Graduate Courses

Analog and digital communication systems with emphasis on modulation, demodulation, encoding, decoding, and synchronization techniques used in wireless systems. MATLAB is used to simulate communication systems and to process real RF signals. The course includes a project to explore a wireless system in detail. It is recommended that students take a course in signals and systems before taking this course.

Modeling and control of continuous-time control systems. Topics include feedback, transfer functions, responses in the time and frequency domains, stability, and compensation. Applications include manufacturing and robotics. Knowledge of Laplace transforms is required. A research paper on a relevant topic of interest is required.

Introduction to the modeling, design, and operation of modern power generation, transmission, and distribution systems. Topics include complex power, three-phase systems, compensation, and power flow. Knowledge of basic circuit analysis is required. A research paper on a relevant topic of interest is required.

Advanced study of renewable energy systems including photovoltaic, wind, geothermal systems, biofuels, and tidal energy. Study of renewable energy credits, sustainability definitions, life cycle assessment, and exergy assessment techniques.

Introduction to ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) design flow. Synthesis of combinational and sequential circuits. Synthesis of hardware description language constructs. Post-synthesis design tasks. FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) architectures. Design prototyping with FPGAs. Advanced topics on ASIC prototyping strategies.

Verilog-based design process. Hierarchical modeling methodology. Basic Verilog language structures for modeling digital hardware functions. Modules and ports. Gate level modeling. Dataflow modeling. Behavioral modeling. Tasks and functions. Useful modeling techniques in digital system design. Component timing and delay modeling. Logic synthesis with Verilog HDL. Advanced topics on high-level synthesis and system verification.

Introduction to topics in testing of digital systems. Physical circuit failures and fault modeling. Fault simulation and fault coverage. Algorithms for automatic test pattern generation. Introduction to Built-in self test. Testing of sequential circuits. Test application and response processing techniques. Design for testability. Includes an advanced testing project and a research paper.

Processor control unit design techniques. Pipelined datapath and control unit design. Cache memory and cache coherency design techniques. Memory management using virtual memory. Case studies of contemporary high-performance computer architectures. Advanced topics on parallel computer architectures.

Digital CMOS VLSI chip design using Tanner's L-EDIT layout software, and PSPICE. Topics include CMOS gate logic design simulation and layout, speed and power considerations, and CMOS VLSI chip design using Standard Cells. A modest-sized CMOS integrated circuit design project through layout, simulation, and verification is required. A term paper on future trends in digital CMOS VLSI technology is required.

This course is an introduction to functional pre-silicon verification of digital systems. The course will cover verification flow, simulation based verification, virtual platforms, formal verification and FPGA-based emulation.  Includes an advanced verification project.  Prior knowledge of embedded systems is required.

Analysis and design of advanced MOS analog electronic circuits. Advanced MOS semiconductor device models, active loaded amplifiers, operational amplifiers, feedback compensation, and switched-capacitor filters. PSPICE circuit simulation tool. Students design a custom CMOS OpAmp using hand calculations and PSPICE simulations. Introduction to photovoltaics, thermoelectronics, and nanoelectronics is also included. Students write a term paper on future trends in analog MOS technology.

Covers techniques used to process digital signals in applications (audio filtering, speech recognition, biomedical signal processing). Topics: analog-to-digital/digital-to-analog conversions, aliasing, quantization, discrete-time signals & systems, discrete-time Fourier transform, Z-transform, digital filter design. MATLAB used to demonstrate concepts and process real signals. Includes an advanced project to explore a digital signal processing system. Prior course in signals and systems recommended.

Hardware and software used in real-time digital signal processing systems. Analog-to-digital/digital-to-analog converters, DSP chip architecture, and software techniques including frame-based processing, circular buffering, digital filters, and Fast Fourier Transform. Implementation of real-time DSP systems using C language on a DSP board. Includes a project to explore a DSP system in detail. Recommended prior courses: signals & systems; C-language programming.

Credit arranged.

Credit arranged.

Credit arranged.

Faculty-directed student research. Before enrolling, a student must consult with a faculty member to define the project. May be repeated for credit.

Credit arranged.