Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

The laboratory portion of this course provides students with the opportunity to develop skills in the operation of electronics test instruments (signal generators, digital multimeters and oscilloscopes). Students will work in teams of two or more to perform and complete laboratory exercises. Students must be able to communicate, both in oral and written form, using the English language.

•   Construct, analyze and troubleshoot circuits which incorporate semiconductors devices and linear IC’s e.g. operational amplifiers
•   Operate electronic test equipment: multimeters, power supplies, signal generators and oscilloscopes.
•   Use electronic circuit simulations e.g. PSpice
•   Read and interpret technical materials e.g. schematic diagrams and device data sheets.
•   Communicate technical information in written and oral form
•   Practice safe operating procedures.

The course will include a variety of learning activities. The lecture portion of the course will include instructor delivered lectures and demonstrations stressing key topics in the course. In preparation for the lecture portion of the course, students will be expected to complete all reading and homework assignments.
The laboratory portion of the course is intended to enhance skill in the operation of basic electronic test instruments, skills in circuit analysis and troubleshooting, skill in teamwork, and skills in oral and written communication.

Assessment of student performance in this course will be conducted in both the lecture and the laboratory portion of the course and will be in the form of written and practice-based questions.

1.0 Diodes
1.1 Draw the schematic symbol for a diode. Sketch the I-V characteristic for a diode; identify the forward and reverse bias regions; identify the turn-on voltage and the breakdown voltage.
1.2 List, draw the schematic for, and describe the function of different kinds of diodes: Zener, Light Emitting.
1.3 Given a half-wave rectifier circuit and a time-varying input voltage, make a sketch of the circuit’s output waveform.
1.4 Given a full-wave center-tapped or bridge rectifier circuit and a time-varying input voltage, make accurate sketches of:
1.4.1 The voltage across each diode.
1.4.2 The current through each diode.
1.4.3 The circuit’s output voltage.
1.4.4 The amount of ripple on the circuit’s output voltage.
1.5 Design a Zener diode voltage regulator circuit.
1.6 Use a digital multimeter and a curve tracer to determine if a diode or a diode-based circuit is malfunctioning.
2.0 Bipolar Junction Transistors
2.1 Draw the schematic symbol for the two types of bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), the NPN and the PNP. Properly label the emitter, the base, and the collector. Sketch the I-V characteristic for both types of BJT.
2.2 Given two of the following BJT parameters, calculate the other two: the base current IB, the collector current IC, the emitter current IE, and the current multiplication factor b
2.3 Define the meaning of the following BJT characteristics:
2.3.1 The maximum collector to emitter voltage.
2.3.2 The maximum collector to base voltage.
2.3.3 The maximum power dissipation at specified case temperature.
2.4 Draw the schematic and describe operation of simple BJT circuits that utilize voltage divider biasing, including the common emitter amplifier.
3.0 Field Effect Transistors
3.1 Draw the schematic symbol for the two types of field effect transistors (FETs), the junction FET and the metal oxide semi- conductor FET. Properly label the source, the gate, and the drain. Sketch the I-V characteristic for both types of FET.
3.2 Draw the schematic symbol for the two types of metal oxide semi-conductor field effect transistors (MOSFETS), the depletion mode MOSFET and the enhancement mode MOSFET. Properly label the source, the gate, and the drain. Sketch the I-V characteristic for both types of MOSFETs.
3.3 Given two of the following FET parameters, calculate the third: the gate to source voltage current VGS, the drain current ID, and the transconductance gm.
3.4 Recognize, analyze, and implement the voltage divider with self-bias.
3.5 Use FET drain current vs. drain to source voltage curves and FET transconductance curves to find the Q point bias and to find AC and DC voltage gains for a common source, common drain, or common gate FET circuit.
3.6 Implement basic logic gates using complementary MOSFETs.
3.7 Describe the safety precautions that need to be taken in order to avoid damage when handling MOSFETs.
4.0 Operational Amplifiers
4.1 Define the two properties of ideal operational amplifiers (op-amps): the inputs of the op-amp draw no current and the output will do whatever is necessary to make the voltage difference between the inputs zero.
4.2 Given sketches of the inputs and the output for an open-loop op amp, calculate the common-mode rejection ratio and the open-loop voltage gain.
4.3 Recognize the basic op-amp configurations: inverting, non-inverting, voltage following, integrating, and differentiating.
4.4 Given a specific circuit that contains any one of the basic op-amp configurations, calculate the closed loop voltage gain.
4.5 Given a specific circuit that contains any one of the basic op-amp configurations and a plot of the open loop gain as a function of voltage, sketch a Bode plot for the amplifier.
4.6 Describe the operation of a comparator and the difference between an inverting and a non-inverting comparator.
4.7 Given the schematic of a comparator circuit and its input waveform, make a sketch of the output waveform.
4.8 Describe the operation of a Schmitt trigger.
4.9 Given the schematic of a Schmitt trigger circuit, calculate the upper trigger point, the lower trigger point, and the size of the hysteresis gap.
The primary purpose of the Course Content and Outcome Guide is to provide faculty a SAC approved outline of the course. It is not intended to replace the Course Syllabus, which details course content and requirements for students.