Communications systems are at the mercy of the available technology to fabricate their transceivers. To understand the complexities of modern communications transceivers, their performance requirements and limitations, especially in the microwave and mm-wave frequency bands, it is mandatory to have a closer look to their underlying electronics and fabrication methods. And this look requires not only a theoretical background in active devices and circuit design methodologies or fabrications methods, but most importantly, a practical background in circuit design, fabrication, measurement and performance evaluation. The student has already acquired this theoretical background through previous subjects.
The present subject aim to provide the student with some practical background by fully designing, fabricating in hybrid integrated technology and characterizing a circuit prototype, in fact one of the analogue building components of modern transceivers for working in the microwave band (power amplifier, oscillator or mixer).
Most of the presential hours of the course and personal work of the student will be devoted to the design and fabrication of this prototype. Besides this practical work, some presential hours will be devoted to describe the design rules and methodologies of advanced transceiver circuit modules working in microwave and mm-wave bands. Among others, we may mention issues related to the design of efficient power amplifiers or the use of X-parameters to characterize and model these nonlinear components.
The subject will be taught fully in english, both in oral and written communications with the students, and in provided technical documents and reports.
