Course Outline for EE 372, Analog Electronics, Summer 2006,
by Han-yun Chang, adopted with permission from Prof. R. H. Cornely.
A) Course Lessons and Reference Sources: The course is based on ten lessons on analog
electronics by Professor R. H. Cornely. These lessons will be available through NJIT
Highlander Pipeline’s “My course” page.
Two textbooks are used as reference and are on reserve on the library front desk: 1) R. C. Jaeger,
Microelectronic Circuit Design, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1996; 2) A. S. Sedra and K. C. Smith,
Microelectronic Circuits, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998
Many problems and exercises that are instructive for practicing the principles of analog
electronics are in the lessons. Much of the learning in this course is based on problem
solving. Additional exercise examples are often handed out to make available more
problems for students who need more practice.
B) Course Organization and Overviews of the Lessons:
The course outline is designed to be flexible so as to meet the schedules for summer students.
As a guide, the number of lecture hours to be devoted to each lesson is given. Note that the total
number of hours is 42 (3 x 14) hrs (with 5.5 hrs allocated for the two midterms (3hrs) and spare
time (2 hrs) for review. Continuous review and discussion of course concepts is encouraged.
Students taking this course should be familiar with the MOST from ECE 271 (Digital
Electronics). However, it is assumed that most students will have little knowledge of the bipolar
junction transistor (BJT). Thus, concept of BJT is covered in the first lesson of the course. The
first lesson is designed to give an overview of the analysis methods for analog electronics;
during a normal semester, it will take a student several weeks to completely learn the
principles presented in Lesson One. Due to the time constrain of the summer sessions, it is
strongly encourage for the students to work on the lesson as soon as class starts.
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Lesson 1: Overview of Analog Circuit Analysis and ECE 372. The four types of
electronic circuits and signals (digital, large signal analog, small signal analog and mixed)
are shown. A key concept used throughout the course, the small signal linear model, is
introduced. The characteristics and regions of operation of the BJT and its DC and ac
models are presented, along with the DC analysis of basic PNP and NPN BJT circuits. A
simple amplifier circuit is used to emphasize: a) the use of the small signal model to find the
gain and phase relationship of the output to the input signal; b) superposition of small ac
signals with DC bias voltage; and c) coupling capacitors used for isolation of the signal
source from DC biasing. Using the general model of a small signal amplifier, the effect of
the signal source internal resistance and load resistances on the overall gain of amplifier
circuits is shown. A review of basic circuit analysis techniques including current division,
voltage division, potential difference, node analysis and current and voltage sources from
the point of view of I/V characteristics is given if necessary. (4.5 hrs.)
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Lessons 2: Concepts of Input and Output Impedance, and Voltage Gain and Phase for
Single-stage Amplifiers. The five basic equations for the impedance looking into the 3
terminals of BJT and MOSFET transistors, replaced by their small signal models, are
derived using the vIN/iIN method. The six basic transistor circuit configurations (common
source CS, common gate CG, and common drain CD for FET circuits; common emitter CE,
common collector CC, and common base CB for BJT circuits) are introduced. (3 hrs.)
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Lesson 3: DC and Small Signal Analysis of CE, CC, and CB Single Stage BJT
Amplifiers. The DC bias or quiescent point (Q-Point) analysis for a BJT amplifier is
reviewed and practiced. The impedance results from the vIN/iIN method are used to find the
input impedance, output impedance, and signal gain of the three different types of BJT
amplifiers (CE, CC and CB) using the impedance equations derived in lesson 2. The "input
impedance" analysis method for a single stage CE BJT amplifier is compared with the
classical "plug-in model" method. The basic concepts learned in lessons one and two are
practiced and reinforced by finding the voltage gain of single stage amplifiers. A graphical
presentation of how signal distortion is related to the Q point location is presented. (3 hrs.)
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Lesson 4: DC and Small Signal Analysis of FET Amplifiers. The methods for finding the
voltage gain and input and output impedance for the CS, CD, and CG FET amplifiers are
presented. Emphasis is placed on using impedance concepts to find the voltage gain as well
as the input and output impedance of amplifiers, without drawing the circuit models. The
principles for setting the DC Q-point of an FET amplifier to meet small signal voltage gain
specs are illustrated by a design example. The principles of the previous lessons are
exercised by solving FET and BJT single stage amplifier problems. (3 hrs.)
