Electrical and computer engineering Courses

Here you will find course descriptions, prerequisites, credit weights, and which semester each class is offered.

GRADUATE ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING CLASSES

ECE 5074 – Photovoltaic Materials and Solar Cells (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3740 AND ECE 3200/ECE 5201 AND Major Status
Course will examine the physics and engineering of photovoltaic devices and the materials used in them. Classroom time will be augmented by labs in which students will fabricate the test simple Si solar cells using the University of Utah Nanofab.

ECE 5201Physics of Nano-Electronics and Related Devices (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): ECE 2280 AND ECE 3200 AND Major Status
Physical basis of devices based on modulation of charged carrier velocity, and concentration to achieve detection, amplification and switching of electrical signals. CMOS as well as novel nanodevices. The course is composed of 5 modules: 1) Electronic Materials, 2) Device Building Blocks such as p-n junctions, etc., 3) Transistors (BJT and FET), 4) Solar Cells, Negative Differential Resistance (NDR), Power, RF, and Devices, and 5) Sensor/actuators for MEMs.

ECE 5221Fundamentals of Micromachining (3.0), F, Sp
Prerequisite(s):  Major Status AND Instructor Consent.
Meets with ME EN 6050, ECE 6221, BIOEN 6421, MSE 6421. Introduction to the principles of micromachining technologies. Topics include photolithography, silicon etching, thin film deposition and etching, electroplating, polymer micromachining, and bonding techniques. A weekly lab and a review of micromachining applications is included. Undergraduate students only.

ECE 5231 – Microsensors (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s):  C- or better in ECE 5221 AND Major Status. Corequisite(s): ECE 5232.
This course builds on ECE 5221/6221, Fundamentals of Micromachining. Topics include definitions, categorization, comparison and application fields of microsensors. The course discusses related solid state physics, piezoresistive sensors, semiconductor-based temperature sensors, magnetoresistive sensors, thermoelectric sensors, photoelectric sensors, micro gas and fluid concentration sensors, molecular diagnostics arrays and other sensors. registration for a weekly lab (1) is required. extra work required of graduate students.

ECE 5232 – Microsensors Lab (1.0), F
Prerequisite(s):  C- or better in ECE 5221 AND Major Status. Corequisite(s): ECE 5231.
The lab is a compulsory section to the lecture Microsensors (ECE 5231/6231) and builds on ECE 5221/6221, Fundamentals of Micromachining. The lab will include the following topics: design and simulation of microsensors, process design, packaging and assemble, characterization and testing of microsensors. The first part of the lab will focus on the acquirement of additional technological skills and understanding of sensor characteristics. The second part of the lab will lead to the fabrication, characterization and presentation of a variety of fully functional microsensors. Examples of these are pressure, force, acceleration, and gas sensors.

ECE 5233 – Micro Actuators (3.0), Sp-Even Years
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 5221 AND MSE 3210 AND Major Status. Corequisite(s): ECE 5234.
Meets with ECE 6233. This course covers various micro actuators complementing the other course of Micro Sensors, ECE 5231/6231. It builds on ECE 5221/6221, Fundamentals of Micromachining. Topics include definitions, categorization, operation, and applications of various micro actuators. Particular, this course covers an introduction to basic mechanics, electrostatic, electromagnetic, piezoelectric, thermal, pneumatic, resonant actuators as well as other devices that are not covered in the micro sensors class. Registration for a weekly lab (1) is required. Extra work is required of those who registered in 6000 level.

ECE 5234 – Micro Actuators Lab (1.0), Sp-Even Years
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 5221 AND Major Status. Corequisite(s): ECE 5233.
The lab is a compulsory section to the lecture Micro Actuators (ECE 5233/6233) and builds on ECE 5221/6221, Fundamentals of Micromachining. The lab will include the following topics: design and simulation of micro actuators, process design, packaging and assembly, characterization and testing of micro actuators. The first part of the lab will focus on the acquirement of additional technological skills and understanding of actuators. The first part of the lab will focus on the acquirement of additional technological skills and understanding of actuator characteristics as well as the fabrication, characterization and presentation of a variety of fully functional micro actuators. The second part of the lab will lead to project design with a goal to publish in highly prestigious international conferences.

