Mixed Signal Design
ECE-40244
Master Mixed Signal Design: From Analog-to-Digital Converters to PLL Circuitry
As industries like wireless communications, digital audio, and System-on-Chip (SOC) design continue to grow, mastering Mixed Signal Design is critical for engineers. This course focuses on integrating digital circuits with analog circuits, from phase-locked loops (PLL) to analog-to-digital converters (A/D) and digital-to-analog converters (D/A). You will explore real-world applications where digital logic meets the physical world through mixed signal processing. Learn about the challenges and requirements that come with high-performance mixed signal systems, and gain the expertise needed to design, analyze, and optimize circuits that balance the analog and digital domains.
Course Highlights
- Explore different types of Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog Converters: Understand design details, benefits, and limitations of each type.
- Phase Locked Loops (PLL) Design: Dive into PLLs, learning their design and use in communication systems.
- Learn about Nyquist-rate Converters, Oversampling, Noise-shaping, and Delta-Sigma Modulators.
- Hands-on design experience with reconstruction filters, anti-alias filters, and track-and-hold circuits.
Course Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will
- Gain the ability to design A/D and D/A converters to meet specific performance requirements.
- Understand the design and optimization of digital phase-locked loops for use in advanced systems.
- Learn to design reconstruction filters for D/A converters and anti-alias filters for A/D converters.
- Explore the balance between analog filter design and converter clock/sample rate trade-offs.
- Enhance your skills with practical design techniques for track-and-hold circuits to improve A/D converter performance.
Why You Should Take This Course
- Broaden your expertise: Whether you're primarily a digital or analog engineer, this course offers critical knowledge that bridges both fields, essential in today’s advanced mixed signal systems.
- Real-world applications: Learn techniques that are applicable to wireless communication, digital telephony, audio systems, and more.
- Stand out in your field: Mixed signal design is crucial for building high-performance systems. Mastering these skills will set you apart and advance your career in engineering.
- Hands-on learning: You’ll not only learn the theory behind mixed signal design but also get practical design experience, allowing you to apply your knowledge to real-world challenges.
Required Software
Students will need the latest version of:
- Matlab and Simulink Student Suite to complete their course project.The discounted student version is available for purchase online from MathWorks
- LTSpice available to download for free from Analog Devices
- Questa Simulator available to download for free from Intel Questa FPGA Software Installation and licensing.
- Quatus Prime Lite (free synthesizer) also available to download for free from Intel Quartus Prime Lite.
Course Details and Next Steps
- Course Typically Offered: Online in Fall and Spring quarters.
- Optional Reading: CMOS Mixed-Signal Circuit Design, 2nd ed. - Author: R. Jacob Baker. Ph.D. - Pub: Wiley IEEE Press - ISBN-13: 978-0470290262
- Prerequisite: Some background in analog circuit design is recommended, and you should review basic differential equations and simple calculus.
- Next Step: After completing this course consider taking other courses in the Digital Signal Processing or RF Engineering certificate programs.
- Contact: For more information about this course, please email unexeng@ucsd.edu.
Who Should Take This Course?
- RF Engineers: Engineers working with wireless systems will benefit from learning about PLL design, data conversion, and signal processing.
- Analog and Digital Engineers: Whether you focus on digital or analog circuits, this course provides the critical skills to integrate these systems effectively.
- System Designers: Engineers designing complex systems that require precise analog-to-digital conversion or digital phase-locked loops will gain valuable insights.
- Anyone Involved in Mixed Signal Circuit Design: If you’re looking to deepen your knowledge and gain hands-on experience in designing mixed signal circuits, this course is for you.
Course Information
Course sessions
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 3/31/2025
Schedule:
Instructor: John Eldon, Ph.D.
Engineering Consultant
John Eldon, engineering consultant, was the director of digital ASIC design at PulseLink. Using VERILOG in a commercial setting, he has devised numerous integrated-circuit architectures that implement a wide variety of digital signal processing algorithms, as well as, defining a number of commercial integrated circuits.
