RF Design: Core Concepts and Fundamentals
Achieve expert know-how of RF circuitry models with the second in a series of programmes intended specifically for RF professionals. Brought to you by our partners, Besser Associates, Inc., RF Design Techniques is a follow-up to RF Design: Core Concepts and Fundamentals. This three-day course will teach you how to design, analyse, test and integrate linear and nonlinear transmitter and receiver circuits and subsystems. By course completion, you will have acquired specialist techniques in successful integration of circuit functions at system level and learned how to design a proper receiver architecture and synthesise layout that meets critical requirements.
Sign up now and become an expert in active circuits, including transceiver circuits like power amplifiers, oscillators (PLL, VCO, etc.), and critical receiver elements. We will dissect fundamental circuit limitations due to noise and distortion, examine input/output matching, and ensure RF stability for small-signal linear amplifier design using S-parameter techniques and the Nyquist test.
You'll review active and passive bias circuits, learn impedance matching, and address issues from coupling, grounding, and parasitic resistance in circuit layouts. Additionally, we'll discuss trade-offs among gain flatness, noise, RF stability, and impedance matching with low-noise amplifier designs, and observe performance trade-offs of balanced amplifiers affecting harmonic and inter-modulation performance.
Learning Outcome
Upon completing the course you will be able to:
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CAD Designers/Layout Engineers with basic design skill sets in PADS
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Completion of Basic PCB Design Course using PADS VX
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Predict RF circuit stability and stabilise circuits
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Design various RF amplifiers such as small-signal, low-noise and feedback
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Identify and quantify nonlinear effects of transmit and receive systems
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Use CAD models to analyse and design circuits
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Design low-noise and highly linear amplifiers
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Set receiver performance parameters and modulation techniques
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Design signal sources using PLL (Phased Locked Loop) techniques
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Explain and design VCOs and stable oscillators
Target Audience
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Engineers involved in the production, test, and development of RF components, circuits, sub-systems and systems
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Circuit Engineers
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Analyse and design transceiver circuits by mastering the linear and nonlinear design techniques
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System Engineers
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Identify performance limitations and learn how to establish specifications through examination of block-level circuit functions
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Test Engineers
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Learn how to test and evaluate circuits
Course Content
Day 1
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Nonlinear Circuits and Concepts
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High Efficiency Power Amplifier Design
Day 2
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Receivers and their Architecture
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Modulation Techniques
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Frequency Synthesis, PLL Design
Day 3
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Feedback and Negative Resistance Oscillator Design
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AM/FM Noise Considerations
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VCOs, DROs and Crystal Oscillators
Course Materials and Requirements
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Students are encouraged to bring along their personal laptops.
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AWR design software will be provided.
Recommended Prerequisites
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An engineering degree
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Completion of RF Design – Core Concepts and Fundamentals or equivalent (including knowledge in Smith Chart and concepts such as wavelength, electrical length and dB notation)
Course Details
3 Days
Course Facilitator
Dr. Robert (Bob) Froelich is a highly experienced RF and Microwave Engineer and a prolific writer of technical articles on device modeling and wireless measurement.
He has 30 years of experience in design of circuits and systems for radar, radio astronomy, and wireless communications such as GPS, Bluetooth and proprietary systems.
He currently teaches web-based classes and short courses for Besser Associates, Inc., and has previously worked with Watkins Johnson, Trimble Navigation, CellNet Data Systems, M/A-COM and Cobham Defense Systems.
Bob received his B.Sc., Summa Cum Laude, and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Richard Fornes
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