The theoretical basics of the course 354.058 RF Techniques will be extended by practical applications like designing small signal matching circuits, measuring S-parameters, measuring nonlinear effects of power amplifiers...
Strong focus will be paid on getting familiar with typical RF measurement instruments like vector network analyzer, spectrum analyzer, signal analyzer, power meter.

• Course #1: Smith-Chart and Scattering parameters, Vector Network Analysis
• Course #2: Small Signal Amplifiers
• Course #3: Spectrum Analysis
• Course #4: RF-Signal Analysis, Modulation Formats, Frequency Conversion (Time Domain, Frequency Domain)
• Course #5: Power Amplifiers, Transmitter Spectra 

Administrative Meeting, Enrollment

Administrative issues concerning the lecture will be discussed on March 6th 2019, 14:00 in the library of E354, entrance via room CF0115 (combined with 354.084 RF Simulation Tools).
Please be present at the above mentioned event: The group assignment as well as registration for the entry exam (if needed) will take place here. Your attendance is required to enroll the course.

Schedule

The lab schedule can be downloaded here.

Lab - When & Where

The lab units take place either in the morning (8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.) or in the afternoon (1.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.) - please see the schedule for details. The course room CF0135 is located in the first floor, next to the main staircase of Gußhausstraße 25.

Downloads

Course related downloads can be found on the course homepage.

At the beginning of each course there will be a short multiple-choice-test to check if the students are prepared for the lab course. The multiple-choice-test is founded on previous knowledge from the course "354.058 VU RF Techniques". Two or more negative multiple-choice tests cause a negative grade for the course and a suspension for this year's course! In addition, at the end of the day, a short written test will take place to confirm the learned and exercised topics. The test is mainly based on what you learned in the lab course.

The laboratory courses require previous knowledge from the following topics:

RF1: Smith-Chart, vector network analysis

• Reflections on transmission lines
• Smith-Chart
• Scattering matrix (definition, properties)
• S-matrix of well-known N-ports (one-port, two-ports... four-ports, logarithmic measures like dB, dBm...)
• Information is found in chapters 3.1 and 3.2 of lecture notes "High Frequency Systems"

RF2: Small-signal-amplifiers, matching network synthesis and analysis

• Real-power transfer
• Bipolar transistors
• Field effect transistors
• Stability and impedance matching (Smith-Chart)
• Information is found in chapters 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 of lecture notes "High Frequency Systems"

RF3: Spectrum analysis

• Frequency conversion
• Heterodyne receivers
• Thermal noise, noise figure, SNR
• Nonlinearity, Intermodulation
• Digital modulation spectra (spectral power density frequency response)
• Power budget in receiver block diagrams

RF4: Signal-Analysis

• Digital modulation formats (QAM, PSK, GMSK...)
• Transmit filters and their influence (RRC, Gaussian...)
• Transmit spectra
• Inter-symbol-interference
• Eye-diagrams
• Distortion/intermodulation due to clipping and/or nonlinear amplifiers
• Information is found in chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7 of lecture notes "High Frequency Systems"
• EVM, I/Q impairments, PDF, CDF, CCDF, Crest-factor

RF5: Power Amplifier Measurement

• Class-A, -A/B, -B amplifiers
• (Power Added) Efficiency of different amplifiers
• Intermodulation and intercept-points
• Spectral regrowth, ACPR, NPR
• Information is found in chapters 3, 4, and 10 of lecture notes "High Frequency Systems"

Enrollment to the lab course depends on the successful completion of the course 354.058 RF Techniques and requires attendance at the preliminary discussion:

• Successfully completed before the day of the preliminary discussion: Feel free to pick your group!
• Course not completed before the day of the preliminary discussion: You can register for a short examination to check if you have equivalent knowledge to the course (see TISS for date/time). If you pass this exam, feel free to pick your group!

If you cannot attend the preliminary discussion please contact the course supervisors in advance.

Additional literature for each lab course is found on the course website.

Successful completion of the course "354.058 VU RF Techniques" or equivalent knowledge is required. If the course has not been completed, your equivalent knowledge will be checked by an examination before the first lab course. Please be aware, that this entry test serves as an absolutely last change to pass the requirements for the lab.
It is strongly recommended to successfully pass the RF Techniques course. This entry test is designed to be at least as hard as the RF Techniques exam, because we need to ensure that all students have the required theoretical knowledge!

The date of this exam (a multiple choice test) will be fixed during the administrative meeting (attendance mandatory). The main topics addressed are:

• Linear RF-circuits: scattering matrix, Smith-chart, design of matching networks
• Nonlinear RF-circuits: Intermodulation, Harmonics, IP3/5...
• Fundamental knowledge of modulation formats
• Characteristic measures of digital modulation
• Power amplifiers