EECS 397/600: Special Topics: RF Circuits

Spring 2002, Prof. Frank Merat

General Information

This web site is used for reference material for my special topics RF Circuits class. The specific content will vary with time. NOTE that a separate Web site for EEAP 341 Communications Circuits is currently being re-constructed.

Course Instructor: Frank Merat, flm@po.cwru.edu, Glennan 518, 216-368-4572

Communications Circuits Reference Notes

Note that these notes were previously used for EEAP 341 Communications Circuits - a class which is no longer being offered.

Syllabus Syllabus for EEAP 341 Communications Circuits - a class which is no longer offered (PDF, 1.8MB)
Index Detailed index for the following notes: (PDF, 512k)
Radio Pages 1-13: History of radio, basic superheterodyne radio concepts (PDF, 1.8MB)
Electrical Noise Pages 37-79: (PDF, 5.7MB)
Power Gain Pages 80-86: Basic definitions (PDF, 1.5MB)
Basic Transistors Pages 87-107: DC characteristics of BJTs and FETs, amplifier principles, amplifier design, biasing (PDF, 3.1 MB)
Small signal amplifiers Pages 110-146: Small signal models, transistor data sheets, parameter variation, FET amplifiers, h-parameters, cascode amplifiers (PDF, 4.9 MB)
Power amplifiers Pages 150-186: Class A, B and AB power amplifiers, transformer coupling(PDF, 5.9 MB)
Automatic Gain Control Pages 200-202: (PDF, 652k)
Two-port Networks Pages 211-224: Two port matrix parameters, power gains, interconnections(PDF, 2 MB)
Two-port Circuit Analysis Pages 224-238: Resonant networks (PDF,1.7 MB)
Impedance Matching Networks Pages 236-278: Resonant LC networks (PDF, 2.4 MB)
Impedance Matching Networks Pages 290-312: Coupled inductors, tapped inductors, transformers (PDF, 3.1 MB)
RF Amplifiers Pages 330-352: Small signal amplifier design (PDF, 2.4MB)
RF Amplifiers Pages 352-364, AN-215A Small signal amplifier design (PDF, 3.5 MB)
RF Amplifiers Pages 365-386, RF Amplifier design examples (PDF, 3.7 MB)
Mixers Pages 390-402: Basic transistor mixers (PDF, 1,87MB)
Mixers Pages 403-412: AN-238 2-Port Mixer Design (PDF, 2.6MB)
Mixers Pages 410-418: Differential BJT Mixer, Mixer Analysis (PDF, 1.81MB)
Oscillators Pages 440-499: Feedback Amplifiers and Oscillators (PDF, 2.99 MB)
Phase-locked Loops Pages 550-607: (PDF, 4.3 MB)
PLL's: AN-535 PLL Analysis & Design (PDF, 1.0MB)

Class Reference Material Gonzalez, Chapter 4 - Excellent discussion of s-parameter low-noise and wideband amplifier design (PDF, 3.8MB) Rutledge, Appendix C - How to use PUFF 2.1 (PDF, 2 MB) VanStone -Unique inductive feedback LNA design (PDF,780k)

Resources PSpice My EECS 245 PSpice page. Agilent RF Corner Links to lots of useful RF stuff. Agilent RF& Microwave Design Center Data sheets, applications notes about Agilent RF & Microwave products. Agilent AppCAD 2.5 software Useful program that provides a suite of rf design tools and computerized applications notes. Agilent Wireless Semiconductor Selection Guide Literature about RF/Microwave transistors including applications notes. Microstrip Calculator Version 1.2 provides accurate microstrip transmission line analysis and synthesis. Cascade is a program for analyzing the noise and distortion performance of a cascade of elements in an electronic system. TX-Line is a program for the analysis and synthesis of transmission line structures. Diode MX is a program by Stephen Maas for the analysis of microwave diode mixers. Agilent's spreadsheet for the selection of their components for microwave link/millimeter wave applications.

RF Construction & Components Steve Long's Inductor Construction Useful information about ferrites, RFC's and other inductors at RF/Microwave frequencies. RF Prototyping Techniques A good compedium of RF/Microwave frequency construction practices. James Rogers Corp. Their RT/duroid is the material of choice on which to build RF/microwave circuits. You can get technical information and samples from this site. They also have a university program.

S-Parameters Automated s-parameter measurement system Senior project report by Troy Schwartz which computer automates the measurement of s-parameters using an Hewlett-packard 8505A Network Analyzer. This report discusses (a) s-parameters and their properties, (2) how to measure s-parameters, (3) how to automatically measure s-parameters using computer control of the 8505A, (4) testing the system using a resonant circuit with known properties, and (5) ways of improving the accuracy of the system.

RF Instrumentation

RF engineers typically use instrumentation such as RF sweep generators, spectrum analyzers, vector voltmeters, and (most useful of all) network analyzers to characterize the frequency dependent behavior of networks.

Agilent AN 1287-1 Understanding the fundamental principles of vector Network Analysis Network analyzer basics presentation Agilent PowerPoint presentation of RF network analyzer basics. part of their RF basics series. Network analyzer basics article Similar to above presentation. This PDF article which covers principles of measuring high-frequency electrical networks with network analyzers, including what kind of measurements are made with network analyzers, and how they allow the characterization of linear and nonlinear device behavior. Network analyzer applications notes List Agilent applications notes about making measurements using network analyzers Student's intro to HP8714 vector network analyzer Usefule article written by University of South Florida students.

Useful Links

Analog Devices

Motorola

Texas Instruments

Places to find data sheets and application notes:

Chip Directory

QuestLink

Places to buy integrated circuits and other electronic parts:

Digi-Key

Jameco Electronics

Radio Shack

Two of my favorite electronics sites: