Lecturer: Enrico Dallago   Sabina Merlo  

Course name: Complementi di elettronica di potenza e MEMS
Course code: 502991
Degree course: Ingegneria Elettrica
Disciplinary field of science: ING-INF/01
The course relates to:
University credits: CFU 12
Course website: http://ims.unipv.it/MEMS/

Specific course objectives

The part of the course relative to Power Electronics provide specific knowledge on the application of power semiconductors and on the design of power electronic converters.
The part of the course relative to MEMS represents a general introduction to microelectromechanical systems.

Course programme

Program of the part relative to Power Electronics

Semiconductor Devices
Working principles of power semiconductor devices, temperature control, protection and packaging. Discrete and integrated driving circuits. Series and parallel connections of diodes and SCRs. Semiconductor modules. Innovative semiconductor components. Power integrated circuits.

AC/DC Converters: rectifiers
Three-phase diode and SCR rectifiers. Topologies with interphase transformer. Characteristics of three-phase transformers used in rectifier circuits. Conversion efficiency of a rectifier. DC side voltage harmonics and AC side current harmonic. DC side and Ac side filters. Voltage dips. Bidirectional converters.

High power DC-DC converters (Chopper)
SCR based and GTO based choppers. The chopper converter in motor drives.

Switched mode power supplies (SMPS)
Linear power supplies vs. switched mode power supplies. Soft switching techniques. Resonant and quasi resonant converters. Switched capacitor converters. Applications.

Inverters
Three-phase inverter. Voltage source and current source inverters. Voltage and frequency regulation. Space vector modulation. High frequency inverters.

Principles of reliability

Program of the part relative to MEMS
The principle of operation of linear accelerometers, resonators, gyroscopes, pressure sensors are described. A detailed analysis of electrostatic actuators is carried on. The basic elements of MEMS fabrication are described. MOEMS are then reviewed, in particular with regard to micromirrors for laser scanning and optical switches. Electrical and optical methods for device chracterization are illustrated. Electronic interfaces for MEMS devices are discussed. Biomedical applications such as Lab-on-chip are also covered. Specific seminars are proposed each year.

Course entry requirements

Course structure and teaching

Lectures (hours/year in lecture theatre): 75
Practical class (hours/year in lecture theatre): 30
Practicals / Workshops (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0

Suggested reading materials

P. Ray-Choudhory . MEMS e MOEMS, Technology and Applications. SPIE Press.

Testing and exams

With regard to the part of the course relative to MEMS, each student has to attend more than 70% of the lectures. If the final examination is held immediately at the end of the course, it may consist of a revision and presentation of the content of a paper related to MEMS/MOEMS/Microsystems, recently published on international scientific journals. Otherwise, the final oral examination will cover all the material discussed in the course.