02126 - Electronic Measurements

Learning outcomes

The student will be able to identify and evaluate the effects of non-idealities in electronic measurement circuits and instruments, with the aim of consciously work with them. The student will also learn the basis of modern metrology, which will help him in understanding and share experimental measurement results with the research and industrial communities.
Specifically, the student will get the following skills:
- knowledge of the basic behavior of modern instrumentation, with particular insight on sampling-instruments;
- ability to estimate the uncertainty of a measurement and evaluate it;
- knowledge of the standard regulations on the expression of uncertainty and measurement results;
- ability to design and perform a complex measurement task;
- ability to design and program remote measurement systems.

Course contents

1 - Metrology foundations

• basic foundations (measurement units, metrological traceability, calibration ... )
• the measurement process
• uncertainty as defined in GUM-JCGM
• the law of propagation of uncertainty
• traceability chain

2- A/D and D/A conversion

• general theory (quantization, codes, non-linearity, ENOB)
• non-idealities in A/D converters
• ADC architectures (flash, counter ADC, integration ADC, SAR)
• DAC architectures

3- Metrological characterization of electronic components

• introduction to electronic noise
• static characterization
• dynamic characterization

4- Foundations of electronic measurements

• voltage and current measurements
• burden voltage
• range, resolution, and sensitivity
• 2 and 4 wire measurements
• passive and active probes

5- Digital instruments

• - DMM digial multi-meter
• - DSO digital storage oscilloscope
• - analog spectrum anlyzer
• - digital spectrum analysis

6- Lab experiences

• design of measurement processes
• realization of real measurements
• usage of basic instrumentations
• design and programming of automatic measurement
• systems
• exercises on the evaluation of uncertainty

Readings/Bibliography

R. B. Northrop, "Introduction to Instrumentation and Measurements", Taylor & Francis, 2005.

"Evaluation of measurement data - Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement", Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology (JCGM/WG1), 2008.

"The Data Conversion Handbook", Analog Devices, 2004

 

 

New readings in english will be soon available. 

Teaching methods

Front lessons and exercises in laboratory. 

Assessment methods

Oral examination

Office hours

See the website of Marco Crescentini