Video lectures from the iCS group @ IIT Madras

Self study program in analog circuit design

If you are interested in analog circuit design and would like to learn it well, you can use the following outline. The emphasis in our courses is on in depth understanding of basic concepts and not on memorization of results from a large number of circuits. We find the latter approach unproductive as specific results will be forgotten after some time and inability to derive them yourself renders you helpless when faced with a new circuit.

For every hour of lecture, expect to spend at least 3 hours for reviewing the material, proving the results by yourself, and solving problems. You can solve the problems in the reference books and in our assignments(http://www.ee.iitm.ac.in/vlsi/teaching/start). While solving problems, try to understand every step, and why the final result is the way it is. The emphasis should be on getting the idea behind the problem, rather than solving a large number of problems with the sole aim of obtaining the final result. Some amount of practice is essential for circuit analysis, but the emphasis must shift towards understanding the results as you progress. The three courses outlined below can be thought of as prerequisite, basic, and advanced courses. At 10 hours per week you can expect to spend a year to learn the material really well.

  • Prerequisites: You will need to know circuit analysis(mesh and nodal analysis, phasors), linear circuit theorems(superposition, thevenin/norton equivalents, reciprocity etc.), and basics of networks and systems(differential equations, laplace transforms). These topics are discussed in Electrical and Magnetic Circuits and course on networks and systems(Prof. VGK Murti's lectures on NPTEL).

Self study program

    • Voltage, current, and basic electrical elements
    • Nodal and Mesh analysis
    • Transistor amplifiers
    • Circuit theorems
    • Negative feedback and ideal opamps
    • RC, RLC circuits and differential equations
    • Sinusoidal steady state analysis; Phasors
    • Magnetic circuits
  1. EC3102, Analog circuits: (~45 lecture hours)
    • Incremental analysis of nonlinear circuits
    • Transistor amplifiers
    • Bias stabilization in amplifiers
    • Controlled sources
    • Differential pair
    • Negative feedback systems
    • Operational amplifier
  2. EE5390, Analog IC design: (~45 lecture hours)
    • Negative feedback systems
    • Operational amplifier
    • Transistor amplifiers and biasing
    • Differential pair
    • Fully differential circuits and common mode feedback
    • CMOS operational amplifiers