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| Unit name |
Introduction to Microelectronics |
| Unit code |
COMS12700 |
| Credit points |
10 |
| Level of study |
C/4
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
|
| Unit director |
Dr. Page |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department |
Department of Computer Science |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Engineering |
Description including Unit Aims
This unit aims to introduce students to basic electronic components, and explain how they can be composed to produce more complex systems. Topics include both formal and practical aspects of microelectronics, with the ultimate aim of supporting later study of modern computer processors (and hardware more generally).
The aim is that, by the end of the unit, students should have a grasp of the basic hardware underlying a computing system, and how they may build on this to make a practical system.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Reason about the construction and use of low-level digital logic components (e.g., logic gates and memory cells).
- Understand basic computer arithmetic, and the space of options for concrete designs in this area.
- Design higher-level components (e.g., adders and multiplexors) using robust techniques to satisfy functional and behavioural requirements.
- Optimise designs using techniques such as piplining.
- Understand and apply effective test and debug strategies.
- Use Verilog HDL to model digital logic components at a variety of different levels of abstraction.
Teaching Information
20h lectures, 12h labs
Assessment Information
75% 1.5 hour examination
- The intention is to set a "best 2 questions from 3" style exam paper focussing on aspects of roughly all ILOs but with an emphasis on more theoretical rather than practical aspects.
- For example, a question on the exam might ask a student to explain the concept of X or analyse X within some context, whereas a coursework assignment might ask a student to implement X: the latter does not necessarily imply a thorough understanding which can, on the other hand, be assessed in the exam.
- This is inline with the approach taken by COMS12200, the unit from which COMS12700 and COMS12600 are derived
25% coursework : A computer program be written in the Hardware Description Language Verilog (around 200 lines of code) to implement a “real-world” electronics circuit:
- The intention is to have one coursework assignment, undertaken incrementally in two parts(weighted 10% and 15%) to enable feedback to be given part way through.
- This coursework runs alongside several problems classes and non-assessed exercises.
- The combined aim of the assignments is to assess practical development of hardware components using Verilog HDL; this approach allows a focus on larger and more complex components than would be reasonable in an exam, and also of auxiliary skills such as the development of test strategies.
- This aim also supports a by-design reliance on similar skills within subsequent units (e.g., COMSM0115).
- As such, the assignments focus on aspects of roughly all ILOs but with an emphasis on more practical rather than theoretical aspects.
- Both assignments have an existing track record within COMS12200; for example see http://www.cs.bris.ac.uk/Teaching/Resources/COMS12200/index.html#assignments
Reading and References
This unit is supported by a significant amount of online material. As such, hard-copy text books are normally required for background (or further) reading only.
S. Palnitkar. Verilog HDL: A Guide in Digital Design and Synthesis. Prentice Hall, 2003. ISBN: 0-130-44911-3 Background.
A. Tanenbaum. Structured Computer Organization. Prentice Hall, 2005. ISBN: 0-131-48521-0 Background.
