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Course unit, curriculum year 2019–2020
ELT-47266

Active RF Circuits, 5 cr

Tampere University
Teaching periods
Course code
ELT-47266
Language of instruction
English
Academic year
2019–2020
Level of study
Advanced studies
Grading scale
General scale, 0-5
Persons responsible
Responsible teacher:
Mikko Valkama
Olli-Pekka Lunden
Responsible organisation
Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences 100 %
Core content
  • RF transistor amplifiers: Transistor modeling using linear circuit parameters (Y, Z, S and ABCD), small-signal equivalent circuits, and nonlinear ("spice") models. Stability against oscillation. Impedance matching of two-ports, noise figure optimization, linearity.
  • RF oscillator design: modeling an oscillator as 1) a positive feedback amplifier and 2) as a negative resistance device. Clapp-type (single transistor) and cross-coupled (two-transistor) oscillators. Frequency control using varactors (aka "varicaps" or "capacitance diodes") Crystal oscillators. Design rules-of-thumb and their origins.
  • RF mixers: understanding mixer as 1) a circuit made of one or more switches 2) a circuit made of one or more nonlinear components. Active and passive mixers. Conversion loss/gain, mixing products (the wanted and unwanted output frequencies), linearity, port-to-port isolation.
  • Larger entities: RF systems such as "receiver chain" and the "phase locked loop".
Complementary knowledge
  • Matlab RF toolbox, RF circuit simulations. Aspects in practical implementations.
  • Frequency stability, jitter and phase noise. DC-to-RF efficiency.
  • Mixer noise figure.
  • Other active RF circuits: frequency dividers, prescalers, frequency multipliers, phase detectors, the phase locked loop (PLL), modulators, demodulators.
Specialist knowledge
  • Oscillator design trade-offs and optimization.
Learning outcomes
Prerequisites
Compulsory prerequisites
Recommended prerequisites
Further information
Learning material
Equivalences
Studies that include this course
Completion option 1

Participation in teaching

No scheduled teaching