations.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Transmission lines:

distributed constants model of a transmission line, nondissipative line, characteristic impedance, concept of line termination.
TDR techniques, mention of network analysys techniques.
Mention of the description of linear systems through the S-matrix.

Stochastic processes:

Noise in electronic devices: signal-to-noise ratio, noise figure. Man-made noise: interference reduction techniques. Signal-to-noise extraction techniques, shaper filter, antialiasing, stack up. Application examples of signal extraction techniques from noise.

Signal conditioning:

Notes on the type of analog signal generated by sensors for application in physics. Preamplifier for time resolution and charge measurements, noise filtering in the band of interest, signal distortion minimization. Analog signal digitization techniques, single threshold comparators, double threshold, Constant Fraction Discriminator, Time Over Threshold. DAC and ADC converters, nonlinear effects, effective number of bits.

Introduction to digital signal processing.

Introduction to advanced digital technologies: FPGA programming using "hardware description language" (Verilog), "embedded" systems.

Laboratory experiments:

Impedance matching: standing waves on improperly terminated coaxial cable;

Use of analog simulator: Transmission line termination, analog signal conditioning.

Programming a development board with FPGA.

Proposal and development of laboratory papers on topics of signal acquisition from transducers and their conditioning for measurement of physical quantities

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

R.A. Chipman, Transmission lines, Schaum's Outline Series (or equivalent)

G. V. Pallottino, Il rumore elettrico, Springer

P.Ottonello, G.Vallini., Elettronica applicata, Jackson Milano, 1995.

T.R. Padmanabahn, B. Bala tripura Sundari, Design through Verilog HDL, Wiley Interscience

Lecture notes.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

25 September 2023

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Single or group written report  and subsequent oral discussion on project implemented in the lab, and oral on topics covered during the school year.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Evaluation of the written thesis and oral presentation.

The oral examination is always conducted by the teachers in charge and has a duration that usually varies between about 20 and about 40 minutes.  It is based on a predetermined number of questions (the same for all students) dealing with the examination program and allows the committee to judge, in addition to preparation, the degree to which the objectives of communication, autonomy, etc. have been achieved.
The thesis allows verification of the achievement of the following objectives: knowing how to apply knowledge, how to express and report on results obtained, how to independently process results, etc.

The final vote is determined by equally weighing the exposition of the thesis and the answers to questions on the course syllabus.