ECE 5320 – Microwave Engineering I (4.0), F
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3300 AND Major Status
Brief review of transmission line theory and Smith Chart, general theory of waveguides, TE, TM, TEM modes, some commonly used waveguides and transmission lines including microstripline and its variations for microwave integrated circuits, matching techniques including conjugate matching, passive components, scattering matrices and signal-flow graphs, ABCD parameters, directional couplers and hybrids, power dividers and combiners, signal-flow graphs for microwave amplifiers, microwave resonators and filters including design considerations, filter design by image parameter method, constant-k and m-derived filters, maximally flat and equal-ripple filters, coupled-line filters, ferrite components. Biweekly laboratory assignments to design, fabricate, and test microstrip circuits: e.g., low and band-pass filters, coupled-line filters, directional couplers, etc., using professional-level computer software and network analyzers.

ECE 5321 – Microwave Engineering II (3.0), Sp-Even Years
Prerequisite(s):  C- or better in ECE 5320 AND Major Status
Nonlinear and active microwave devices including diodes, mixers, transistors, and negative resistance devices; compressed Smith Chart; balanced and double-balanced mixer design; transistor amplifier theory and design for best gain, stability, and noise performance. Oscillator theory and design using transistors, tunnel diodes, IMPATTs, and Gunn diodes. PIN diode switching circuits and phase shifters. Survey of design and performance of microwave systems and auxiliary components; antennas, signal modulation and multiplexing, transceiver and radar systems, signal-to-noise ratios, atmospheric effects, microwave heating, biological effects and safety. Course includes biweekly laboratory assignments using microstrip-integrated circuits with professional-level design and test equipmen
t. Demonstrations of other active components such as traveling wave tubes, klystrons, and backward oscillators are also provided.

ECE 5324 – Antenna Theory and Design (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3300 AND Major Status
General theory of conduction current antennas; linear antennas including dipoles and monopoles; antenna equivalent impedance; design of AM, FM, TV and shortwave broadcast antennas of one or more elements including ground and mutual impedance effects; matching techniques including lumped, shunt, and series elements, transmission lines and conjugate matching; receiving antennas; antennas used for mobile communication systems and their radiation characteristics; antenna arrays and their design; wave propagation including propagation via ionosphere or troposphere; loop antennas and Yagi-Uda arrays; antenna synthesis for specified radiation patterns. UHF and microwave antennas including corner reflector antennas, helical antennas, theory of aperture antennas including rectangular and circular apertures; broadband log-periodic antennas; microstrip antennas and phased arrays including applications for wireless communication systems; slot antennas, turnstile, horn and parabolic radiators; considerations for radar antennas and communication links. Antenna ranges and measurement techniques. Laboratory demonstrations of radiation patterns of portable wireless antennas with and without the model of the head. Visits to various antenna installations in the Salt Lake valley by groups of three students.

ECE 5325 – Wireless Communication Systems (3.0), Sp-Even Years
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3300 AND Major Status
Introduction to wireless transmission systems. This course will emphasize how individual parameters affect overall system design and performance. Topics include: basic cellular systems and parameters, multi-path channels and modulation techniques.

ECE 5340 – Numerical Techniques in Electromagnetics (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s):  C- or better in ECE 3300 AND Major Status
Meets with ECE 6340. Review of basic numerical techniques including matrix methods and numerical methods for error minimization and convergence. Comparison of differential and integral formulations including finite difference, finite element, and moment methods. Emphasis on frequency domain method of moments and time domain finite difference (FDTD). Computer exercises require Fortran, C, or equivalent programming and computerized data display techniques. Undergraduate students only.

