Center for Magnetic Recording Research

Course Curricula

ECE 146. Introduction to Magnetic Recording (4)
A laboratory introduction to the writing and reading of digital information in a disk drive. Basic magnetic recording measurements on state-of-art disk drives to evaluate signals, noise, erasure, and non-linearities that characterize this channel. Lectures on the recording process will allow comparison of measurements with basic voltage expressions. E/M FEM software utilized to study geometric effects on the record and play transducers. One hour of lecture, three hours of laboratory. Prerequisite: ECE 107 with a grade of C- or better. (W) N. Bertram

ECE 246A. Materials for Magnetic Recording (4)
Properties of magnetic materials utilized as magnetic recording media and heads; magnetic structure of oxides and metals; fine particle magnetism: micromagnetic analysis; hysteresis and reversal mechanisms of hard materials; dynamic processes and domain patterns of soft materials; thermal fluctuations; multilayer phenomena: giant magnetoresistance. Prerequisites: undergraduate electromagnetism and solid state physics or consent of instructor. (alternate years) H.L. Luo, N. Bertram

ECE 246B. Analysis of the Magnetic Recording Process (4)
In-depth analysis of the magnetic recording process. Magnetic fields and Fourier transforms of fields and magnetized media and heads; playback process for single and multiple transitions. Reciprocity theorem for inductive and magnetoresistive heads; record process modeling; interferences and nonlinearities; medium noise mechanisms and correlations; signal to noise ratios. Prerequisites: undergraduate electromagnetic theory and mathematical methods or consent of instructor. (alternate years) N. Bertram

ECE 246C. Magnetic Recording Laboratory (4)
Basic measurements in magnetic recording. Fields and Fourier transforms of head structures using resistance paper measurements and computer analysis; inductance and B-H loop measurements of recording heads and core materials; recording system calibration and magnetization pattern investigation utilizing spectral measurements (FFT). Prerequisites: ECE 246B and laboratory experience. (alternate years) N. Bertram

ECE 101. Linear Systems Fundamentals (4)
Complex variables. Singularities and residues. Signal and system analysis in continuous and discrete time. Fourier series and transforms. Laplace and z-transforms. Linear Time Invariant Systems. Impulse response, frequency response, and transfer functions. Poles and zeros. Stability. Convolution. Sampling. Aliasing. Three hours of lecture, one hour of discussion. Prerequisites: Math. 20A-B-C or 21C, 20D or 21D, 20F, ECE 60B and 60L or ECE 53A and 53B with grades of C- or better. (F,W) K. Zeger, P. Siegel

ECE 259A. Algebraic Coding (4)
Fundamentals of block codes, introduction to groups, rings and finite fields, nonbinary codes, cyclic codes such as BCH and RS codes, decoding algorithms, applications. Three hours of lecture. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (F) J. Wolf or P. Siegel

ECE 259B. Trellis-Coded Modulation (4)
Coding theory developed from the viewpoint of digital communications engineering, information theoretic limits for basic channel models, convolutional codes, maximum-likelihood decoding, Ungerboeck codes, codes based on lattices and cosets, rotational invariance, performance evaluation, applications of modem design. Three hours of lecture. Prerequisites: ECE 154A-B-C, ECE 259A or 259AN, or consent of instructor. (W) P. Siegel

ECE 259C. Advanced Coding and Modulation for Digital Communications (4)
Advanced coding and modulation techniques for bandwidth-efficient data transmission and recording; constellation shaping by regions, Voronoi constellations, shell mapping, coding for intersymbol-interference channels, precoding methods, multilevel coding; coding for fading channels, applications to wireline and wireless communications, digital recording. Three hours of lecture. Prerequisites: ECE 259A-B or 259AN-BN. (S) P. Siegel

MAE 150. Computer-Aided Design (4)
(Formerly AMES 158—Computer-Aided Analysis and Design) Design methodology, tolerance analysis, Monte Carlo analysis, kinematics and computer-aided design of linkages, numerical calculations of moments of inertia, design of cams and cam dynamics; finite element analysis, design using Pro-E, Mechanica Motion and Mechanica Structures. Prerequisites: grade of C- or better in MAE 130A or BENG 110 and MAE 107.

MAE 291. Design and Mechanics in Computer Technology (4)
Design and mechanics problems inherent in computer peripherals such as disk files, tape drives, and printers. Formulation and solution of problems involving mechanics, fluid mechanics, and materials; Reynolds equation, slider bearings; friction and wear; actuator design, impact printing; silicon fluid jets. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

MAE 292. Computer-Aided Design and Analysis (4)
Introduction to 2-D and 3-D computer-aided design. Design problems may include: ball bearing kinematics, Weibull statistics, non-repeatable spindle run-out, four bar linkages, beam deflection and vibration, design of magnetic head suspension, hydrodynamic theory of lubrication, air bearings, heat transfer, optical servo, design of ink jet print head. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

ECE 154A. Communications Systems I (4)
Study of analog modulation systems including AM, SSB, DSB, VSB, FM, and PM. Performance analysis of both coherent and noncoherent receivers, including threshold effects in FM. Three hours of lecture, one hour of discussion. Prerequisite: ECE 153 with a grade of C- or better. (F) L. Milstein

ECE 154B. Communications Systems II (4)
Design and performance analysis of digital modulation techniques, including probability of error results for PSK, DPSK, and FSK. Introduction to effects of intersymbol interference and fading. Detection and estimation theory, including optimal receiver design and maximum-likelihood parameter estimation. Three hours of lecture, one hour of discussion. Prerequisite: ECE 154A with a grade of C- or better. (W) L. Milstein

ECE 154C. Communications Systems III (4)
Introduction to information theory and coding, including entropy, average mutual information, channel capacity, block codes and convolutional codes. Three hours of lecture, one hour of discussion. Prerequisite: ECE 154B with a grade of C- or better. (S) L. Milstein

ECE 155A. Digital Recording Systems (4)
This course will be concerned with modulation and coding techniques for digital recording channels. Three hours of lecture. Prerequisites: ECE 109 and 153 with grades of C- or better and concurrent registration in ECE 154A required. Department stamp required. (F) J. Wolf

ECE 155B-C. Digital Recording Projects (4-4)
These courses will be concerned with modulation and coding techniques for digital recording channels. In winter and spring quarters, students will perform experiments and/or computer simulations. One hour lecture, four hours of laboratory. Prerequisites: ECE 109 and 153 with grades of C- or better and concurrent registration in ECE 154B-C required. Department stamp required. (W,S) J. Wolf

ECE 255A. Information Theory (4)
Introduction to basic concepts, source coding theorems, capacity, noisy-channel coding theorem. Three hours of lecture. Prerequisite: ECE 154A-B-C or consent of instructor. (F) Staff

ECE 258A. Digital Communication (4-4)

Digital communication theory including performance of various modulation techniques, effects of inter-symbol interference, adaptive equalization, spread spectrum communication. Prerequisites: ECE 154A-B-C and ECE 254 or consent of instructor. (W,S) L. Milstein