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Lesson 5: Review of the Single Stage BJT Amplifiers; Design of Single Stage BJT and
FET Differential Amplifiers with Low Output Impedance and High Input Impedance.
The basic single stage differential amplifier, with emphasis on its discrimination against
external noise, is introduced. The principles for the differential mode (DM) and common
mode (CM) signal analysis of both BJT and FET differential amplifiers are presented. The
origin of internal noise due to the random motion of charge in electronic circuits is
presented, including basic concepts as Johnson, shot and flicker noise, dependence on the
bandwidth, and signal to noise power ratio (SNR) equations are introduced. (3 hrs.)
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Lesson 6: Differential and Common Mode Analysis of Multistage Differential
Amplifiers and the Common Mode Rejection Ratio. The virtual ground concept for the
differential mode analysis is derived. The principles for analysis of multistage amplifiers
using impedance concepts are emphasized. DC and small signal analyses methods for FET
and BJT differential amplifiers with current source bias are studied. Basic DC current
source circuits are introduced. (4 hrs.)
Exam One covering lessons 1 through 5 is given on the sixth or seventh class. (1.5hr)
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Lesson 7: Design of Current Sources and Three-stage CMOS Differential Amplifiers
with Active P-channel Loads. Basic current mirror circuits in integrated circuit (IC)
amplifiers are studied further from both DC and small signal view-of-points. Small signal
analyses of classical multi-transistor current sources are done to review the method of
finding output impedance and to show that these circuits can increase the output resistance
and also improve the ROUTIOUT figure of merit for current sources. The method of
suppressing common mode gain in CMOS Differential Amplifiers using P-channel current
mirror loads is studied. Finding the voltage gain of three stage CMOS Differential
Amplifiers by inspection is practiced. (3.5 hrs.)
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Lesson 8: Low and High Frequency Analysis of Single and Multistage Amplifiers. The
fundamentals of the frequency and time response of RC circuits and Bode phase and gain
plots, including the mathematics background, are reviewed. The short circuit time constant
(SCTC) method for obtaining the low cutoff frequency of amplifiers is explained. Circuit
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problems exercising this method for the different configurations of single-stage amplifiers
are solved. The high frequency models for the FET and BJT are presented along with gainbandwidth limitations. The high frequency response of common base, common gate,
common collector, and common drain amplifiers (obtained by the open circuit time constant
(OCTC) method) are compared. The Miller effect is derived and applied to the frequency
response analysis of basic amplifier circuits. (5.5 hrs.)
Quiz 2 covering lessons 5 through 8 is given on the eleventh or twelfth week. (1.5hrs.)
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Lesson 9: Analysis and Design of Multi-stage BJT and FET Circuits with Feedback.
Circuits with feedback to improve input and output impedance, noise suppression,
frequency response, gain stability, and nonlinear distortion are studied, along with methods
to find the loop gain are studied. The classical feedback theory using amplifier and
feedback “boxes” is briefly discussed. The frequency response of common base, common
gate, common collector, and common drain amplifiers are compared. The tradeoffs between
frequency response, gain, and input impedance and other parameters are emphasized. (3
hrs.)
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Lesson 10: Small Signal Parameters and Methods for Large Signal Analysis. The
concept of small signal parameters (z, y, h, and g) for analysis of two port electronic
systems with the different feedback configurations (series-series, shunt-series, shunt-shunt,
and series-shunt) is presented. The essential concepts and applications of two-port
parameters for feedback systems and device characterization are listed. The graphical
approach for large signal analysis of electronic circuits, as illustrated by analysis of the
push-pull output stage of operational amplifier, is studied. There is at least one hour
allocated to review for the final exam. (3 hrs.)
Final Exam covers all lessons with emphasis on differential amplifiers and multi-stage
amplifiers. The final exams which are reviewed by the accreditation board for engineering
and technology (ABET) should reflect a high knowledge and skill level in electronic
circuits. (3 hours)
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