ECE 5350 – Metamaterials and Advanced Antenna Theory (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 5350 AND Major Status
Meets with ECE 6350. This course will include topics relevant to antenna design and current research in metamaterials. Students will complete projects based on these topics. Metamaterial topics may include: material parameter extraction, effective medium theory, resonant unit cell analysis, and unit cell coupling. Examples will be drawn from invisibility cloaking and negative index media. Antenna topics may include: complex antenna shapes, real array effects, co-located antenna interference, high-impedance ground-planes, and Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).

ECE 5410 – Lasers and Their Applications (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3300 AND Major Status
Physics and applications of lasers. All major laser types are studied, including semiconductor, gas, dye, and solid-state lasers. Emphasis is placed on the properties of laser light and how they are used in a myriad of applications. Hands-on laboratory experience is included.

ECE 5411 – Optical Communication Systems (3.0), Sp-Even Years
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3300 AND Major Status
Systematic study of modern optical-fiber communication systems; Loss-limited systems vs. dispersion-limited systems; Point-to-point links, broadcast and distribution systems, and optical networks; Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) and sub-carrier multiplexing (SCM); optical amplifiers and dispersion compensation; Emphasis is on system design. Includes hands-on laboratory experience.

ECE 5480Principles of Ultrasound (3.0), F, Sp
Prerequisite(s):  C- or better in Physics II AND Major Status
Acoustic-wave propagation in biological materials with examples of practical medical instrumentation resulting from ultrasound interactions with biological structures. Recent Therapeutic ultrasound application will also be discussed.

ECE 5510 – Random Processes (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3500 AND ECE 3530 AND Major Status
Review of probability theory; multivariate distributions; Gaussian distributions; weak and strong law of large numbers; random processes; stationarity and ergodicity; mean-value function; auto- and cross-correlation functions; power spectral densities; Wiener-Khinchine theorem; Karhunen-Loeve expansion; Gaussian random processes; random processes in linear filters; white Gaussian noise.

ECE 5520 – Digital Communication Systems (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 5510 AND Major Status
Modern communications; probabilistic viewpoint; vector representation of signal; signal spaces; vector channels; additive white Gaussian noise; optimum receivers; maximum-likelihood detection; error probabilities; memoryless modulation methods: PAM, BPSK, M-PSK, FSK, QAM; message sequences; intersymbol interference (ISI); Nyquist signaling; complex baseband models; noncoherent detection.

ECE 5530 – Digital Signal Processing (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3500 AND Major Status
Meets with ECE 6530. Discrete-time signals and systems; the z-transform. Input-output relationships; discrete-time networks. The discrete-time Fourier transform and sampling; practical sampling issues; signal quantization. The discrete Fourier transform, the fast Fourier transform, and high-speed convolution. Filter design from analog models; impulse-invariant, bilinear, and spectral transformations. FIR filter design, windowing, and frequency-sampling methods. Equiripple filter design. Coefficient quantization. Examples of DSP applications and implementations. Undergraduate students only.

ECE 5550 – Survey of Function Approximation Methods (3.0) – Currently not taught

ECE 5551 – Survey of Optimization Techniques (3.0) – Currently not taught

ECE 5610 – Power Electronics Fundamentals (4.0), F
Prerequisite(s): 
 C- or better in ECE 2280 AND ECE 3110 AND Major Status
This course will introduce the power electronics basis and its applications. Students will learn about dc-dc converters dc-ac inverters, solid state power devic
es, and applications of power electronics in renewable energy area. In present days, power electronics is an extremely demanding field especially for the development of plug-in hybrid vehicles and renewable energy harvesting. Therefore, this course should be considered as a gateway to many other courses in power engineering.

ECE 5620 – Power Systems Analysis (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3600 AND Major Status
This course will introduce the basics of Electric Power System and its components. Students will learn about power generation, transmissions, and distribution, transmission line modeling, load-flow analysis and balanced and unbalanced fault analysis in power systems. This course should be considered as a starting point to understand the concept of Smart Grid and other branches of modern power systems.

