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I need advice about an undergrad course

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 9:06 pm
by amiphysicist
Hello,

Re: I need advice about an undergrad course

Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 9:20 pm
by dogman
I was actually the TA for this course last year. No programming experience is necessary, and none of the assignments have to do with programming. A background in algorithms can be helpful, but is not necessary. If you've taken at least one course in quantum mechanics, you should be adequately prepared. A strong background in linear algebra will also be useful.

Again - need advice about a MEMS course.

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:14 am
by amiphysicist
Hello,

Re: Again - need advice about a MEMS course.

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:46 pm
by blackcat007
amiphysicist wrote:Hello,
I have interest on a course and I would like your opinions. I don't have much of an electronics lab experience except for freshman physics labs. I just finished my sophomore year.

I'd like to take an Intro to MEMS course, whose syllabus is as below:
Fundamentals of microelectromechanical systems including design, fabrication of microstructures; surface-micromachining, bulk-micromachining, LIGA, and other micro machining processes; fabrication principles of integrated circuit device and their applications for making MEMS devices; high-aspect-ratio microstructures; scaling issues in the micro scale (heat transfer, fluid mechanics and solid mechanics); device design, analysis, and mask layout.

As prerequisites, it requires a another class called Electronic Techniques for Engineers:

This course serves as an introduction to the principles of electrical engineering, starting from the basic concepts of voltage and current and circuit elements of resistors, capacitors, and inductors. Circuit analysis is taught using Kirchhoff's voltage and current laws with Thevenin and Norton equivalents. Operational amplifiers with feedback are introduced as basic building blocks for amplification and filtering. Semiconductor devices including diodes and MOSFETS and their IV characteristics are covered. Applications of diodes for rectification, and design of MOSFETs in common source amplifiers are taught. Digital logic gates and design using CMOS as well as simple flip-flops are introduced. Speed and scaling issues for CMOS are considered. The course includes as motivating examples designs of high level applications including logic circuits, amplifiers, power supplies, and communication links.

I definitely have no idea about Thevenin, MOSFETS CMOS etc. Do you think I could manage to take the course or my background is not insufficient to cope with it?
I did my under graduation in Mechanical Engineering, and I had MEMS in our final semester as an elective subject. Well I enjoyed it, in a way that it had many new ways of doing things and generating motions which is just not feasible in macrosized world, it was very interesting to see how parameters like surface tension capillary effects etc which we generally neglect in everyday life play such a great role. We had to design(theoretically) equipments like micro (gyroscopes, blood testing instruments and accelerometers)

As for Thevenin, MOSFET and CMOS are concerned, we did study them in basic electronics in lower semesters, but I don't think it will be too difficult since it is introductory course, you will be taught basically their applications and their role in an equipment to accomplish certain tasks. As I learn from your syllabus, your course will have a lot of qualitative and descriptive parts. We studied from Boylestad and practiced circuits analysis from schaum's series. So I don't think they will be too difficult to be surmounted.

Best

Re: I need advice about an undergrad course

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:50 pm
by grae313
amiphysicist, dude, why don't you just contact the instructors of the courses? Classes vary wherever you go, why do you think people here are qualified to assess how necessary the prerequisites are?