Note: The course catalogues, the SGS Calendar, and ACORN list all graduate courses associated with ECE – please note that not all courses will be offered every year.
ECE532H1 Digital Systems Design
Prerequisite: ECE342H1 or ECE352H1.
Advanced digital systems design concepts including project planning, design flows, embedded processors, hardware/software interfacing and interactions, software drivers, embedded operating systems, memory interfaces, system-level timing analysis, clocking and clock domains. A significant design project is undertaken and implemented on an FPGA development board.
ECE1336H Semiconductor Physics
Prerequisites: ECE330H1 (Semiconductor Physics) or ECE350H1 (Physical Electronics).
A general course in solid state physics with specific emphasis on semiconductors; covers: crystal symmetry, crystal dynamics, dynamic properties of electrons in periodic lattice, elements of transport theory, excess carriers in semiconductors, semiconductor surfaces.
ECE1352H Analog Circuit Design I
Exclusion: ECE430H1.
A course on CMOS Analog integrated circuit design, highlighting major analog building blocks and circuit techniques, and design and test considerations. Topics include MOSFET device modeling, noise analysis, op amp design and compensation, common-mode feedback, and biasing Course credit is not available to students who have taken ELE1802H.
ECE1365H High Frequency Integrated Circuits
A design intensive overview of high-speed, RF, mm-wave monolithic, and silicon photonics integrated circuits for wireless, automotive radar sensors, and optical fiber systems with an emphasis on specific high-frequency circuit analysis and design methodologies, device-circuit topology interaction and optimization. Small-signal, noise, large-signal, high-frequency common-mode and differential-mode matching and stability, digital control of tuned circuits, methodologies for maximizing circuit bandwidth, high speed CML gate design, as well as layout and isolation techniques will be discussed. Students will participate in 6 take-home assignments on the analysis, modelling, schematic and layout design of mm-wave transistors, inductors, and circuits using advanced RF CMOS and SiGe BiCMOS technologies.
ECE1371H Advanced Topics in Analog Circuits
Prerequisites: ECE512H1 (Analog Integrated Systems) or equivalent and ECE1352H (Analog Circuit Design I).
The focus of this course is on delta-sigma ADC design, with one lecture devoted to pipeline ADCs and SAR ADCs. Delta-sigma topics include low-order and high-order modulator design, discrete-time realization with switched-capacitor circuits, plus CMOS implementation of comparator, amplifier and realization of delta-sigma ADCs are covered in the latter half of the course.
ECE1373H Digital Design for Systems-on-Chip
Prerequisites: Background in digital design using Verilog/VHDL.
An advanced digital hardware course dealing with the design of large digital systems implemented using FPGA and ASIC technologies. Topics include architecture design, design flows, HDL design, clocking and interfacing.
ECE1379H Introduction to Compound Semiconductor Devices
Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) electronics and optoelectronics have emerged as leading contenders for ultra-high-speed electronic and photonic applications. Course content includes: physical properties of GaAs; carrier transport in GaAs; electronic and optical characteristics; homojunction and heterojunction transistors, lasers, detectors; superlattice and quantum well devices, integrated circuits. Course credit is not available to students who have taken ELE1829H.
ECE1387H CAD for Digital Circuit Synthesis & Layout
Prerequisites: ECE451H1 (VLSI Systems) + programming experience or permission of instructor.
The approaches and algorithms for automatic synthesis, with a concentration on the back-end of the CAD flow. Topics covered will include: technology mapping, partitioning, placement, routing, timing analysis, and physical synthesis. The course will include experience with existing CAD tools and building new tools, and will pay special attention to synthesis issues as applied to Field-Programmable Gate Arrays. Course credit is not available to students who have taken ELE1837H.
ECE1388H VLSI Design Methodology
The course introduces a design methodology for very-large-scale-integration (VLSI) circuits using advanced computer-aided-design (CAD) tools. The focus is on learning Cadence integrated circuit (IC) design tools to implement the IC design flow. The methodology includes the steps of: custom digital circuit design, automated digital circuit synthesis, digital and mixed-signal circuit simulation, custom layout design, and automated layout generation. The course includes several projects using a 65nm CMOS process: (1) transistor characterization, (2) full custom digital circuit and layout design, (3) automated digital circuit synthesis and layout place-and-route, and (4) team-based design of a full IC employing the methodology learned in the course.
ECE1390H Selected Topics in Circuits and Systems: Wireless RF IC Design
This course addresses some of the most recent wireless transceiver circuit design techniques with particular emphasis on low-power applications.
Despite the course taking the majority of the examples from the area of low power applications several techniques and design strategies presented are also widely used for high data rate transceivers.