ECE 5670 – Control of Electric Motors (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3510 AND Major Status
Meets with ECE 6670. Principles of operation, mathematical models, and control techniques for electric motors. Types of motors include brush DC motors, stepper motors, brushless DC motors, synchronous motors and induction motors. Topics covered: steady-state and dynamic characteristics, torque limits and field weakening operation, characteristics under voltage and current sources, open-loop and closed-loop control of position and velocity, and field-oriented operation for AC motors.

ECE 5671 – Electric Generators (3.0), F-Odd Years
Prerequisite(s):  Major Status. Corequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3510
Meets with ECE 6671. Energy conversion and sources of mechanical energy. DC generators, droop curves, parallel operation and load sharing. Three-phase AC power and three-phase to two-phase transformations. Permanent magnet synchronous generators. Droop curve sand nose curves. Operation on a DC bus with a rectifier and three-phase inverter. Squirrel-cage induction generators. Grid-tied operation on a self-excited induction generators. Wound-field synchronous generators. Stand-alone and grid tied operation. V-curves, active and reactive power curves, and operating limits. Control of active power, parallel operation and load sharing. Doubly-fed induction generators. Decoupled control of active and reactive power at variable speed. Large synchronous generators and power system stability.

ECE 5710Digital VLSI Design (4.0), F
Prerequisite(s):  C- or better in ECE 3700 AND Major Status
Meets with ECE/CS 6710. Basic concepts of the design of digital CMOS integrated circuits. Course topics include static and dynamic properties of MOS circuits, composite layout of CMOS circuits, modeling of transistors for stimulation, and commonly encountered CMOS circuit structures. Students complete design, composite layout, and simulation of a simple integrated circuit using computer-aided design tools.

ECE 5720Analog Integrated Circuit Design (3.0), Sp-Even Years
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3110 AND Major Status
Meets with ECE/CS 6720. This course is an introduction to analog integrated circuit (IC) analysis and design. The course focuses on elementary single- and two- transistor stages commonly used in amplifiers, comparators, sample-and-hold circuits, etc. Students learn the fundamentals of feedback and electronic noise, and the basics of gm/ID design methodology. Design-oriented analysis techniques are covered to bridge the gap between analysis and design. Students perform simulation, design, and optimization using Cadence and Matlab.

ECE 5740Computer-Aided Design of Digital Circuits (3.0), Sp-Odd Years
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3700 AND Major Status
Meets with ECE/CS 6740. Introduction to theory and algorithms used for computer-aided synthesis of digital integrated circuits. Topics include algorithms and representations for Boolean optimization, hardware modeling, combinational logic optimization, sequential logic optimization, and technology mapping. Undergraduate students only.

ECE 5745Testing and Verification of Digital Circuits (3.0), F-Even Years
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3700 AND Major Status
Study of failure and fault models in digital circuits, stuck-at-faults, transition faults, transistor faults, combinational/sequential circuit ATPG, FSM testing, design fault test, LFSR and BIST, equivalence checking, BDDs, BMDs, canonical representations of Boolean functions.

ECE 5750Synthesis and Verification of Asynchronious VLSI Systems (3.0), F-Odd Years
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3700 AND Major Status
Meets with ECE/CS 6750. Introduction to systematic methods for the design of asynchronous VLSI systems from high-level specifications to efficient, reliable circuit implantations. Topics include specification, protocols, graphical representations, synthesis, optimization using timing information, and verification. Undergraduate students only.

ECE 5780Embedded System Design (4.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 3810 AND CS 4400 AND Major Status
Meets with CS/ECE 6780. Introduction to issues in embedded system design using microcontrollers. Topics include: microcontroller architecture, memory interfacing, serial and parallel I/O interfacing, analog interfacing, interrupt synchronization, and embedded software.

ECE 5785Advanced Embedded Software (3.0), F-Even Years
Prerequisite(s): C- or better in ECE 5780 AND Major Status
This course is about designing and implementing reliable and efficient embedded software, with a bias toward whole-system issues. Students must be proficient in C programming, and complete a number of embedded programming projects in C. The course covers topics including embedded software architectures, digital signal processing, feedback control, real-time scheduling, verification and validation, embedded network protocols, and issues in creating safety-critical embedded systems.

