Unit information: Radio Frequency Engineering 4 in 2016/17

Unit name	Radio Frequency Engineering 4
Unit code	EENGM6501
Credit points	10
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Professor. Morris
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Faculty	Faculty of Engineering

Description including Unit Aims

The aim is to provide an introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of RF and microwave circuit design. This includes a detailed study of RF transistor amplifier design, covering RF transistor behaviour and selection; Smith Chart design of small-signal amplifiers using lumped-element and stub matching techniques; and RF power amplification and linearity considerations in RF systems.

• Components at RF, resonant circuits; Q factor, Fixed Q, High Q and low Q impedance matching; Semiconductors at RF and BJT models at RF; s-parameters.
• Small-signal RF amplifier design: bias networks, stability and matching.
• Smith chart matching network design.
• Amplifier design using Smith charts: stability, gain control and matching network design.
• Low-noise design: choice of bias point and noise figure.
• Principles of microwave systems; microwave amplifier design; Transmitter architectures; Amplifier distortion: modelling, intercept point, harmonic and inter-modulation distortion.
• Large-signal RF amplifier types and classes.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Having completed this unit, students will be able to:

1. Design bias circuits for class A RF amplifiers
2. Explain the relationship between Q factor and system bandwidth
3. Describe and model component (R,L and C) behaviour at RF
4. Design L, π , T and multiple L type matching networks
5. Use s-parameter data
6. Develop BJT models at RF
7. Read and interpret a Smith chart
8. Use a Smith chart to design L, π, and T matching networks
9. Use a Smith chart to design single stub matching networks
10. Apply simple amplifier distortion models and calculate intercept point
11. Describe the different classes of RF power amplifier (A,B,C,D,E,F and S)
12. Design a small signal RF amplifier
13. Design a low noise RF amplifier
14. Design a multiple stage RF amplifier
15. Describe the main amplifier linearisation techniques

Teaching Information

Lectures

Assessment Information

Exam, 2 hours, 100% (All ILOs)

Reading and References

• Bowick, C., RF Circuit Design, 2nd edition (TK 6553 BOW)

• Reinhold, Ludwig and Gene Bagdanov, RF Circuit Design Theory and Applications, Prentice Hall, 2009, ISBN:1-13-135505-7