Radiofrequency Integrated Circuits and Systems

Course developed by: Xavier Aragones, Electronic Engineering Dept, UPC 
Contact: xavier.aragones@upc.edu

Course Description

This course will train students in methods of design, analysis and specification of analog circuits for RF (radiofrequency) communication systems, integrated in microelectronic CMOS technology. The course will focus on the circuit blocks of a RF front-end in a receiver (Low-noise amplifier, voltage-controlled oscillator, mixer) and a 2.4 GHz font-end will be designed and characterized using Cadence tools.

In the first part of the course, system-level analysis will link specifications of communication systems with the figures of merit of the electronic circuits that implement the receivers/transmitters in those systems. A comprehensive analysis of the different specs will be done, and a specification procedure of the circuits using software tools will be described. 

Next, the major circuits in a RF communication receiver front-end will be described, for the particular target of integration in CMOS technology. Performance trade-offs will be analyzed and for each of the circuits, design procedures will be described and practiced in specific exercises using professional EDA tools for microelectronic design (Cadence). 

Basic knowledge of the microelectronic CMOS technology is assumed, although the possibilities, limitations and particularities of this technology for RF will be also discussed in the course.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students are able to …