ECE 5/413 Radio Frequency IC Design: Lecture Notes for Fall 2018

Aug 21: lec1_ece513.pdf, Slides – Course introduction. RF basics. Friis propagation equation. Start Chapter 2.

Aug 23: lec2_ece513.pdf, Slides – RF transceiver requirements. Analog modulation, quadrature modulated signal.

Aug 28: lec3_ece513.pdf – Digital Modulation: ASK, FSK, PSK, QAM.

Aug 30: lec4_ece513.pdf – RF receiver (RX) architectures: Direct detection. (Super) Heterodyne: Image frequency, Image rejection, dual conversion. Hartley.

Sep 4: lec5_ece513.pdf – RF receiver (RX) architectures: Hartley, Weaver, Zero-IF. RF Transmitter architectures.

Sep 6: lec6_ece513.pdf – Nonlinearity, harmonic distortion, 1-dB Compression point, Blocking in RF receivers, Intermodulation (Razavi).

Sep 11: lec7_ece513.pdf – Two-tone test, IIP3, IIP3 of a cascade, Start Noise.

Sep 13: lec8_ece513.pdf, Slides – Noise Figure (NF), Sensitivity.

Sep 18: lec9_ece513.pdf, Slides – Link Budget, EVM, Phase Noise.

Sep 20: lec10_ece513.pdf – Start Chapter 3: Noise in circuits. Noise PSD, Noise in Resistors, kT/C noise. Interested students can find more information on noise analysis here.

Sep 25: lec11_ece513.pdf – Two-ports: Z, Y, h, g parameters. ABCD matrices. S-parameters and their significance.

Sep 27: lec12_ece513.pdf – Two-port noise analysis. Noise admittance formalism (IEEE parameters), correlated noise sources v_n and i_n;Y_cor=G_cor+jB_cor. Noise factor of a two-port: G_s,opt, B_s,opt, F_min, G_u, R_n. Sensitivity to source impedance mismatch.

Oct 2: lec13_ece513.pdf – Review of noise admittance formalism (Y_cor, G_u, R_n, Y_s,opt, F_min). Noise impedance formalism (Z_cor, R_u, G_n, Z_s,opt, F_min). Nanoscale MOSFETs (Chapter 4). Constant current density (I_D/W) methodology. Parasitic resistances (R_s, R_d, R_g). Read Sections 4.1-4.2 from the book.

Oct 4: lec14_ece513.pdf – MOSFET parasitic capacitances (C_gs, C_gd, etc.), simplified and extrinsic small-signal models and y-parameters. High-frequency figures of merit: f_T and f_MAX. Start Two-port transistor noise model.

Oct 9: lec15_ece513.pdf – MOSFET Two-port noise model.

Oct 11: lec16_ece513.pdf – Start Matching networks (Chapter 5). Passive RLC circuits, Impedance transformation, L-Match.

Oct 16: lec17_ece513.pdf – L-match, pi-match, design example [Match using Smith chart not covered but can read from the book]. Start Tuned Amplifiers (Chapter 5).

Oct 18: lec18_ece513.pdf – Tuned CS and Cascode amplifier stage analysis, Power gain, f_MAX. Effects of Miller cap: Neutralization and Unilaterization. Inductively degenerated CS stage for resistive input matching.

Oct 23: lec19_ece513.pdf – Start LNA design (Chapter 7): Active device matching.

Oct 25: lec20_ece513.pdf – Passive component matching. LNA design steps: LNA_Design.pdf, frequency scaling.

Oct 30: lec21_ece513.pdf –LNA Design example. Amplifier Bandwidth extension techniques (Chapter 5).

Nov 1: lec22_ece513.pdf – Bandwidth extension techniques: Shunt peaking, shunt series peaking, T-coil, Distributed Amplifiers, Additional notes. mmWave LNAs, Conclude LNAs.

Nov 6: lec23_ece513.pdf – Start Mixers (Chapter 9): RF, IM, LO relationship, Switch-based commutating mixer and its conversion gain, Diode and FET mixer.

Nov 8: lec24_ece513.pdf – Mixers: 3-port model, Noise Temp and Noise figure, Isolation. Start active mixers: single-balanced and double-balanced.

Nov 6: Midterm Exam (Take home): Download from BBlearn. Due in class Tuesday, Nov 13 Thursday, Nov 15.

Nov 13:  No class (take-home exam).

Nov 15: lec25_ece513.pdf – Double-balanced Gilbert Mixer, conversion gain, common-mode rejection.

Nov 20 and 22: Fall Recess from instruction.

Nov 27: lec26_ece513.pdf – Conclude Mixers. Design methodology, low-voltage design, mmWave Mixers, Image-reject mixers, polyphase filters.

Nov 29: lec27_ece513.pdf – Start Power Amplifiers (PAs).

Dec 4: lec28_ece513.pdf – PA design contd.

Dec 6: lec29_ece513.pdf – Conclude PA Design.

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