525.634.8VL - High Speed Digital Design

Course Structure

The course materials are divided into modules which can be accessed by clicking Course Modules on the course menu. A module will have several sections including the overview, content, readings, discussions, and assignments. You are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. Most modules run for a period of seven (7) days, exceptions are noted in the Course Outline. You should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.

Course Topics

• Signal Integrity and Signal Composition
• Electromagnetic Fundamentals for Signal integrity
• Electromagnetic Wave Propagation
• Impedance of Electrical Models
• Ideal Transmission - Line Fundamentals and Line Reflection
• Crosstalk
  
• Differential Signaling
• Simulating Crosstalk and Differential Signaling
• Lossy Lines
• I/O Circuits and Analysis
• Waveshaping and Equalization

Course Goals

This course is intended to prepare the student to understand the fundamentals of high speed signal propagation in circuits and cables. Students successfully completing this course should be able to apply this knowledge to determine where signal integrity issues may arise, how to prevent such problems, and how to solve problems of poor signal integrity when they arise in practice.

Textbooks

Bogatin, E. (2018). Signal and power integrity (3rd ed.). Prentice Hall

ISBN: 9780134513416

Other Materials & Online Resources

The following are optional books:

Sadiku, M. (2018). Elements of electromagnetics (7th ed.). Oxford University Press.

ISBN13: 9780190698614

Hall, S.M. & Heck, H.L. (2009). Advanced signal integrity for high-speed digital designs. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

ISBN: 978-0-470-19235-1

Required Software

ADS (Advanced Design System)

You will be provided with more information about how to access ADS later. A license is provided at no cost to you, through JHU.

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that each module will take approximately 7–10 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown: reading the assigned sections of the texts (approximately 3–4 hours per week) as well as some outside reading, listening to the audio annotated slide presentations (approximately 2–3 hours per week), and writing assignments (approximately 2–3 hours per week).

This course will consist of the following basic student requirements:

Preparation and Participation (15% of Final Grade Calculation)

You are responsible for carefully reading all assigned material and being prepared for discussion. The majority of readings are from the course text. Additional reading may be assigned to supplement text readings.

Post your response to the discussion questions by the evening of day 7 for that module week.

You are encouraged to interact with your classmates by responding/commenting on some of their postings. Be detailed in your postings and in your responses to your classmates' postings. Feel free to agree or disagree with your classmates. Please ensure that your postings are civil and constructive.

I will monitor module discussions and will respond to some of the discussions as discussions are posted. In some instances, I will summarize the overall discussions and post the summary for the module.

Evaluation of preparation and participation is based on contribution to discussions.

Preparation and participation is evaluated by the following grading elements:

Timeliness (50%)

Critical Thinking (50%)

Assignments (35% of Final Grade Calculation)

Assignments will include a mix of qualitative assignments (e.g. literature reviews, model summaries), quantitative problem sets, and case study updates. Include a cover sheet with your name and assignment identifier. Also include your name and a page number indicator (i.e., page x of y) on each page of your submissions. Each problem should have the problem statement, assumptions, computations, and conclusions/discussion delineated. All Figures and Tables should be captioned and labeled appropriately.

All assignments are due according to the dates in the Calendar.

Late submissions are not accepted. Please communicate with the instructor in advance if you think you will not be able to meet any of the deadlines.

Course Project (20% of Final Grade Calculation)

A course project will be assigned several weeks into the course. The last week will be devoted to the course project.

The course project is evaluated by the following grading elements:

1. Student preparation and participation (as described in Course Project Description)
2. Student technical understanding of the course project topic (as related to individual role that the student assumes and described in the Course Project Description)

Exams (30% of Final Grade Calculation, combined from 20% for Midterm and 10% for Quizzes)

The midterm exam will be available in Module 8. The exam is open book, open notes exam.

Students will be given two and half hours to complete the exam. A period of 48 hours (from Friday 8pm to Sunday 8pm)) will be given for students to complete the exam. The exam has to be completed in one setting within three hours of the time a student opens it.

Two quizzes will be given in two modules (Module 10 and Module 12), with similar setup as the Midterm (open-book, specific time frame, etc.). Quiz 1 (5% of total grade) will be added to Module 10 to assess students’ understanding and synthesis of the materials covered in Module 7 and Module 9. Quiz 2 (5% of total grade) will be added to Module 12 to assess students’ understanding and synthesis of the materials covered in Module 10 and Module 11.

Grading Policy

Assignments are due according to the dates posted in your Canvas course site. You may check these due dates in the Course Calendar or the Assignments in the corresponding modules. I will post grades within two weeks after assignment due dates.

We generally do not directly grade spelling and grammar. However, egregious violations of the rules of the English language will be noted without comment. Consistently poor performance in either spelling or grammar is taken as an indication of poor written communication ability that may detract from your grade.

A grade of A indicates achievement of consistent excellence and distinction throughout the course—that is, conspicuous excellence in all aspects of assignments and discussion in every week.

A grade of B indicates work that meets all course requirements on a level appropriate for graduate academic work. These criteria apply to both undergraduates and graduate students taking the course.

EP uses a +/- grading system (see “Grading System”, Graduate Programs catalog, p. 10).

100-98 = A+
97-94 = A
93-90 = A−
89-87 = B+
86-83 = B
82-80 = B−
79-77 = C+
76-73 = C
72-70 = C−
69-67 = D+
66-63 = D

Course Evaluation

Final grades will be determined by the following weighting:

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.