PHYSICS 310

Electronics and Instrumentation

Davidson College, Fall 2009

 

Professor Dan Boye                          Dana 134

Email: daboye@davidson.edu           TEL: (704) 894-2394

 

TEXTS:

·         Electronics: Circuits, Amplifiers and Gates, 2nd ed., D.V. Bugg

·        Hands on Electronics, Kaplan and White

·        Also, separate lab manual and lab notebook needed

LECTURE: Tuesday/Thursday 8:30-9:45 AM, Dana B71 and B037

LAB: Tuesday/Thursday 1:00-4:00 PM, Dana B037

 

OFFICE HOURS:  Appointments may be arranged via email.  Drop-ins welcome during most times of the day.

 

OBJECTIVES:  The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with both digital and analog electronics and circuitry. After a brief review of basic electronics, TTL logic circuitry will be studied followed by an introduction to the 8085 microprocessor chip and its use in microcomputer interfacing. This will require the development of a working knowledge of assembly and machine language. Then, an overview of analog circuitry will be presented. This will include such topics as LRC circuitry, diode and transistor operation, opamps, oscillators, timers, and power supplies. As a bridge between the digital and analog worlds, techniques in D/A and A/D conversion will be examined.

 

ATTENDANCE: You are strongly encouraged to attend all lectures as material to be covered in the labs and helpful time saving hints not to be found in the text will be presented. All lab sessions must be attended.  On several occasions, I will use the regular lab meeting time to continue lecture as necessary to prepare you for the lab work.  Also, you will find that you need to spend additional time independently in the lab in order to complete regular assignments and individual projects.  You can usually expect to spend a minimum of 8-9 hours in the lab per week.

 

ASSIGNMENTS:  Each student will work independently (on most assignments) in terms of assembling circuits and taking data.  Conversations among students for the purpose of understanding concepts and analyzing data are encouraged; however, the final analysis and write-up are to be each student's own work. Copying another student's data or analysis from this class or any previous class is a violation of the honor code. This also applies to the assigned homework. If you need help, please see me. Don’t waste time floundering helplessly!

 

Students will be required to purchase a $5 lab manual and a lab notebook.  The lab notebook shall consist of entries made during each lab period. It should document the dates of the session spent on the particular lab and contain analysis, diagrams, plots, and notes.  Diagrams and plots should be labeled in technical detail.  The notebook should also contain descriptions of problems encountered with the equipment and circuits, your remedies for such problems, and your overall train of thought and analysis.  The greater the amount of purposeful explanation, the higher the grade will be.  The lab notebooks will be collected and reviewed roughly six times during the semester, with ample warning (see schedule below). Finally, there will be oral and written exams after the completion of the digital and analog sections.

 

GRADING:  Homework 10%, lab work & notebook 60%, written and oral exams 30%

 

Week oF

Topics

 Lab Books

Aug. 24

 

Course introduction, review of electronics, introduction to equipment, TTL logic

 

Aug. 31

TTL logic, sequential logic

 

Sept.7

Sequential logic, and static memory

  Due Sept. 11

Sept. 14

Intro to Intel 8085 microprocessor and microcomputer

 

Sept. 21

8085 machine language

 

Sept. 28

Wrap up of 8085, also introduction to PSpice

  Due Oct. 2

Oct. 5

Digital Exams

LRC circuits

 

Oct. 12

LRC circuits  (Fall break, too!)

  Due Oct. 16

Oct. 19

Diodes and transistors

 

Oct. 26

Diodes and transistors cont’d

  Due Oct. 30

Nov. 2

Operational amplifiers

 

Nov. 9

Op-amps and oscillators, timers

  Due Nov. 13

Nov. 16

Oscillators, timers, transducers

 

Nov. 23

A/D & D/A conversion, (Thanksgiving break, too!)

  Due Nov. 30

Nov. 30

LabVIEW exercises

 

Dec. 7

Dec. 10

Dec. 11

LabVIEW exercises – due by Dec. 8!!

Reading day

Analog exams and lab cleanup

  All work due Dec. 8

 

The above outline is a rough approximation of the schedule.  Adjustments may be necessary.  Please note that it is absolutely essential that each student keep up with the laboratory assignments.  This will require significant time and dedication.