Measurement Techniques and Instrumentation

Code:

F4032

Acronym:

F4032

Level:

400

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Physics

Instance: 2016/2017 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Physics and Astronomy
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
M:AST	0	Plano de Estudos oficial desde_2013/14	1	-	6	49	162
			2
M:F	4	Official Study Plan	1	-	6	49	162
M:FM	7	Study plan since 2013/2014	1	-	6	49	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

This course seeks the development of the student’s ability to design and implement measurement systems and instrumentation, enabling the acquisition of skills for professional activity in scientific or industrial environment, or even pursuing more advanced studies. To achieve these, the student will learn: the general concepts and structures of the measurement process, as well as fundamental techniques and instrumentation; the operating principles and characteristics of major types of sensing elements (transducers) and on signal conditioning elements; gain knowledge on signal conditioning and instrumentation; study the origin and characteristics of the noise sources affecting measurement systems and instrumentation, and techniques used to minimize their effects;  assess the factors that determine the integration of the various blocks that constitute a measurement system; working principles of advanced instrumentation and measuring principles.

Learning outcomes and competences

 

• Knowledge of factors conditioning the process of measurement.
• Ability to design and implement measurement systems and instrumentation;
• Skills to work in a science experiment or an industrial environment.
• knowledge in the area of structural instrumentation targeting measurement processes, enabling the acquisition of skills for professional activity in the area, or proceeding to more advanced studies.

 

Working method

Presencial

Program

1) Structure of a Generic System of Measurement.
2) Common instrumentation transducers. Advanced optical and magnetic transducers.
3) Static Characteristics of Measurement Systems; error measurement and generic techniques for its reduction. 
4) Dynamic characteristics of 1st and 2nd order measurement systems: dynamic error and techniques for its minimization.
5) Signal Conditioning: most common electronic circuits.
6) Load effects; propagation of signals and interferences along the system’s blocks.
7) Noise: types, classification, and statistical properties; Wiener Kintchine theorem; extrinsic and intrinsic and its coupling to electronic circuits; Johnson, 1/f, shot noises. SNR optimization.
8) Advanced instrumentation: boxcar; lock-in, spectrum analyzers;
9) Analogue and Digital Signal Processing; sampling and voltage analogue to digital conversion; micro-controllers.  

Mandatory literature

Bentley John P.; Principles of measurement systems. ISBN: 0-582-30543-8

Complementary Bibliography

Fraden Jacob; Handbook of modern sensors. ISBN: 1-56396-538-0
Davies E. R.; Electronics, noise and signal recovery. ISBN: 0-12-206131-4
Connor F. R.; Noise. ISBN: 0-7131-3306-6
Johnson Gary W.; LabVIEW graphical programming. ISBN: 0-07-032692-4

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theorectical lectures, and supervised problem solving tasks / discussion in context
The course proposes the study of a broad set of signal transduction devices that should be part of the base knowledge of future specialists developing their work with a strong instrumentation component, such as in industrial environments, or scientific research. Fundamental topics on noise in electronic systems that are absent in previous electronics UC are addressed in a consistent and contextualized approach. The programatic contents also review the knowledge previously acquired in electronics, signals and systems, statistics UCs, using an integrating approach, directed to the development, characterization and optimization of measuring systems solutions and electronic instrumentation. Measuring systems are studied from the base signal transduction  up to the generation of a final response, including errors estimation derived from either interference processes, and/or from system intrinsic  noise sources.

Software

Scilab
Matlab

keywords

Physical sciences > Physics > Applied physics > Experimental physics
Physical sciences > Physics > Electronics > Applied electronics
Physical sciences > Physics > Metrology

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	100,00
Total:	100,00

Calculation formula of final grade

written exam mark