Topic outline

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    smiling chip
    In this course we will focus on the high-frequency design challenges of integrated circuits, and study typical radio transceiver structures and related circuit solutions.  This course is a part of the micro- and nanoelectronic circuit design major of the master's programme in nano and radio sciences. The prerequisite for this course is that you have studied the course ELEC-E3510 - Basics of IC Design.

    Please, read the course brochure for 2019.

    The course starts on Tuesday Feb 26th at 12:15 in the lecture room 2190 (Iso sali) at Micronova. 

    First lecture will be followed by CAD exercise demo on same day (14:00-16:00) in computer classroom TU4 (1174-1176) at Maarintie 8.

    If you do not have an user account for vspace server, please follow the instructions given in the  Assignments-CAD page.


    The final meeting and project presentations will be on 14.5.2019.




  • Schedule

    26.2.  First meeting : "get-together" and introduction
    5.3.  Topic 1: Radio architectures
    12.3.  Topic 2: IC Technologies
    26.3.  Topic 3: Amplifiers
    9.4.  Topic 4: Mixers
    23.4.  Topic 5: Synthesizers
    14.5.
    		  Project presentations and course wrap-up

  • Lectures

    Not available unless: Your User account contains (use: aalto.fi) contains aalto.fi

    The lecture slides will be included here.

    1. Slides of the first lecture - Transceiver architectures and concepts
    2. Slides of the second lecture - RFIC technologies and passive devices
    3. Slides of the third lecture - low-noise amplifiers and power amplifiers
    4. Slides of the fourth lecture - mixers
    5. Slides of the fifth lecture - SX + oscillators + dividers

  • SLA

    Not available unless: Your User account contains (use: aalto.fi) contains aalto.fi


    Self-learning assignments

    Each assignment will be included here after the meeting.


  • Assignments - homeworks

    Homeworks are "pen and paper" type problems for you to solve.
    Each homework will be included here after the meeting.

  • Project work


    In the project work the task is to design and simulate a simple RF receiver consisting of a low-noise amplifier (LNA) and down-conversion mixer. Details can be found in the project description.


    All the advices and supporting material are located in the VSPACE at directory

    /home/E3550/project_work_instructions

    Ideal baseband filter for project work can be found in following path

    /home/E3550/cad_materials/rfic_lib

    Add this path in cadence virtuoso through CIW>Tools>Library path editor.  While adding the path, software will complain about missing library. Just ignore the complain and save the library path editor settings.  Once you have added the path you can open ideal components models from rfic_lib path in cadence virtuoso. From rfic_lib, you will need 'ideal_filter' component for your project work.

    Note that the CAD exercises are such that they prepare you for the project work.
    Complete them, and you have the simulation skills needed for this task.