Module number: 14442

Contents of the lecture / design lab

The first lectures cover the fundamentals of Radio Frequency (RF) Transceiver architectures, RF building blocks and active / passive microelectronic devices.

Following this theoretical introduction, a full integrated circuit design flow at the example of a RF-Mixer is covered in a hands-on lab.

Software tools commonly used for radio frequency circuit design (Keysight ADS and Cadence Virtuoso) will be applied for the design, layout and verification of the mixer circuit based on a IHP high performance semiconductor technology. You will go through the complete design cycle, starting from the specification, the schematic entry, simulation, layout up to the validation of tape-out ready design of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) and learn how a microelectronic chip is created.

• Transceiver architectures and figures of merit
• Introduction into active and passive microelectronic devices
• RF-Mixer basics
• RF-Mixer topologies
• Introduction into Keysight ADS Design Framework
• ASIC schematic design
• Introduction into Cadence Virtuoso (layout / physical design)
• ASIC Layout design
• Introduction into 2.5D electromagnetic (EM) design
• Circuit optimization
• Design Rule Check (DRC)
• Layout vs. Schematic (LVS)
• Virtual Tape Out

Duration:    1 Semester

Offer:         Each summer Semester

Lecture / lab:     2 semester hours per week
Preparation and re-work of lab sessions on students PC is assumed

Prerequisite for exam: Preparation of a Design Review presentation which will be defended during the exam

Oral Exam

Credit points: 6