Module Aims

The aim of the module is to provide familiarisation with RF design and systems applications to encourage the production of RF engineers for industry and provide an understanding of RF engineering for specialists in other fields of eletronics.

Learning Objectives

To provide an understanding of the broad underlying principles of RF engineering.

Background to the Module

Surrey offers a popular 5-day residential short course every July entitled “RF Circuit and System Design”. Students attending this course can elect to take TWO 15 credit level M modules, with the additional learning hours at present made up through paper-based learning. This proposal is to replace that paper-based element with on-line materials.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Students should normally have undergraduate level understanding of basic electronic engineering, or equivalent. No prior knowledge of RF engineering is assumed.

Assessment weighting

Assignments (typical):

1. A written report on an RF applications topic agreed with tutors
2. Computer-based exercises using “shareware” CAD readily available on the web (with links from UniS VLE)

Syllabus

Topics and Content

Broadcast TV and Radio
Mobile and cellular radio.
Transmitters and receivers
Introduction to antennas and propagation
Principles of radar and sensors
Other applications of RF; medicine, imaging, RFID, heating, astronomy, optoelectronics
Spectrum management
Trends in RF transceiver design; direct conversion techniques, linearisation, frequency synthesis
Design of lumped element filters from LP prototypes. Practical realisations.
Introduction to transmission line circuits; The Smith Chart, S-parameters
Matching networks and RF amplifier design.
Amplifier figures of merit. Noise figure, noise temperature. Optimum noise figure matching. Linearity, intermodulation.
Measuring equipment. Spectrum analysers, network analysers

Recommended Texts

Essential Reading (at least one of the following):-
Smith, J, Modern Communication Circuits, McGraw-Hill. 0-07-066544-3 (£22.99)
Hagen, JJ, Radio Frequency Electronics- Circuits and Applications, C.U.P., 1996. 0-52155356-3 (£24.99)
Bowick, C, RF Circuit Design, Butterworth. 0-750-69946-9 (£18.99)
Reinhold Ludwig & Pavel Bretchko, RF Circuit Design: Theory and Applications, Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-095323-7
Matthew M. Radmanesh, Radio Frequency and Microwave Electronics Illustrated, Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-027958

Background Reading
I. D. Robertson and S. Lucyszyn (eds.) , RFIC & MMIC Design and Technology, pub. IEE, 2001
Gosling, W (ed), Radio Receivers, Peter Peregrinus (IEE), 1986. 0-086341-056-01
Robins, WP, Phase Noise In Signal Sources, Peter Peregrinus (IEE), 1982. 0-0906046-76-1
Kraus, Bostian and Raab, Solid State Radio Engineering, Wiley. 0-471-03018-X (£85.00)
Matthaei, Young & Jones, Microwave Filters, Impedance-matching Networks and Coupling Structures, Artech House, 1980. 0-89006-099-1
Zverev, A, Handbook of Filter Synthesis, Wiley. 0-471-98680-1

Delivery Mode

5 days residential course, shared with “Advanced RF Circuit and System Design)”, plus on-line Distance Learning using the UniS supported VLE (currently tenders for provision are under consideration; either Blackboard or WebCT are likely to be chosen).