ECE 5830 – VLSI Architecture (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): C- or better ECE 3700 AND ECE 3810 AND Major Status
Meets with ECE/CS 6830. Project-based study of a variety of topics related to VLSI systems. Use of field-programmable gate arrays to design, implement, and test a VLSI project. Undergraduate students only.

ECE 6221 – Micromachining (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s):  Instructor Consent.
Meets with ECE 5221 and ME EN 5050.  Introduction to the principles of micromachining technologies. Topics include photolithography, silicon etching, thin film deposition and etching, electroplating,
polymer micromachining, and bonding techniques.  A weekly lab and a review of micromachining applications is included.  Graduate students only.  Extra work required.

ECE 6231 – Microsensor (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s):  MSE 3210
The Course Builds on ECE 5221/6221, Fundamentals of Micromachining. Topics include definitions, categorization and application fields of microsensors and actuatiors, an introductions to solid state physics, piezoresistive sensors, semiconductor-based temperature sensors, magnetoresistive sensors, thermoelectric sensors, photoelectric sensors, micro gas and fluid concentration sensors, molecular diagnostics arrays, and various actuators (Relays,  micromotors, inkjet printheads, micropumps), sensor packaging and assembly. Registration for a weekly lab (1) is required. Extra work required of graduate students.

ECE 6232 – Microsensor Lab (1.0), F
Prerequisite(s): ECE 5221 OR ECE 6221
Corequisite(s): ECE 6231
The lab is a compulsory section to the lecture Microsensors and Actuators (ECE 5231/6231) and builds on ECE 5221/6221, Fundamentals of Micromachining.  The lab will include the following topics: design and simulation of microsensors, process design, packaging and assembly, characterization and testing of microsensors.  The first part of the lab will focus on the acquirement of additional technological skills and understanding of sensor characteristics.  The second part of the lab will lead to the fabrication, characterization and presentation of a variety of fully functional microsensors. Examples of these are pressure, force, acceleration, and gas sensors. 

ECE 6261 –Physical Theory of Semiconductor Devices (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): MSE 3210 OR (ECE 3740 AND (ECE 3200 OR ECE 5201 OR MSE 5201)) OR Department Consent
Development of a thorough, working knowledge of the physics of semiconductor materials and devices, including quantum effects. Examination of advanced devices, including light emitting diodes, solar cells, detectors, and injection lasers.

ECE 6310 – Advanced Electromagnetic Fields (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): ECE 3300
Review of Maxwell’s macroscopic equations in integral and differential forms including boundary conditions, power and energy computations, and time-harmonic formulations. Macroscopic-electrical properties of matter. Oblique incidence planewave propagation and polarization in multi-layered media.  Separation of variable solutions of the wave equation in rectangular, cylindrical and spherical coordinates. Vector potential theory and the construction of solutions using Green’s theorem. Electromagnetic theorems of duality, uniqueness, reciprocity, reaction, and source equivalence. Waveguide, cavity, antenna, and scattering applications in rectangular, cylindrical, and spherical geometries. 

 

ECE 6340 – Numerical Techniques in Electromagnetics (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): ECE 3300 AND MATH 2210 AND MATH 2250
Meets with ECE 5340.  Review of basic numerical techniques including matrix methods and numerical methods for error minimization and convergence. Comparison of differential and integral formulations including finite difference, finite element, and moment methods. Emphasis on frequency domain method of moments and time domain finite difference (FDTD).  Computer exercises require Fortran, C, or equivalent programming and computerized data display techniques.  Graduate students only.  Extra work required.

