Unit RFIC DESIGN WITH LABORATORY
- Course
- Electronic engineering for the internet-of-things
- Study-unit Code
- A001075
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Federico Alimenti
- Teachers
-
- Federico Alimenti
- Hours
- 80 ore - Federico Alimenti
- CFU
- 9
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2021
- Offered
- 2022/23
- Learning activities
- Caratterizzante
- Area
- Ingegneria elettronica
- Academic discipline
- ING-INF/01
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- ITALIAN
- Contents
- This course deals with the design of RF integrated circuits in advanced CMOS and BiCMOS technologies. Microwave transistors, sub-threshold MOSFET operation, low-noise and power amplifiers, oscillators and mixers will be described. Theory, basic equations, design methods and CAD examples will be proposed during the lecture time.
- Reference texts
- [1] S. Voinigescu, "High-Frequency Integrated Circuits," Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-87302-4
[2] T.H. Lee, "The Design of CMOS Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuits," Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-63922-0 - Educational objectives
- In this course some basic concepts in electronics will be presented; among them: RF amplifier (including noise and nonlinearities), mixer and oscillators. All the topics are treated starting from the theory of electrical circuits and providing expertise in terms of both analysis and design (or synthesis).
The main knowledge gained will be:
1) Knowing the operation of amplifiers, oscillators , mixers and how to model these circuits
2) Knowing the noise theory from a circuit point of view.
3) Knowing the main silicon technologies (CMOS and BiCMOS) and how these are used in radio front-ends.
The main skills will be:
a) Apply the above knowledges to identify the specifications and the design constraints of RF circuits.
b) Apply the above knowledges to analyze and to design the main microwave active building-blocks.
c) Apply the above knowledges to use a CAD simulator for RF (EDA software). - Prerequisites
- In order to understand and to apply the techniques described in the course program it is necessary to have successfully defended the electronics and the circuit theory exams (three-year degree). In addition, some subjects of the program require the knowledge of the Fourier series and some basic mathematical skills (calculus). These are essential prerequisites for the student who wishes to follow the teaching at a profit.
- Teaching methods
- The teaching is organized as follows:
1) face-to-face lectures (theory and design methods);
2) seminar lectures (CAD software, ADS, Cadence, new technologies);
3) laboratory exercises.
In particular, the laboratory exercises will be related to the simulation, physical implementation and experimental characterization of high-frequency active circuits (small-signal amplifiers, oscillators, mixers, etc.). The students, furthermore, will be introduced to the usage of basic RF instrumentation (signal generator, tracking generator, spectrum analyzer, vector network analyzer). - Other information
- Following the lectures is recommended.
Location: Department of Engineering, via G. Duranti 93, Perugia. Lessons' classrooms according to the course timetable.
Reception of students at the Department of Engineering, teacher’s office. Hours: Monday 9-13, Tuesday 9-13. - Learning verification modality
- The exam includes an oral verification and/or the discussion of a technical report produced independently or in groups.
The oral exam lasts about 30 minutes and is aimed at verifying the level of knowledge and understanding achieved by students on the theoretical, methodological and application contents mentioned in the program. In particular it consists of three questions, the purpose of which is also to test both the communication skills and the language property of the students.
The technical report discussion consists of the development of a case study proposed by the teacher and it is typically based on electronic circuit design using RF CAD (like ADS or Cadence). The technical report substitutes two questions over three of the oral examination. The discussion may be based on the presentation of slides (typically 10) and the member of the examination Committee could ask clarification about theory and project details. During the discussion the following things will be evaluated: technical knowledge and understanding of the subject, ability to apply the skills acquired and to develop original solutions, language and synthesis properties. - Extended program
- Microwave transistors and passive components integrated on silicon. Small-signal model, internal capacitances, package parasitics. Admittance matrix (computation). Transition frequency (fT) and relationship with bias. Input and output admittance. Simultaneous conjugate matching. Amplifier stability, case-of-study: tuned amplifiers. Stability circles e stability criterion. RF power and RF gains (definitions), gain circles. Maximum oscillation frequency (fmax) and relationship with bias. Current-density invariance (Voinigescu). RF passive components. Integrated inductors, parasitic elements, equivalent circuits, quality factor and self-resonance frequency. Integrated transformers, parasitic elements, equivalent circuits, coupling factor. Integrated resistors and capacitors, sizing. Noise figure of RF transistors. Noise model of BJT and MOSFET. Minimum noise figure and optimum source impedance (computation). Noise circles. Signal amplifiers. Impedance transformation and visualization on the Smith's chart. Concentrated component matching networks: L and pi-greek configurations. Distributed components matching networks: recall. Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA). Friis' formula. Inductive degeneration of the emitter/source, noise matching method. Design of a cascode LNA. Wide-band amplifiers (gain-block). Resistive feedback method. Design of a gain-block based on two HBTs in Darlington configuration. Power Amplifiers (PA). Non-linearities in RF systems. Introduction to power series and Volterra series. Recall on: 1dB compression point, third-order inter-modulation, IIP3, estimation of IM3 from Pin given the IIP3 of an amplifier, Spurious Free Dynamic Range (SFDR). Class-A amplifiers, class AB amplifiers, class B amplifiers, harmonic termination, dynamic load-line. Optimum bias and transistor sizing. Cripps' method and compensation of internal capacitors. Load-pull and optimum load impedance. Oscillators. Oscillation criteria, gain saturation and amplitude stabilization. Negative resistance approach. Main oscillator configurations. The Colpitts oscillator: analysis and synthesis. Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCO), varactor (diode, MOS), tuning law. Differential oscillators. Noise in oscillators. Flicker (1/f) noise, phase noise, Leeson' formula. Mixer (frequency converters) and detectors. Gilbert-cell mixer. Balanced diode mixers. Design of a CMOS Gilbert cell. Noise in mixers. Noise figure of a mixer. Low-power building-blocks for RFID tags. Sub-threshold MOSFET operation and basic circuits. Architecture of an integrated RFID tag and its circuitry: rectifier, detector, back-scattering modulator, frequency doublers.