Lecturer: Francesco Svelto  

Course name: Elettronica per telecomunicazioni
Course code: 062267
Degree course: Ingegneria Elettronica e delle Telecomunicazioni
Disciplinary field of science: ING-INF/01
The course relates to:
University credits: CFU 5
Course website: n.d.

Specific course objectives

This course is aimed at introducing basic knowledge of transceiver building blocks for communications. The emphasis is on wireless applications. The student will gain specific knowledge around alternative architectures for signal processing and will have insight on the design of the following blocks: low noise amplifiers, mixers, Phase Locked Loops (PLL). The target of the course is developing the following skills: derive circuit blocks specification for a given communication system, design blocks operating up to few GHz. For complex sub-systems, such as the PLL,the student will be able to understand the operating principle and compare alternative architecture solutions and their applications.

Course programme

Basic concepts for wireless communications transceivers
Sensitivity, non-linearities, inter-modulation distortion, phase noise, image rejection.

Receiver front-end blocks
Low-noise amplifiers, trans-impedance amplifiers. Mixers topologies: based on components non-linearities, based on current commutation. Single balanced topology versus Gilbert cell.

Phase Locked Loops
Voltage controlled oscillator. Phase/frequency detector. Amplitude demodulators. Clock and data recovery. Direct digital synthesis. Frequency synthesizers. Frequency multiplier and clock synchronizer.

Course entry requirements

Basic Courses on Electronics: Introduction to Electronics and Electronic circuits and systems

Course structure and teaching

Lectures (hours/year in lecture theatre): 32
Practical class (hours/year in lecture theatre): 11
Practicals / Workshops (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0
Project work (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0

Suggested reading materials

D. Del Corso. Elettronica per telecomunicazioni. McGraw-Hill, Milano.

Testing and exams

The examination is based on two distinct parts: 1. a written examination where the students is asked to solve problems concerning circuits presented and discussed during the course. 2. An oral exam with an in-depth discussion on the topics of the course