Analog Circuits Laboratory

Course Overview

This laboratory course accompanies the Analog Circuits theory course. It gives students hands-on experience building and testing analog circuits with discrete components, alongside SPICE-based simulation of the same circuits using open-source tools.

Course Outcomes

• CO1 — Design and demonstrate the functioning of basic analog circuits using discrete components.
• CO2 — Design and simulate the functioning of basic analog circuits using simulation tools.
• CO3 — Conduct troubleshooting of a given circuit and analyze it.

Internal Exam Preparation

The following notes and tutorial are meant to be worked through in order ahead of the lab internal examination. They build up from transistor bias to the amplifier configurations and frequency response used across the lab experiments, ending in a self-assessment tutorial with solutions.

1. Understanding Bias, the Q-Point, and Operating Regions — how a resting operating point is set on a common-emitter stage, and what cutoff, forward-active, and saturation mean for it.
2. Large-Signal and Small-Signal Models of a CE Stage — separating DC bias analysis from the small-signal (hybrid-π) model built around the Q-point.
3. BJT Bias Circuits and the Three Basic Amplifier Configurations — common bias circuits and the gain/input/output resistance of CE, CB, and CC stages.
4. Tutorial: Transistor Bias, Amplifiers, and Frequency Response — 30 questions (20 theory/viva, 10 numerical) spanning bias, small-signal models, amplifier configurations, cascade/cascode stages, RC-coupled frequency response, and Class A/B power amplifiers.
5. Tutorial Solutions — theory pointers and worked numericals for all 30 questions.

Part A — Hardware Experiments (any six mandatory)

1. RC integrating and differentiating circuits
2. Diode clipping and clamping circuits
3. CE amplifier — design for a specific voltage gain
4. CS MOSFET amplifier — design for a specific voltage gain
5. Cascaded amplifier (CE–CE) — design for a specific voltage gain
6. Cascode amplifier — design for a specific voltage gain
7. Feedback amplifiers (current-series and voltage-series)
8. RC oscillators — RC phase-shift or Wien bridge oscillator
9. Power amplifiers (transformer-less) — class B and class AB
10. Transistor series voltage regulator, with and without short-circuit protection

Part B — Simulation Experiments (any six mandatory)

Conducted using open-source tools such as QUCS, KiCad, LTspice, or other SPICE variants — the same ten experiments as Part A, simulated rather than built on hardware.

Textbooks

• David A. Bell, Electronic Devices and Circuits, Oxford University Press, 5th edition, 2008
• D. Meganathan, Electronic Circuits Analysis and Design 1, Yes Dee Publishing, 1st edition, 2023

Grading (CIE — 50 marks)

Component	Marks
Attendance	5
Preparation / pre-lab work, viva, and timely completion of lab reports (continuous assessment)	25
Internal Examination	20

Grading (ESE — 50 marks)

Component	Marks
Procedure / preparatory work / design / algorithm	10
Conduct of experiment / execution / troubleshooting	15
Result with valid inference / quality of output	10
Viva voce	10
Record	5

Students are admitted to the End Semester Examination only upon submitting a duly certified lab record, endorsed by the external examiner.

Schedule

Week	Date	Topic	Materials
1	Jul 16	RC Circuits and Diode Circuits Hardware: RC integrating and differentiating circuits. Simulation: transient analysis of RC integrating/differentiating circuits with different inputs and frequency response.	Lab Syllabus Lab Report Instructions Lab Report Instructions (LaTeX source)
2	Jul 23	Diode Clipping and Clamping Hardware and simulation: diode clipping and clamping circuits — transient and transfer characteristics.
3	Jul 30	CE Amplifier Hardware: design and testing of a CE amplifier. Simulation: CE amplifier designed for a specific voltage gain, with frequency response characteristics.
4	Aug 6	CS MOSFET Amplifier Hardware and simulation: CS MOSFET amplifier designed for a specific voltage gain, with frequency response characteristics.
5	Aug 13	Cascaded and Cascode Amplifiers Hardware and simulation: cascaded (CE-CE) and cascode amplifiers, each designed for a specific voltage gain, with frequency response characteristics.
6	Aug 20	Feedback Amplifiers Hardware and simulation: current-series and voltage-series feedback amplifiers designed for a specific voltage gain, with frequency response characteristics.
7	Aug 27	RC Oscillators Hardware and simulation: RC phase-shift or Wien bridge oscillator.
8	Sep 3	Power Amplifiers Hardware and simulation: transformer-less power amplifiers — class B and class AB.
9	Sep 10	Voltage Regulator Hardware and simulation: transistor series voltage regulator, designed for a specific output voltage with and without short-circuit protection; load and line regulation characteristics plotted.
10	Sep 17	Consolidation and Record Completion Completion of pending experiments from Part A and Part B, and finalization of lab records.
11	Sep 24	Internal Examination (Tentative) Tentative date for the lab internal examination — preparation, conduct of experiments, viva, and timely completion of records are assessed. Unlike the theory courses, the lab does not follow the fixed series-exam schedule, so this date is subject to change.	1. Notes: Understanding Bias, the Q-Point, and Operating Regions 2. Notes: Large-Signal and Small-Signal Models of a CE Stage 3. Notes: BJT Bias Circuits and the Three Basic Amplifier Configurations 4. Tutorial: Transistor Bias, Amplifiers, and Frequency Response (30 Questions) 5. Tutorial Solutions
12	Oct 1	Revision Revision and troubleshooting practice, and finalization of the lab record.