Page 55 - The Art and Science of Analog Circuit Design

Analog Design Productivity and the Challenge of Creating Future Generations of Analog Engineers

Technology (now moves to Shibaura Institute Technology) pointed out
that the criminal of disappearance of radio boy is spread of LSI into elec-
tronics. LSI is quite a "black box" and to look into a package of LSI can
never stimulate his curiosity! Therefore, in most university, professors are
gradually increasing a percentage of basic experiments in their curricu-
lum such as assembling a simple transistor circuits using a solder iron
after designing it himself with a SPICE simulator. The author's experi-
ence shows that most student are attracted by these type of experiments.
The author believes that to increase "radio boy" is one of the most
efficient means to increase good analog circuit engineers and it is an ur-
gent matter for creating next generation analog engineer. Therefore it is
very important to create system which inspire young people to be inter-
esting in real electronics world. We must pay our effort to looking for
such a system.

Conclusion

The author describes several problems with respect to the analog circuits
technologies in Japan, design productivities, challenge to creation and
how hand them down to the next generations. Potential analog circuits
engineer are decreasing here. But it should be stressed that analog circuit
technologies are always necessary in the wave front region of electronics
technologies, therefore the key technologies to develop much higher
performance digital system and much high frequency circuits. So we
must make as many younger peoples as possible to be interesting in
learning analog technologies.

Acknowledgment

The author acknowledges Dr. Minoru Nagata at the Central Research
Laboratory of Hitachi Ltd. for his encouragement and valuable advice.
Thanks are also due to Professor Ken Yanagisawa, Professor Nobuo Fujii
and Dr. Nagata for the permission to cite their opinions and discussions.

References

1. K. Sekine, "Creation and Hand down of Analog Circuit Technology Part 1," Journal of
IEICE73 (Sep. 1990): 1009-1010.
2. K. Yanagisawa, "Creation and Hand down of Analog Circuit Technology Part 2,"
Journal of 1EICE 73 (Sep. 1990): 1010-1011.
3. M. Nagata, "Creation and Hand down of Analog Circuit Technology Part 3," Journal
0/IEICE73 (Sep. 1990): 1012-1015.

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