ECE 6350 – Metamaterials and Advanced Antenna Theory (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): ECE 3300
Meets with ECE 5350. This course will include topics relevant to antenna design and current research in metamaterials. Students will complete projects based on these topics. Metamaterial topics may include: material parameter extraction, effective medium theory, resonant unit cell analysis, and unit cell coupling. Examples will be drawn from invisibility cloaking and negative index media. Antenna topics may include: complex antenna shapes, real array effects, co-located antenna interference, high-impedance ground-planes, and Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). Graduate students will have one additional project

ECE 6451 – Nonlinear Optics (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): “C-” or better in ECE 5410
Theoretical development and applications of nonlinear optical processes including harmonic generation, sum and difference frequency generation, parametric oscillation. Nonlinear refractive indices and multiphoton absorption.

ECE 6461 – Nanophotonics (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): ECE 3300 AND ECE 5410 OR Department Consent
This course surveys the broad field of nanophotonics.  Nanophotonics can be described by three conponents: nanoscale confinement of optical radiation, nanoscale confinement of matter, and nanoscale photo-processes.  Course topics include: photo-induced processes, near-field effects and microscopy, quantum-confined materials, plasmonics (interaction of light with metals), photonic crystals, nanocomposite materials, biomaterials, molecular nanomaterials, materials growth and characterization, and nanolithography.

ECE 6520 – Information Theory (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): ECE 5510 AND ECE 5520
Concept of information and uncertainty; source and channel models; entropy and its properties; relative entropy; mutual information; Shannon’s source coding theorem; the Asymptotic Equipartitioning Property (AEP); concepts of source codes; Huffman code; arithmetic coding; variable to fixed source codes; typical sequences; rate distortion theory; channel coding; Shannon’s channel coding theorem.

ECE 6530 – Digital Signal Processing (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): ECE 3500
Meets with ECE 5530.  Discrete-time signals and systems; the z-transform.  Input-output relationships; discrete-time networks.  The discrete-time Fourier transform and sampling; practical sampling issues; signal quantization.  The discrete Fourier transform, the fast Fourier transform, and high-speed convolution.  Filter design from analog models; impulse-invariant, bilinear and spectral transformations.  FIR filter design, windowing, and frequency-sampling methods.  Equiripple filter design.  Coefficient quantization.  Examples of DSP applications and implementations. Graduate students only. Extra work required.

ECE 6532 – Digital Image Processing (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): None
Introduction to image processing applications and image perception; light, color and the human visual system.  The gray-level histogram and intensity transformations.  Filtering in the spatial and frequency domains; 2D convolution and 2D Fourier Transform.  Image filtering: smoothing, sharpening and optimal image restoration with the Wiener filter.  Image reconstruction from projections; Computed Tomography (CT).  Wavelet transforms in 1 and 2 dimensions.  Image coding and compression.  Image analysis; morphological processing, edge detection and segmentation. 

ECE 6540 – Estimation Theory (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): ECE 5510 AND ECE 5530
Bayesian parameter estimation; unbiased estimators; minimum variance estimators. Sufficient statistics; maximum-likelihood estimation; the Cramer-Rao bound. Linear estimation; minimum-mean-square-error estimation and its geometrical interpretation. Wiener filtering; spectral factorization. Kalman filtering and state-space estimation.  Applications of estimation to practical problems including system identification and spectrum estimation.

ECE 6550 – Adaptive Filters (3.0), F</stro ng>
Prerequisite(s): ECE 5510 AND ECE 5530
Basics of minimum mean-square and least-squares estimation. Lattice orthogonalization. Stochastic gradient adaptive filters: derivations, performance analyses and variations. Recursive least-squares adaptive filters: fast algorithms, least-squares lattice filters, numerical issues, and performance comparisons with stochastic gradient adaptive filters.  Adaptive IIR filters. Fundamentals of adaptive nonlinear filtering. Selected applications.

ECE 6670 – Control of Electric Motors (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): ECE 3510
Meets with ECE 5670. Principles of operation, mathematical models, and control techniques for electric motors. Types of motors include brush DC motors, stepper motors, synchronous motors, induction motors, and brushless DC motors. Topics covered: steady-state and dynamic characteristics, torque limits and field weakening operation, characteristics under voltage and current sources, open-loop and closed-loop control of position and velocity, and field-oriented operation for AC motors. Graduate students only. Extra work.

