Docente/Teacher

prof. David ESSENI

Crediti/Credits

6 CFU

Obiettivi formativi specifici/Objectives

These classes have the following main goals:

- explain the working principle of the circuit blocks used in most VLSI transmitter and receiver systems: low noise amplifiers, power amplifiers, oscillators, mixers and phase locked loops;
- explain and discuss the main methodologies employed for the design of such circuit blocks;
- present some popular TCAD environments for the design of RF circuits and use them for some design problems proposed in the classes.

Competenze acquisite/Acquired skills

- Understanding the behavior and design strategies for RF building blocks.
- Methodologies used for the study of non-linear circuits under periodic/large signal conditions.

Programma/Lectures and exercises

Impedence matching: resonant networks; L, PI and T networks (6 hours).
Power amplifiers: class A, B and C amplifiers; efficiency, gain, maximum voltages and currents; design strategy  (8 hours).
PLL circuits: basic principles; models; different kind of PLL (charge pump, type II); use of PLL as FM modulator/demodulator (lab); frequency synthesizers (8 hours).
Low noise amplifiers: common topologies; input matching; noise figure (6 hours).
Radio frequency oscillators: negative resistance oscillators; VCO circuits; phase-noise (8 hours).
Mixer: common topologies (active, passive, differential, etc.); main figures of merit (6 hours).
Simulations by means of Microwave Office of RF circuits (14 hours).
Tutorials/Seminars (4 hours).

Bibliografia/References

- Lee, The design of CMSO radio-frequency integrated circuits, Cambridge
- Razavi, RF Microelectronics, Prentice hall

Modalità d'esame/Type of exam

Oral

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