Developments in digital electronics, particularly since the introduction of large-scale integrated circuits, have led to the widespead use of digital systems in almost every walk of life, not least of all in modern computer circuitry.

This makes it all the more important to be clear about what these silicon chips do and that is the subject of the first year course. The aim is to introduce and investigate digital logic, as applied to gates and flip flops and show how these circuits carry out their actions.

These ICs are very suitable for circuit prototyping on breadboards and this is the main method of circuit constuction employed. Assessment involves building and demonstating an understanding of five of these circuits including basic logic gates memory circuits, counters and led display units. The final project consists of making and building a digital system such as the oscillator, counter display unit pictured above

 

Having covered operational amplfiers in the second year, students progress to more complicated digital circuit investigation and construction such as analogue to digital and digital to analogue converters. the picture below is of a 3 bit analogue to digital converter. It is used to demonstrate the pinciples behind these complex circuits

 

 

The manufacture and construct of this printed circuit board has featured in provious years as a final second year constructional project for this subject.

 

 

 

 

 

Overview of MicroElectronics Subjects; Analogue Electronics Digital Electronics Control Systems Micro Maintenance