The course starts with an overview of the main tasks of a wireless transceiver. After that the metrics to characterize the different properties of the RF front-end are discussed. By following a top-down structure the course will discuss the frequency synthesizer architectures followed by the most established and promising transceivers architecture for low power applications.
In the second part of the course the main building blocks will be discussed: LNA, Mixers, PA, Oscillators and Filters and PLL implementations.
ECE1390H Selected Topics in Circuits and Systems: Integrated Circuits for Sensors and Biomedical Devices
We are living in a transformative era where novel sensors and biomedical devices are revolutionizing our lives. It is estimated that over one trillion sensors are being used today around the world, connecting us through a massive internet of things (IoT). Integrated circuits (ICs) play an essential role in interfacing with these devices to realize their functionalities and fulfill their potential. This course will introduce the design methodology for key IC blocks for sensors and biomedical devices. We will discuss topics including energy-efficient subthreshold circuits model and design, low-noise instrumentational circuits, dynamic noise and offset cancellation techniques, low-power data converters, and system integration. We will cover IC design examples, such as biopotential amplifiers, CMOS image sensors, brain-machine interfaces (BMIs), DNA and protein detectors, MEMS sensor and actuator interfaces.
Note: biology or photonic knowledge is not required for this course. Relevant background will be given prior to the discussion of interfacing circuit design.
ECE1392H Integrated Circuits for Digital Communications
Prerequisites: ECE530H1 (Analog Integrated Circuits) or ECE1352H (Analog Circuit Design I), ECE417H1 (Digital Communication), and ECE1388H (VLSI Design Methodology).
This course deals with integrated circuit implementations of digital communication. Topics include circuits for channel equalization (both at the transmitter and the receiver), clock and data recovery, coding and modulation schemes. Practical examples will be derived from wireline communication including chip-to-chip and backplane signaling.
ECE1394H Technical Management of Modern IC Design
Prerequisites: ECE1388H (VLSI Design Methodology).
This course provides an overview of the design process of a large design in modern integrated circuit at the 65nm, 45nm, and 28nm node (depending on the availability of the corresponding design kit). A custom dual-port SRAM block, which can be embedded into an FPGA or other integrated circuit, is used as a design example throughout the course. Via the SRAM example, this course will focus on (1) the required tasks to design a robust circuit in a modern CMOS process, and (2) aspects of leading analysis and die cost estimation, behavioural modeling, logic verification, mixed-signal simulation, and task management of large designs.
ECE1395H Power Semiconductor Devices & Applications
This course presents the electrical characteristics, thermal characteristics, packaging techniques and applications of state-of-the-art power semiconductor devices. In particular, the device structure and fabrication technology for power MOSFETs and IGBTs will be discussed extensively. The integration of these power devices to form Smart Power IC and HV CMOS technologies will also be introduced. An industrial standard Technology CAD tools from Crosslight Inc. (www.crosslight.com) will be used extensively to demonstrate the design, analysis, modelling and optimization of these power devices. Design projects targeting methods to achieve high breakdown voltage, low on-resistance, fast switching speed and high reliability/ruggedness will be carried out. In addition, the students will be also exposed to selection considerations for “off-the-shelf” devices that would meet the circuit or system level specifications.
ECE1396H Analog Signal Processing Circuits
Exclusions: ECE412H1, ECE512H1.
An overview of continuous-time and discrete-time signal processing techniques, and the analysis and design of the analog and mixed-signal circuit building blocks which are used to implement them in modern electronic systems. Topics covered are: (i) analysis, specification, simulation, and design of continuous-time filters with linear transconductors and op-amps, (ii) phase-domain model, noise model, and design methodology for low phase noise Phase Lock Loops and associated building blocks (VCO, phase-frequency detector, charge pump) (iii) Discrete-time signal analysis using z-transform, (iv) discrete-time filter design based on switched capacitors, and (v) fundamentals, specification, architectures, building blocks (comparator, THA) and characterization techniques for digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters. Cadence Analog Artist is used for lab assignments.
ECE1398H VLSI Technology
Prerequisites: ECE331H1 (Analog Electronics) or ECE334H1 (Digital Electronics); ECE335H1 (Introduction to Quantum Mechanics) or equivalent.
Exclusion: ECE437H1.
The course deals with the technology and design of analog, digital and RF integrated circuits, including exposure to computer aided IC design tools at the semiconductor process, device, and circuit layout level. Topics include: IC fabrication review, MOS IC Process Modules and Components; RF (Bi) CMOS IC Process Modules and Components; Compact Modelling, Characterization, and Design Automation; Bipolar/CMOS Digital, Analog, and RF IC Building Blocks; Packaging and Yield. The labs will expose students to the major steps in the development of a multi-purpose (Bi) CMOS process.