Students

ELEC8870 – High Performance IC Design

2025 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convener
Jafar Shojaii
jafar.shojaii@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
3 Innovation Road, SiP Lab
Based on appointment
Tutor
Andrea Mazzanti
andrea.mazzanti@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
30cp at 3000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

From modern telecommunications to tablet computing and from mobile handsets to the cloud, the limits of integrated circuit technology are being pushed to the limits of what is possible in terms of speed, size, and power. Beyond the IC itself, packaging concerns, both electrical and thermal, provide additional constraints in the design of the modern high performance integrated circuit. This unit will be taught from the research of both resident and visiting staff as well as from the latest research around the world.

Learning in this unit enhances student understanding of global challenges identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) Quality Education; Affordable and Clean Energy; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Develop an understanding of different semiconductor technologies
  • ULO2: Develop proficiency in using standard electronic design automation (EDA) tools for IC design
  • ULO3: Perform integrated circuit (IC) design in a commercially used semiconductor technology
  • ULO4: Develop an understanding of the technical concept required for implementing various high frequency on-chip active and passive circuits 
  • ULO5: Demonstrate self-learning, time-management, technical report writing, project management (individually and as a group)

General Assessment Information

Grading and passing requirement for unit

In order to pass this unit a student must obtain a mark of 50 or more for the unit (i.e. obtain a passing grade P/CR/D/HD).

For further details about grading, please refer below in the policies and procedures section.

Hurdle Requirements

There are no hurdle requirements.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty 

From 1 July 2022, Students enrolled in Session based units with written assessments will have the following university standard late penalty applied. Please see https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/assessments for more information. 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of '0' will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern. 

For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.  

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Final examination 50% No during final exam period
Project report 30% No week 10
Design Presentation 20% No week 13

Final examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 60 hours
Due: during final exam period
Weighting: 50%

 

Final examination held in the formal exam period.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Develop an understanding of different semiconductor technologies
  • Develop an understanding of the technical concept required for implementing various high frequency on-chip active and passive circuits 

Project report

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: week 10
Weighting: 30%

 

Project report capturing design works

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Develop proficiency in using standard electronic design automation (EDA) tools for IC design
  • Perform integrated circuit (IC) design in a commercially used semiconductor technology
  • Develop an understanding of the technical concept required for implementing various high frequency on-chip active and passive circuits 
  • Demonstrate self-learning, time-management, technical report writing, project management (individually and as a group)

Design Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 21 hours
Due: week 13
Weighting: 20%

 

Powerpoint or other suitable format presentation on the final design task.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Develop proficiency in using standard electronic design automation (EDA) tools for IC design
  • Perform integrated circuit (IC) design in a commercially used semiconductor technology
  • Develop an understanding of the technical concept required for implementing various high frequency on-chip active and passive circuits 
  • Demonstrate self-learning, time-management, technical report writing, project management (individually and as a group)

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

The unit will be delivered through information provided in iLEARN

 

Unit Schedule

Refer to iLearn and lecture notes for the unit schedule.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2025.04 of the Handbook