ECE 6710 – Digital VLSI Design (4.0), F
Prerequisite(s): ECE 3700 OR CS 3700
Basic concepts of the design of digital CMOS integrated circuits.  Course topics include static and dynamic properties of MOS circuits, composite layout of CMOS circuits, modeling of transistors for simulation, and commonly encountered CMOS circuit structures.   Students complete design, composite layout, and simulation of a simple integrated circuit using computer-aided design tools.

ECE 6730 – Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit Design (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): “C-” or better in ECE 6720 OR Instructor Consent.
Covers the design and analysis of radio frequency integrated circuits.  Fundamental concepts such as nonlinearity, modulation and upconversion are covered.  Transceiver architectures are discussed, followed by a detailed examination of the constituent components such as LNAs, PAs, mixers oscillators, and frequency synthesizers. It is recommended that you take ECE 6720 before enrolling in this course.

ECE 6780 – Embedded System Design  (4.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): None
Meets with ECE/CS 5780.  Introduction to issues in embedded system design using microcontrollers.  Topics include: microcontroller architecture, memory interfacing, serial and parallel I/O interfacing, analog interfacing, interrupt synchronization, and embedded software. Graduate students only.  Extra work required.

ECE 6810 – Computer Architecture (3.0), F, Sp
Prerequisite(s): ECE 3810 OR CS 3810
Principles of modern high-performance computer and micro architecture; static vs. dynamic issues, pipelining, control and data hazards, branch prediction and correlation, cache structure and policies, cost performance and physical complexity analyses.

ECE 6950 – Special Topics (1.0-12.0), Sp, Su
Prerequisite(s): Instructor’s Consent

ECE 7310 – Advanced Topics in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (3.0), Sp
Prerequisite(s): Graduate Status in Electrical and Computer Engineering AND Instructor’s Consent.
In-depth study of physics and mathematics of MR imaging and MR spectroscopy as they relate to the imaging of biologic systems: NMR physics, Block’s equations, pulse sequences, flow and diffusion phenomena, spectroscopy principles, methodology. Laboratory.

ECE 7320 – 3-D Reconstruction Techniques in Medical Imaging (3.0), F
Prerequisite(s): Graduate Status in Electrical and Computer Engineering AND Instructor’s Consent.
The course focuses on the problem of three-dimensional (3D) image reconstruction from line integrals, which constitute a mathematical model of measurements in computed tomography (CT), and particularly x-ray computed tomography. Analytical and iterative reconstruction methods are investigated for various geometries of data acquisition.  A critical goal is to provide the student with the essential tools required to understand papers on tomographic image reconstruction, from x-ray CT to emission CT, and also with a clear understanding of how efficient and accurate reconstruction algorithms are designed, using the Fourier slice theorem and back projection techniques. MATLAB laboratories and a computer project are given in support of the theory.

Note: These lists are provided as a guide to our class offerings. They do not guarantee that any class will be offered. Prerequisites, course material, credit weights, and semester offerings are subject to change at any time.

You can view current course offerings for upcoming semesters by visiting the University of Utah Class Catalog for the appropriate semester:
Spring 2021
Summer 2021
Fall 2021

ECE Course Websites

Spring 2017 Semester Course Websites

ECE 5324/6324 – Antenna Theory and Design
ECE 6910/7910 – Graduate Seminar

Fall 2017 Semester Course Websites

ECE 5350/6350 – Metamaterials and Advanced Antenna Theory
ECE 6900/7900 – Graduate Seminar

Course Numbering System

X2xx = Micro/Nanosystems
X3xx = Electromagnetics
X4xx = Optics
X5xx = Signal Processing/Communication
X6xx = Power
X7xx and x8xx = Computer Engineering
X9xx = Seminars or Temporary Course Numbers (courses taught first or second time)