Lecturer: Francesco Svelto  

Course name: RF Microelectronics
Course code: 064149
Degree course: Ingegneria Elettronica
Disciplinary field of science: ING-INF/01
L'insegnamento è caratterizzante per: Ingegneria Elettronica
University credits: CFU 5
Course website: n.d.

Specific course objectives

The course is aimed at introducing the students to the design of integrated transceivers for wireless communications. The students, at the end of the course, will have gained specific knowledge on alternative architectures for analog signal processing and on the design of specific integrated blocks: low noise amplifiers, mixers, power amplifiers, voltage controlled oscillators, filters. Based on experience gained in the CAD laboratory, students will be able to desgin single building blocks meeting typical target specification of commercial wireless systems. Moreover, they will have leraned how to desgin the RF front-end of a transceiver for communications.

Course programme

Leveraging knowledge gained in courses of basic electronics, the student will briefly re-visit the challenges in the design of a wireless communication system, and basic analog and digital modulation. The focus will then be on the design of IC blocks.

Basic concepts in wireless communications
Non-linearity, inter-symbol interference, phase noise in oscillators, sensitivity and dynamic range, image rejection.

Modulations
Analog, digital. Modulation schemes for optimum power and spectral efficiency.

Transceiver architectures
Super-heterodyne, direct conversion, conversion to low intermediate frequency.

Design of transceiver building blocks
Low noise amplifiers, up and down conversion mixers, voltage controlled oscillators, power amplifiers.

Application example
Computer aided design of two CMOS transceiver building blocks tailored to standards of commercial interest.

Course entry requirements

Course structure and teaching

Lectures (hours/year in lecture theatre): 30
Practical class (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0
Practicals / Workshops (hours/year in lecture theatre): 22

Suggested reading materials

B. Razavi. RF Microelectronic circuits. Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

T. H. Lee. The design of CMOS Radio-Frequancy Integrated Circuits. Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Testing and exams

The students will be assigned a project where they will be required to desgin two transceiver IC blocks targeting the specifications of a commecrial standard. The report discussing achieved resuts will be the basis of the oral examination. The examination will continue with a discussion around all the topics of the course.