Using Transistor Roles in Teaching CMOS Integrated Circuits

CMOS integrated circuit analysis and design is a fast paced field which deals with many advanced technologies and a difficult skill for many students in a comprehensive first course in Microelectronics. New methods and techniques to help novices learn are needed. In this paper the transistor role concept is used and common individual CMOS transistor roles are identified. Typical circuit and block symbols have been used and some new symbols are defined. Roles of transistors capture expert electronics engineers tacit knowledge in a way that can be explicitly taught to students; therefore, roles should be taught to students in order to distinguish different transistor configurations in an integrated circuit. The use of roles and role-based circuit analysis and design is also expected to facilitate the teaching of circuit analysis and synthesis. Key-Words: CMOS transistors, CMOS circuits, MOS amplifiers, transistor roles, Microelectronics, Macroelectronics, teaching, engineering education.