EE715

Lab Reports

Each student is expected to submit a brief written summary of the results they obtained. This report should consist of three sections:

VLSI design

Each student's VSLI layout of the design must be presented in relation to the selected project - transistor level schematic and the inner working of the circuit.

Simulation:

Any results obtaind in circuit design, e.g. graphs, calculations, etc., should be carefully analysed in relation to the "ideal' text book solutions.

Discussion:

In particular, possible explanations for any discrepancies between observed and expected results.

The best reports are brief and demonstrate a student's insight and understanding of the lab/lecture material. These labs comprise the bulk of the graded material in this course. If needed, the following advise about writing up lab reports will result in higher grades for you and less frustration for your TA.

• Please make the report neat. We strongly suggest that you word process your lab reports. If you absolutely are going to write, please write neatly. It is very difficult to grade an illegible lab report.
• Label your graphs. Write the important information on the graph. This includes axis labels (with appropriate units), and a title telling what the graph is showing . Also, you should label important features on the graph.
• Don't include too many graphs. Combine graphs where possible, while still making sure that the important features of the individual curves are displayed.
• Include units on all values. If you don't and you make a mistake (e.g. kT/q = 39 where you meant q/kT = 39/V), it is much more difficult for us to know what you were trying to say.

In general, a well organized lab is easier to read, and we are then better able to pick out the important points in your analysis. We expect the following things from your analysis:

• Theory. The equations explaining what you expect to see. If you make simplifications from a more general equation, explain why you feel that these simplifications are valid.
• Analysis. You need to explain how you did your analysis. If you don't do this, we can't be sure how you got your values. This fact is most important when you make a mistake, and we are unable to give any ``partial credit'' for your answer.
• Error analysis. Look at your results and observe regions where the theory and simulation don't match. Summarize the deviations as succinctly as possible (listing fifteen curves and as many regions of discrepancy is not succinct; summarize trends and analyze one specific example if you want to be more precise.) Try to explain why the theory and simulation don't match in terms of physics. If you can't, that's O.K.; don't start making up all kinds of random explanations for your errors. Not only do we make assumptions when writing an equation, but often we must make simplifications in our equations in order to do the analysis. Decide if these simplifications are causing error (e.g. in analyzing the transamp, we assume that the current mirror is ``perfect'', but as you will see, it isn't). Be specific. Estimate the order of magnitude of your error source.
• Discussion. Please include a short discussion of the relevance of the simulation you have done to the larger scheme of things.