Physique et structures de données pour les technologies de l'information

The course, corresponding to 5 ECTS, is divided into two main parts.

Firstly, the "Applied Physics" part, corresponding to 4 ECTS, deals with electromagnetism in the broadest sense and its applications in the field of information technology. It covers, among others:
— signal theory, including spectral analysis, applied to time-domain signals and imaging, with notions of acoustics, electromagnetic waves and optics, including elements of microscopy and telecommunications;
— electricity and electronics, including circuits, filters, semiconductor materials, electronic components, logic and digital gates; and
— light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and their use as light sources, including critical reflection on sustainable development and environmental impact.

Secondly, the "Data Structures" part, corresponding to 1 ECTS, covers databases and their structures.

This course contributes to the "Energy pathway" of the "Teaching Sustainable Development @ SBS-EM," which aims to provide integrated teaching in sustainability.
 

— To finely understand spectral analysis and apply it, especially in the modelling of physical phenomena and in data and signal processing.
— To be able to demonstrate the link between some fundamental properties of mathematics and physics, and several of their implications in information technology.
— To be able to explain the main properties of basic electronic circuits used in signal processing; create and characterise such circuits.
— To understand database structures and to master related basic concepts.
— To critically analyse the sustainability and the environmental impact of innovative technologies as they emerge, such as the light-emitting diode (LED).

Required and Corequired knowledge and skills

The following concepts must be acquired:
— logarithms;
— complex numbers;
— elementary analysis of electrical circuits (Kirchhoff's laws).

Required and corequired courses

The "Applied Physics" part, in French, includes
— 24 hours of theoretical lectures;
— 18 hours of guided exercise sessions;
— 12 hours of practical laboratory work.

The "Data Structures" part, in English, corresponds to
— 12 hours of theoretical lectures.

The course is taught over two quadrimesters.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

References are specified during the courses.

Course notes

• Syllabus
• Université virtuelle
• Podcast

Contacts

Jérôme DOHET-ERALY (Jerome.Dohet-Eraly@ulb.be)

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• written examination
• Other
• Written report

written examination

• Open question with developed answer
• Open question with short answer

Other

Written report

Evaluation mainly consists in written exams at the end of each quadrimester.

Each exam covers all subjects covered in lectures and during the exercises and lab sessions.

For the "Applied Physics" part, the evaluation also includes a portion related to lab work, based on a written report, the results obtained, and an interrogation during the lab sessions. Attendance at the lab sessions is mandatory.

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

In case of ambiguity between the French and English versions, only the French version shall prevail.

In both the first and second sessions, the distribution between the two aforementioned parts of the course is as follows. The overall mark is calculated as the weighted average of the marks
— of the "Applied Physics" part, which counts for four fifths, and
— of the "Data Structures" part, which counts for one fifth.

For the first session, within this overall mark, the various evaluations have the following weighting:
— the exam of the end of the first quadrimester counts for one fifth of the overall course mark;
— the exam of the end of the second quadrimester counts for seven tenths; and
— the mark for the practical work counts for one tenth.

For the second session, the mark for the practical work is retained with the same weighting. Furthermore, from the first to the second session, the mark for the "Applied Physics" part or for the "Data Structures" part is automatically reported if it is at least 10/20; no administrative action is required. Marks below 10/20 are automatically canceled. Students whose one partial mark has been reported but nevertheless decide to retake the corresponding exam at a later session implicitly and irrevocably forfeit their previous mark: only the new mark obtained is taken into consideration for calculating the overall mark, even if it is lower than the one obtained previously.

The absence to the practical laboratory work results, in addition to get 0/20 as mark for this practical laboratory work, in a reduction of two points over sixteen from the mark for the "Applied Physics" part, both in the first and second sessions.

The teaching unit (UE) is credited if and only if the following two conditions are met:
1) if the overall mark, calculated as explained above, reaches 10/20; and
2) if the skills in both parts of the course, namely "Applied Physics" and "Data Structures," are acquired to a sufficient level, which requires the student has obtained at least 7/20 in each of them.

The final mark for the course is then determined as follows:
— if the course is credited or if the course is not credited but none of the partial marks is strictly lower than 7/20, the final mark for the course is the overall mark calculated as explained above;
— if the course is not credited and at least one partial mark is strictly lower than 7/20, the final mark for the course is the lowest partial mark among the "Applied Physics" part and the "Data Structures" part.

Language(s) of evaluation

• french
• english